A step by step guide to going plastic free / less.

Shopping on the first day of my Plastic Free July.

10 steps to freedom from plastic:

• It's easier than you think at first.
• There is a rough reduction rule of, 80 - 15 - 5: the first 80% can be achieved with minimal effort, the next 15% takes real commitment, the last 5% is bordering on the obsessive.
• It feels good, very good.

Assuming you've already stopped buying drinks in plastic bottles...

1. Compost - Find a solution to your organic waste: start composting. This frees your regular garbage bin of nasty smells so you don't need to use plastic bin liners so no excuse for getting plastic bags from the supermarket. This starts a chain reaction.
2. Don't forget your shopping bags - Once you've unpacked your groceries, put your empty shopping bags by the front door so they go back in your boot or bike pannier.
3. Home storage - Start a collection of storage containers to use when shopping and for home storage: Pyrex ones with plastic lids, jars saved from the recycling, tall glass tomato bottles with wide open mouth for carrying out with you to the shops to re-fill.
4. Build your network - ..of retailers that supply what you need and how. 
5. Be bold - Ask your deli / meat supplier to use your own container placed on the scales then zeroed. You'll be surprised with how cool they are. Tip: weigh the items on the lid if the glass is too heavy to zero off.
6. Buy in bulk - Set up your pantry to look like how your granny's pantry might have looked. Buy bulk cleaning products from wholesalers, Costco, etc, then re-fill your empty containers. You'll save a bucket-load too. Note: Something I am yet to do is explore alternatives to supermarket cleaning products (vinegar, bicarb, etc), that's why I haven't mentioned here.
7. Bake more - Snacks, treats and bread, it's surprisingly easy.
8. Keep it all for a month - keep all the plastic you use for one month, you'll learn a lot.
9. Find your solutions as you go - One by one you'll encounter plastic challenges that you'll solve as you go.
10. Don't sweat the small stuff - relax, small steps will take you far.

I'm happy to answer questions in the comments area below.

For more information:

How to:
https://zerowastechef.com/
http://myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide/
https://gippslandunwrapped.com/

Products:
www.lifewithoutplastic.com/
http://ethiquebeauty.com/

Everyday plactivism:
http://www.plasticfreejuly.org/
http://takeoutwithout.org/
Pinterest <--- great resource!
http://www.therogueginger.com/

What the World Economic Forum guys think of plastic:
https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics/

Plastic in the environment:
A great article that sums up where the plastic outrage sits today - Nov 2018

The plastic backlash: what's behind our sudden rage – and will it make a difference?

O.

Day 31, The final day

31 days of plastic

This is it folks, 31 days of plastic consumption. It's been quite a journey: from carelessly churning through a mountain of disposable plastic, to mindfully choosing product packaging that has a lighter impact on the Earth. I've changed my habits from outsourcing convenience, to taking responsibility for the logistics of my own consumption. Taking empty containers with me to re-fill, always carrying shopping bags and finding retailers who provide the goods I need, the way I need them, thinking of the whole product, 'goods and packaging'. Admittedly, things haven’t turned around in just a month, I have been concerned with my plastic use for years. This month however, I spent the time required to investigate how to take it to whole new level.

I have learned that the plastics revolution, started in the 1950's, has become a looming global catastrophe, an environmental flood of toxic waste that now permeates every ecosystem on our planet. It is estimated that by 2050 our oceans will contain more plastic than fish.

A great shock it was to discover that the entire recycling system is a myth. I now know only a tiny fraction of the plastic we consume, less than 5%, is recycled and even then into materials of a lesser grade, and of marginal ongoing reprocessing value. Putting plastic into your recycling bin merely delays it’s journey into the waste stream or the environment.

Recently, I watched an episode of Catalyst on the ABC, that examined the abundance of micro plastic in the oceans. Synthetic textiles come from the same base materials as plastics, hydrocarbons (oil), these textiles are broken down by wear and laundering into tiny particles that pass directly through the water treatment process, and out into the oceans. Therefore our campaign to reduce plastic should apply to choosing natural fibers for our wardrobe too.

