Life in Plastic, Not Fantastic

Have you ever had one of those mornings where you wake up and something is suddenly so clear to you? You open your eyes and think to yourself, “Ah-hah! I know what I need to do today!” Today was one of those mornings for me.

After dragging myself out of bed, I was sitting on the balcony, sipping my morning coffee when I became overwhelmed with the urge to trash the trash — a.ka. I needed to de-plastic my life. Zip top bags, produce bags, drinking straws — you name it, I wanted a reusable, eco-friendly alternative immediately.

I suddenly became overwhelmed with the urge to trash the trash.

Let me backtrack a little bit. The year is 2018 and we’ve all just become #woke to the fact that the human race is polluting the planet with plastic waste. Many in the public and private sector are starting to consider banning single-use containers and utensils — some already have (see: Starbucks, State of California, City of Seattle). Going green is not only the trendy thing to do, it’s now the responsible thing to do.

  • A 2016 report estimates more than 8 million metric tons of plastic waste makes its way into the oceans every year. That’s roughly a garbage truck-full of plastic every minute.
  • And, according to another report 1% of all plastic waste comes from what is known as microplastics, teeny tiny particles (<5 mm) from a variety of sources including, microbeads from personal care products, fibers from synthetic clothing, and broken down pieces of larger plastic products.
  • Filterfeeders like baleen whales, manta rays, and bivalves (think, clams and mussels) ingest these microplastics when they ingest water and other microorganisms, which can damage their digestive tracts and block nutrient absorption.
  • Researchers from the University of Ghent in Belgium believe Europeans currently consume up to 11,000 pieces of plastic in their food each year. Think about it. When something you eat (like clams or mussels, above) eats plastic, it’s going to be digested and absorbed by that critter. You eat the critter, you eat the plastic.

Seeing statistics like this hurt my heart.

I grew up with a deep love for the ocean and all of its inhabitants. I wanted to be a marine biologist when I entered my freshman year of college (I enrolled as a zoology major, if you’re wondering). I want to help protect our planet and all of the creatures who live here. So here is what I’m going to do…

This morning I started searching for ways I can make my life less plastic. I’m happy to report I’ve already adopted a few best practices like switching to stainless steel straws and using reusable drinking containers whenever possible. But I want to do more!

We’ve already made a dent in the kitchen when it comes to plastic, so I’m starting there. I’m going to use mesh produce bags instead of the green bags at the grocery store. I’m going to store my produce in these cloth bags once I get home so not only am I cutting back on plastic, but I’m cutting back on food spoilage and food waste. I’m trading in my old plastic tupperware for glass versions and stainless steel snack tins which hold up for longer and won’t leak harmful chemicals into my food. I’m ditching my zip top bags (which I can’t believe we still use anyway) and trying out some silicone replacements. And finally, I’m vowing to travel with reusable silverware so that when I do eat at fast-casual restaurants, I don’t have to rely on plasticware.

I am challenging myself to choose to reuse.

Lauren Shelar, MBA, RD

Written by

Foodie by definition, seeker of adventure, lover of sunshine and savasana. L.A.-based dietitian and nutrition communications professional — opinions my own.

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