Homemade sandwich bread was one step towards going plastic free.
Plastic -Free July 2020...what a doozie! For many, myself included, Plastic Free July is a challenge to reduce the amount of plastic that I consume in my day-to-day life, but this year with its plastic wrapped bananas was a bit more of a challenge, akin to the game boss waiting for you on the last level of your game when you’ve only got 1/2 of a life left. But that’s okay, I like a good challenge. The times we truly challenge ourselves, when we are forced to step far out of our comfort zones, are the times in our lives when we see some of our largest growth.
Here is what I learned the past month:
1. Homemade Bread is AMAZING, especially fresh, warm out of the oven. Previously I would purchase enough rolls from the bulk bins to get us through the week, but with those taken away I had to look inward. I can cook and bake and I actually enjoy it. The memory of the messy hassle of making bread has been banished. I am proud to say, it’s been a month since I purchased a loaf of bread or rolls. This will be a permanent change in my household, and as I gain confidence in my abilities and recipes, I hope to progress towards other items, like Gnocci. (Do you have a good recipe? Please let me know!)
Going plastic free with homemade sandwich rolls. For recipe: Check out Sally’s Baking Addiction. This is simple, easy, minimal ingredients with a great taste.
2. Going plastic free can save you money. Sometimes in order to convert to a plastic free version of something, like say, salad dressing you might end up paying a dollar more for a fancy glass jar. But there are other areas that don’t offer plastic free alternatives, for example my favorite cold brew coffee. With everything going on right now, many coffee shops have eliminated (hopefully only temporarily) allowing you to bring your own cup as well as using mugs for dine in options. Because of this and my commitment to challenge myself, I have cut back significantly on my visits to the coffee shop. As a result, I’ve saved a lot of money on coffee alone this past month.
3. Tetra Paks, despite the “Please Recycle” on them, are in fact non recyclable, at least in my area. Once I realized this I’ve been working on finding alternatives for several things, including- almond milk, protein shakes, juice, coffee creamer, etc.
A. Almond/soy/cashew/non-dairy milk- sadly I’ve not found an alternative.
B. Protein Shakes- better planning allows me to mix my own shakes, and at a fraction of the cost.
C. Juice-While you can get juice in fancy glass bottles or cans, I rediscovered the diy frozen juice, where you just add water. The Hawaii’s Own flavors are delicious.
D. Coffee Creamer- Evaporated canned milk, or Instant milk. Not as rich as 1/2 & 1/2, but probably a good bit healthier.
Going plastic free grocery shopping, pre covid-19.
4.Frozen Vegetables are easy to love with their steamable easy prep bags, but I’ve replaced them with either canned or fresh versions, which brings me to 5.
5. Homemade is good. Yes it might take a little big longer to prepare (I.e. bread, cookies, vegetable sides), but I like to think it’s worth it. Not only do you know exactly what you’re eating, but you are probably saving a bit of money in the process (according to my spouse, we have saved a lot of money by eating at home), and there is definitely a sense of satisfaction and pride of knowing you made it.
6. Beauty and skin care- ugh. This was a struggle last year and this year, but I’ve made the following changes.
A. Plastic Free Deodorant DIY or Lush’s T’eo
B. Plastic free Face moisturizer- thanks to the recommendation of The Nested Blog and the use of Dr. Bronner’s coconut oil, my skin has never looked so good.
C. Plastic free makeup-I don’t use much, but I switched to the Physicians Formula which is at lease partially recyclable mascara. (Please comment with your recommendations)
D. Plastic free Toilet paper- during the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, we installed a bidet. While we aren’t 100% TP free, we use significantly less than before.
E. Plastic free Toothpaste- after struggling trying to DIY it, I finally gave in and purchased a Toothpaste bites subscription. It works great and is 100% plastic free, but it is a bit pricey ($30 for 4 months), so I might be shopping around.
7. Sharing. Last year I was hesitant to share with people and tell them what I was doing and why, for fear I would be labeled as “one of those people”, but this year I don’t really care. With all the limitations and restrictions in place, the plastic I consume is still a choice I am able to make. Is it hard? Yes absolutely, but if I want change, I have to be the change. I have to lead by example. Times are crazy, it feels like EVERYTHING right now comes wrapped in plastic, but someone has to step up and show others that it can be done and inspire them to make changes. Tell others what you are doing and why, invite them to join on your journey, you might be surprised at the impact you have.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced this plastic free July? How have you overcome them?
~ Always hopeful and optimistic,
Hilary