It seems that we have become perhaps a little complacent at the true cost of these materials, and as we have seen with the Tragedy of the Commons, each person finds it difficult to see the impact of their individual contribution when applied at a global scale. Accepting a new paradigm and making these changes can appear difficult from the outset, but I have found much easier in practice.

There are great benefits too: many of the lost arts of household economy, the simple habits that our parents and grandparents used to perform are very practical, as well as opening up opportunities for a more engaged, perhaps meaningful connection with family and community. 

There was much interest and support with my unusual requests among the retailers I used, and it was very satisfying to overcome the small hurdles along the way. Sometimes my attempts to avoid plastic were difficult however, these were the moments that gave me the most satisfaction.

Thank you to my dear friends that had to endure my rants and obsessions this month. Now the month is over, I’m not going back to plastic as usual. I think the number I’m going to aim for is 90% (reduction). I strongly encourage you to come up with your number.

O

Day 26, How far would you go to avoid plastic?

Wooden Lego anyone?

What's your number? ...50% ... 75% ...99%?

The choice to reduce plastic is a deeply personal one however, it seems to impact on those around us as I've said already. Before you start, it may be good to consider what is feasible given your circumstances, kids, work, time, opportunity.

This is the final week of Plastic Free July so its a time for some reflection. Well before this experiment, I had already reduced by about half the plastic I would regularly consume a couple of years ago. Now I've taken it further, up from around 90% at the start of the month to somewhere close to 98%. Some plastic is inevitable, like the seal under the lid of a glass jar, a window faced envelope, the occasional tea bag (it's a paper / plastic composite - true!) and other little surprises along the way. I think focusing on the finer details means losing sight of the big picture, so I don't sweat the small stuff.

For me, it's more than just doing my bit for the environment, of course I know that I by myself will have no effect and I don't know anyone else doing this, so I guess I'm out to show that It's far easier than one may think, and perhaps start the conversation.

Along the way there have been many hurdles to overcome, each with it's unique set of thorny issues to consider: toothbrush, drinking straws, take away food containers, cleaning products, deli and meats. Most of these have been solved now, with each day a new challenge.

There are however, some foods I cannot have any more because there's no non-plastic alternative: rice crackers, tim-tams, flavoured yoghurt, udon noodles, tofu!.. the list is large, and growing.


Wins for today:

My vacuum cleaner uses proprietary, synthetic cloth bags with a plastic molded insert. I have found an all-cardboard / paper replacement, much cheaper too $1.50 vs $6 each :)

Fails:

I bought a drill bit and it came in a very solid plastic housing.
I worked out that the 25 vacuum bags I bought will probably last me 14 years. #overbuying

Day 24, Thai is back on!

The container comes to the table.

Tonight being Sunday, is the most likely night for me to order take away food. Taking it easy in front of a movie, mentally preparing for a busy day tomorrow, who really wants to cook?

Take-out has been off the radar this month, as I mentioned this time last week, the plastic toll that gets carried home with the food has always made me squirm as the multitude of containers go into the recycling bin at the end. However that all changes tonight! I'm very happy to say that I have the perfect solution and it went down better than I could have imagined at my local, Ing Doi Thai.

I packed my trusty insulated bag I got from the Vic Market years ago with three pyrex containers (yes, with plastic lids), and handed them over as I made my order. There was barely a blink as they took my bag away into the kitchen and handed back to me ten minutes later, ready to go. In fact It was such a smooth transaction, I detected an almost familial, warm smile as she handed it to me, as if to say, 'yeah this is what we all do'. Maybe i'm reading too much in to it but it felt bloody satisfying. I wish I started doing this years ago. I forget about the little sauce containers, so I did receive a little plastic, but i'll wash and re-use next time.

The dishes I used were approximately the same size and shape as the plastic ones they usually give out. I got mine from David Jones however, I've seen them in many places. Best of all, the food was hotter than when carried home in plastic and we ate from the glass instead of transferring to plates.

