Holy plastic packaging obstacle course! I accepted Rodale’s challenge to go plastic-free in February thinking that I was pretty savvy about the plastic thing and that I could master a plastic-free universe with a minimum of trauma.  Wow, I am humbled by the magnitude of plastic I’ve gotten used to – to the point that I don’t even realize it is there!

Week 1 was relatively easy because I didn’t really need to go shopping for anything, so I could control the incoming plastic.

Week 2? Not so much. I bounced along to the market with my reusable shopping bags with a little trepidation, knowing it would be challenging to side step plastic, but once I started to consider non-plastic-packaged options, my confidence was shattered. Honestly, because we were having a big family luncheon and superbowl shindig, the crisis became one of mental exhaustion – trying to figure out how to create EVERY detail from serious scratch in order to avoid plastic packaging was beyond my capacity. So, I cheated and told Wayne, he had to do the packaged buying this week (dunno what will happen next week – stay tuned!).

I’ve come to the conclusion that to avoid plastic packaging means DIY from scratch. Now I know how much I’ve leaned on plastic for convenience. ugh.

I looked at my bathroom counter this morning and tried to imagine how I might get along without some of my favorite products that seem ALL to be packaged in plastic. double ugh. The picture above is my bathroom counter – note the nice glass brown bottle in front (yes, but even that has a plastic top!!!!!). I made my own facial cleanser and bottled it for family members for the holidays and gave myself one. That’s it? The only almost-non-plastic container of my favorite bathroom things?!?! Ok . . . so, in order to avoid all this plastic packaging, I’ve got to make all my own skincare and personal care products? In theory, I like it and think it is a healthier choice all the way around, but in reality . . .

This has been an education and I’m someone who considers herself pretty anti-plastic already.

Thanks Rodale! (she said with some exasperation, sarcasm and also with some sincerity)

Hope to be a better participant in the challenge by next week!

eat. blog. be merry.
gd meg