Less Plastic is Fantastic

I have been working toward a low waste lifestyle for awhile now. First switching to reusable shopping bags, cooking with more whole foods, making snacks instead of buying them, etc. But I kept using plastic in my kitchen. Not plastic food storage containers, I switched to glass. They have plastic lids, but they are safer. I’m working toward eliminating the lids in time. 

Today I went through my kitchen and gathered up all the plastic that has been in use, to varying degrees. I stopped buying plastic on purpose years ago, but I always end up with it somehow. From the school, or from a race, or at the fair. Occasionally I’ll find something fun or cute at a yard sale, so I’ll pick it up second hand. But as I’ve been researching ways to live low waste and to reduce the potential for harmful chemicals being leached into my family’s food and drinks, I’ve decided to do a little experiment. I’m putting all of our plastic in the basement. In all honesty, we will all notice this change. I’m not going to throw anything away, or even send it to the thrift store, because then I’m just making it somebody else’s problem down the line. 

My perspective has recently shifted. Now I see every single thing I own as my responsibility. Everything I throw away now becomes an indicator for a habit or behavior that I need to modify. Our culture makes it nearly impossible to achieve a perfect version of waste free living, but practicing and remaining conscious of my impact feels like a great option for creating a more sustainable future. 

While I was taking photos for this post, I realized that I wasn’t ready to give up some of my plastic, like lids for jars, colinder, smoothie maker containers, food processor, etc. But I’m practicing changing my habits, and that feels right for me. 

Plus now I have more room for cat storage!