Please do this, you will only wonder why you never did before.

Plastic take-out... never again!

Day 19, Am I an alternative lifestyler?

As I have said before, one of the trickiest aspects of going plastic free is at the interface of other people's actions / lifestyle / values. For example: buying groceries, having lunch with a work colleague, hanging out with certain family members. To remain consistent with my my no-plastic mission I have to either expose myself as a bit of a radical or try and remain under cover. Obviously I'm trying to make a difference in the world but not looking to smash people over the head. Also, I've noticed that people can get very self-conscious when their values are challenged, even passively.*

As I said in my post on the 10th, transitioning communities to low-impact living should involve no shame or guilt, otherwise it builds resistance and becomes a culture war like we've seen with climate change.

I'm here to offer some ideas and be an example to others who may be on the cusp of such thinking, not to be the flag bearer to a revolution.

Random fails over the past week:

   • Parking ticket - the plastic ticket hurt almost as much as the fine.
   • Unsolicited mail or on-line orders wrapped in plastic / tape.
   • Items given to me.
   • Packaging at work - have you noticed how at work we're expected to leave our values at home?
     (This is a super important issue that needs to addressed).




* I'm amazed at how riding a bicycle can trigger a strong, even aggressive reaction from some motorists. Every day when I ride my bike, some idiot tries to teach me a lesson in car dominance. It's scary.

Day 17, 90% Thai plus 10% trash

"Hey ... let's throw this stuff out", said no-one.

Imagine a banquet where the entire table setting was tossed out afterwards.

That’s how I feel about the take-away food sector. All that plastic dumped, after we consume its contents in ten minutes flat, which will last in landfill for 500 years plus. Also, i've explained the myth of recycling plastic.


This crazy relationship we seem to have with plastic, is representative of the worst aspects of consumer culture. Nearly everything we buy has an associated plastic component in its manufacture, processing, storage or delivery. Take food for example, think of anything you eat, what plastic is used to bringing that food to your mouth?

Is this the end of Sunday night Thai?

The other evening my friend Vicky told me about the elder members of her family who used to collect their Chinese takeaway in containers brought from home. I love this. I might try this next week, stay tuned.

I’ve found an alternative to the plastic Slurpee straw. Sounds silly, but these icy delights from 7-Eleven are something that Gia and I consume occasionally and are not about to give up. I’m now putting together a little pouch with chopsticks, metal fork and tiny spoon to carry in my bag when I go out and covers most takeaway utensils that would otherwise be single-use plastic.

This is a 5% measure and, as I’ve said previously, the last 5% of plastic reduction is the hardest, but brings the sweetest satisfaction.

Day 16, Re-fill it

Look!.. the La Latteria ladies re-fill your bottles.

It’s getting hard to write anything new about the no-plastic thing. Routine has set in and it’s starting to feel unremarkable.

Today I made the usual round of, The Source, Babka and La Latteria. I now own five milk bottles as it has become apparent that La Latteria does not in fact swap over empty bottles for full ones: rather, they re-fill your washed empties. Strange to see this happening, it feels very old fashioned.

Day 15, The problem with plastic outside the home

Notice the bin liner?

In the controlled environment of one’s home it is relatively easy to manage plastic consumption but when out and about, especially with children, it can be near impossible.

Gia got herself worked in to a medium-sized, dehydration-fuelled, emotional meltdown after kindy this afternoon. The best cure is calmness on my part, a gentle hug if she’ll take it, and a Slurpee on the ride home (or water if it happens before we leave kindy). Now this will only mean something to those Slurpee aficionados amongst you: the fine texture and coldness of the Slurpee mush was top quality, so I poured one for me too; Gia does not like to share. Two plastic straws - BAM!

I have an idea of compiling scenes from old movies that show examples of how our parents and grandparents used to live without plastic, in ways that we can apply today. For example, in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, there’s a scene in which Audrey Hepburn is in her kitchen talking to her cat and incidentally we see her line her rubbish bin with paper, I remember my mum doing this.

