The Deliberate Consumer

October 20, 2019. This date marks the beginning of the seven day Zero Waste Challenge Waterloo Region (check it out here:  https://reepgreen.ca/zerowaste/ ). Beginning tomorrow, anything that would usually go in the garbage in my house (with the exception of pet waste) will go in a 1L glass jar. Well, "what could be compost" will have its own jar. But more on the reasons for that later in the week. Why take the challenge?  The short answer, of course, is why not? When I signed on to the Plastic Free July challenge earlier this year, I had to answer to myself for the decisions I make regarding how I spend my time, and uncovered the value in priorities I had shoved aside. Accepting the Zero Waste Challenge seemed a wonderful way to revisit these and further challenge myself. However, if reasons such as adopting positive habits and hearing oneself are a little too close to the self-help section for you, do it for your children. Or for your grandchildren. Or for your grandch...

TL;DR: Psychology, economics, and consumerism all have a key role to play in sustainability. A key reflection from my Plastic Free July experience is that changing how we approach buying in even the smallest of ways can have a significant positive impact for our environment and the species we share it with. Background It started with a personal ban on disposable coffee cups. For half a year, I had been successful in only purchasing hot beverages when I had a reusable cup with me or when I felt comfortable making the time to sit-in and enjoy a cup of coffee without any rush. But once I had mastered that habit, I began looking for another challenge. And then I was told about Plastic Free July. I investigated the movement and made the pledge, swearing off single-use plastics for 31 days. While I do not think it was too difficult to uphold this pledge, the lessons learned as a result of the process have been insightful and - at times - unnerving. When I started down the path of inve...

When I signed on to Plastic Free July, I pledged to swear off single-use plastics for the entire month. If any piece of an item was plastic that couldn't be used again, I vowed to leave it on the shelf. So, with Plastic Free July coming to a close, how did I do? Did I succeed in my mission? Business Insider Australia:  https://www.businessinsider.com.au/nailed-it-netflix-baking-fails-photos-2018-3 Ok, so it wasn't as bad as all that. But in short, no. I was not able to completely avoid single-use plastics. A few products took me by surprise. There was plastic where I least expected it and where it was completely unnecessary. What got me? Three items. Three in a month of purchasing. And the culprits were... Kitty litter. Grr... I thought I had avoided this when I found a cardboard box of litter without a plastic bag inside. I picked it up off the shelf, paid, and waltzed it to the car - only then to notice the plastic handle that was stuck in the top of the box. Da...