Plastic-free July wrap up
This month made me realise that plastic is really a product of convenience. The key to plastic free living is to plan ahead; to know what you need and bring it with you, to plan your meals and to schedule time to make things from scratch.
It really brought into sharp focus just how hectic my life is, and how often I fall into the convenience trap. Reaching for plastic wrapped items as an answer to my lack of time. Its made me look at my life and do some re-prioritising. To carve out time in a day where I can plan, cook and make what I need to get by.
So, first I'll focus on the positive - here is what I did well this month. At the start of the month I put together a little plastic free kit. I found most of the items I needed from Santos Organics in Mullumbimby. My kit contained:
- A water bottle
- A keep cup
- non-plastic container
- Bamboo cutlery
- Shopping / produce bags
After using my water bottle and keep cup this month I really do feel like they are an essential part of my everyday now and I never leave the house without these things.
Water bottle: Earth Bottles
Keep Cup: Public Holiday
I'm lucky to live a short stroll along the beach to the New Brighton farmers market which happens every Tuesday morning. I've done the majority of my food shopping at this markets where I've been able to put fresh local produce directly into my basket (no plastic required). And I've bought my nuts and grains from bulk food stores where I can BYO containers.
My favourite new eco product are beeswax wraps. This month I've been using them for everything. They are a great solution to plastic wrap which has been a big barrier for me until now.
Wraps: Honeybee Wrap
Now that I’ve made myself look like a plastic-free angel. I have to admit where things really went a bit pear-shaped for me this month:
- Looking after kids: I found that when you are looking after little ones its so easy to reach for the most convenient solution (which is normally wrapped in plastic) be it a snack, a nappy or a toy. We'll be working on this more in the coming months!
- Cleaning and bathroom products - again, its hard to avoid plastic here. The best way is to make it yourself, which is an idea which honestly excites me. I'll be getting the bits and pieces I need to start making my own cleaning and bathroom products in the weeks to come.
So while my plastic free July was really just a starting point for me, I'm still proud of the changes I made which ultimately mean less plastic finding its way into our beautiful waterways. Here's to plastic free August!