If you have seen an example from the movies and can recall where, please share with me. I’ll upload a video compilation at a later date.

Day 12, Stoopid plastic!

Ban plastic tampon applicators

Is all plastic bad?

I'd say: there is dumb plastic and there is smart plastic. Tampon applicators, garden furniture, disposable drink bottles, plastic wrap on fresh supermarket produce, those white plastic tubes that the police use once during an alcohol breath test, disposable plastic spoons used as coffee stirrers... are all stupid uses of plastic and we should stop immediately.

However, artificial hearts, hip joints, blister packs for medications, many electrical and building products, in fact there's a tonne of items that the plastic revolution has made possible and are way too fantastic to either do without ... Lego, you get my point here, are all great applications for plastic.

What I'm advocating here is simply to see this amazing and durable material for what it should be, essential, precious and ...rare.

Take this for example:

Fairfax//the-stupid-appliances-we-waste-money-on

Day 11, Return to Civillisation?

The view from our walk this morning - click to enlarge.

It's good to get away but it's confronting to encounter people who think radically different from you. I love my tribe, yes that's probably you folks.

The other day, I  wandered into a store on Gertrude Street and got into casual chit-chat with the girl behind the counter. When I saw a little display of funky shoe laces in plastic tubes, I remarked that I always thought an on-line shoe lace store would be a good thing - to keep those fancy runners with unique laces looking good. She then replied, "why wouldn't you just buy new shoes?" I had a bit of a brain melt at that. Had no idea where to start - I got outta there.

I have encounters like this in small ways and large, many times throughout my day, do you?

For a no-plastic campaign, it makes it easy to eat out, where someone else does the cooking and washing up and I expect they're buying in bulk too which means less packaging. May be a good strategy.

The weather was exceptionally crappy, though didn't really mind so much, so lovely to be down the coast. On the day of departure, the sun came out and a brilliant morning rainbow connected land and sea. The image above looks like album artwork for maybe the KLF.

I notice the amount of plastic I see in the environment, washed up on the beach, in a creek, and I wonder how it got there.

Day 10, Tragedy of the commons

The tragedy of car culture

I first learned about the Tragedy of the Commons while traveling on a train between Copenhagen and Hamburg in 2009. I was returning from the now infamous UN Climate Conference, where I had been part of the media contingent. I was catching up with some of the literature I carefully selected to take away from the thousands of briefing papers that were available.

It describes the foundation principal of economics and ecology, whereby a common asset is degraded by those that share it, because no one person feels responsible for the overall impact of their contribution to its destruction.

Put simply: farmers sharing a paddock to graze their cattle each use it as much as they need: however, they end up destroying the pasture because no single farmer can see how their individual action affects what may otherwise have seemed like a 'very big paddock'.

Today, we can see how this applies to everything from dropping a lolly wrapper in the street to over-fishing the Earth's oceans and climate change. It's a matter of being able to see how individual action contributes to the whole.

I believe the environmental crisis we are facing today is a result of scale and perspective.
It's understandable, should involve no shame or blame but needs to be solved by strong governance.

If you want to find out more on this, go to Garrett Hardin's incredible article published in 1968, where he proposes the idea of the Tragedy of the Commons and covers topics including, nuclear war (a very hot topic at the time), population control, pollution and the role of conscience and mutual coercion. Essential reading for every human.

Earthrise, Wikipedia

Day 9, Saturday - Off to the coast

I love Maria the milk lady, who in turn loves Mozzarella. We have a bit of a three way thing going on :/

Today, we're off to Apollo Bay, stopping off to pick up supplies at The Source, Babka and La Latteria.

I don't seem to be missing any of the goods that I used to buy in plastic: rice crackers are off the menu, along with all supermarket crackers, chips, bread, noodles, tofu, yoghurt, juice, fancy butter, cheese portions, meat, breakfast cereal, etc,etc. I now travel to various shops and take my own containers to refill.

What endures, however, is a happy contentment that my shopping choices are aligning with my values. In the past, I have always felt somewhat icky walking into a big supermarket to do a big shop, knowing that my choices are limited and that they exercise their market power to force suppliers to conform to their demands — milk prices anyone?

Have a look at this FB post I wrote a few weeks ago:

Day 8, End of week one

1 week of living plastic less

It's been a week since I started this experiment, here are my observations so far:

  • Living plastic-less creates an ongoing feedback loop within your household that once begun, makes it easier to continue. For example, buying in bulk means there is less delicate packaging and you get large storage jars to re-use. The packaging seems to be more basic too: cardboard, paper, fabric, glass.

  • Buying less processed foods means you buy more basic ingredients that can be combined into a wider variety of foods. Think flour, eggs, butter, sugar, oats, fruit & veg - to make pancakes, cupcakes, juice, soups, salads, bread, pizza, fresh pasta and so on.

  • Plastic consumption roughly equates to convenience, and by that I really mean 'instant gratification'. With just a little forethought this convenience benefit is almost zero.

  • The first 80% is super easy, the next 15% is hard, the last 5% is really hard (bordering on the obsessive).

  • Once the process is begun, it seems to take no effort at all.

  • It feels good.

Day 7, Getting into the swing of things

Milk Bottles are back in at La Latteria in Elgin St, Carlton

Maria, (may not be her real name) at La Latteria, now has milk bottles in stock and best of all she'll swap the empties when you purchase new ones. This is great, especially considering how much milk Gia and I go through.

My plastic consumption has shrunk to almost nothing and it doesn't feel like any effort at all.
(This feels like an ominous declaration.)

Day 6, What is plastic anyway?

The Blob. Paramount, 1958

Plastic is the common name for a variety of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic polymers derived from hydrocarbons — oil.

There are six main types of plastic as represented by the numbered recycling symbol that you see under the bottom of many plastic containers.

Plastic resin codes. Source: pacia.org.au

Where does plastic go?

In landfill, the relatively stable, anaerobic conditions preserve it for a long time (500—1000 years).
In the ocean, ultraviolet light, mechanical destruction and ingestion by wildlife breaks it down into micro particles that are further distributed into the environment — eaten by micro organisms, fish, birds and humans.

Anywhere from 5% to 25% of plastic is diverted through the recycling stream which reprocesses it into items of lesser value until it eventually goes to landfill or the ocean.

Unlike metals or glass, plastic does not go round and round the consumption cycle continually being used as raw material for reprocessing — This is the greatest myth about plastic that we need to dispel.


There are so many infographics on this and many alarmist articles that I'm having trouble finding original sources. I will update this with more detail as soon as I can ... please stay tuned.

CSIRO: Almost all seabirds to have plastic in gut by 2050:  more

Day 5, WINNING!

Today is my first actual plastic free day! Time to celebrate the little wins.

I didn't set out on this mission to be puritanical: however, mission it may be. It's more like plastic freeish July.

How did I do it today? ... I started with a long bath, dressed, sat in front of my laptop at Minanoie (a cafe) for a couple of hours while the rain absolutely belted down, then returned back to my desk. Body corporate committee meeting at 5:30 and bike ride to Tuesday Chess in Coburg later on. Simple! Apart from a sit-down lunch, I didn't buy anything.


I'm coming to the realisation that there is 'good plastic' and 'bad plastic' or rather dumb plastic.

Most plastic is made to last a very, very, very long time, right: however, using plastic to make an artificial heart or hip replacement seems like a rather noble use, while using a plastic bag to carry home one litre of milk back from the shops each time you go seems like a silly idea.
More about this later.

It's all about good design — we love this, yes?

Retailers are actually busting to give us what we want. While they also attempt to shift our desires for their benefit, we are ultimately in control. We must act together to send a powerful message.

It looks like we've fixed the hole in the ozone layer, China is set to reduce meat consumption by half, coal-fired power stations are closing all across the world and we have all but solved the AIDS epidemic.

We can do this!

Did you know that the City of San Francisco just banned the sale of polystyrene from 2017?!
Go humans, we'll make it past 2100 yet — by that I mean more people than just Charlton Heston.

Fails:

Nil

Day 4, Hair Clips and Healthcare

Started at the Collingwood Children's Farm for breakfast (it's Abbotsford, no?) with Lawrence and his boys. Now that's a great place to go for inspiration towards a plastic-free life if ever there was one.

The Farm Cafe uses metal milkshake cups and paper straws too.

Took the afternoon off too so I could take Gia to the doctor, minor ear infection on her nose — don't ask. Ointment arrived in plastic tube. I think the whole of healthcare gets a free pass. Hang on ... maybe not.

I picked up a packet of hair clips too — there was no need for the plastic. Maybe the box was a tad more durable with it — but is 800 YEARS really necessary?!

Fails:

• Ear ointment
• Hair clip packaging

Day 3, French Toast & Choc Bits

 

Started the day well, French toast, morning cartoons and Lego with Gia - Lego is plastic, I know. However I kept my Lego till I was into my 30's and it's awesome, so it gets a free pass :)

However... where can you buy choc chips that don't come in plastic??


Fails today:

• I used a cheese slice ...shrug
• Remainder of a packet of choc bits

Day 2, How do I explain my plastic manifesto to a four year old?

After starting out well with pancakes and fresh juice, I resorted to a bribe, so Gia would agree to washing her hair, with a Kinder Surprise - plastic inside, later a Slurpee. Wins later on with fresh pasta made at home and thank god wine comes in glass - however there's a little seal under cap THAT I'M GOING TO IGNORE.

Yes cousin, I used a pencil to vote!


Fails today:

• Sticky tape wrapped around package that arrived in the mail - more on this later.
• The smoothie lady at Vic Market has switched over to plastic cups from paper.
• Slurpee straw - Does anyone know about a metal straw with scoop at end? Cannot possibly live without Slurpees.
• Did I say sticky tape??!!

Day 1, Getting started

Avoiding supermarket plastic is my first challenge today.

My starting point was The Source in Smith St with a bag full of empty tomato jars leftover from making pasta sauce. A great place to buy bulk food items as well as some soaps and cleaners too, that are usually packaged in plastic. Thank god they sell good chocolate, otherwise i'm not going to cope.

They have many stores around Australia, more opening soon.

Note big bag of flour and pyrex storage containers from home so I can get sliced ham and snags from the butcher without getting bags. They were cool about it. Babkas bread, not shown - had to ask for no sticky tape when they wrapped it!

Annoying things today:

• I bought a USB cord for my bike and forgot to think about its packaging - nearly returned it but took it on the chin. It'll be in my sin bin :(

• Even apples from the corner fruiterer have little plastic stickers on them :(

• Made Gia porridge with banana and honey, she said it looked like vomit!

Follow my journey...

I've committed to going plastic free for the month of July... signed up to this, and you can too:
http://www.plasticfreejuly.org

Here I'll post information about specific challenges I face over the course of the month and solutions, as I find them. If you have any comments or tips, please share them with me.

I have already reduced much of the plastic that I used to consume regularly, so the new challenge for me is to take it to the next level... Go beyond banishing the four most common unnecessary plastics: bags, bottles, cups and straws. I'll add to this, plastic cutlery, takeaway containers and supermarket packaging, in fact I'm going to try to avoid as much as I can. At the end of the month, I'll post a picture of every bit of plastic I consume.

This is an experiment for me to see how much change I can make in my own life, prove a little point to myself an perhaps inspire someone else along the way. Hopefully some of these changes will continue for me well past July.

Remember, plastic is built to last forever (800-1000 years!) to use it just once is well... silly.

I want to live in a more sustainable way, to show that can live well, enjoy the riches of modernity and do it all in a low-impact way.

Wish me luck!!
O.