Three years ago I resolved to banish plastic from my life. I even dedicated some posts on my blog to chronicle my efforts. I confess to having failed on multiple counts: I failed to keep this blog updated; I failed to keep a record of my personal war against plastic; and yes, I failed to live that year, or subsequent years, as a plastic-free person.
I have certainly cut down drastically on plastic use. I never buy bottled water and only with reluctance will I buy my partner a bottle of Coke. I will often pick up plastic rubbish that others discard. And I use plastic as sparingly as possible – I’m that person with 10 things in both hands and five more tucked under my arms, walking out of the shop, if I forget to bring my shopping bags.
The more you think about plastic, the more insidious it seems to be. I pick up my pen and click it a couple of times to encourage some pithy phrase from my fingertips, and then I register it’s a plastic pen. Where do you find non-plastic pens, except for fountain pens which, let’s admit it, are impractical and messy? (Each to their own, you fountain pen users!)
I notice I’ve been typing without my glasses on, so I pick up my spectacles to stop my squinting, and off course, my handy tri-focals (don’t laugh, one day you will need them, too) are as light as air – and pure, pink plastic.
As I tap away with my musings, I notice my iPad battery is getting a little low, so I reach for my handy, plastic charger and plug it into my plastic-encased extension cord.
I suppose that what I’m trying to say is that plastic is everywhere. Try buying bread rolls from the bakery and telling the shop assistant to take them out of their pre-packaged plastic bag.
I have just supported my local honey-keeper by buying a kilogram of pure, sweet honey – he operates on a delightful honour system on the roadside – and I’m sure he uses the plastic tubs because they are convenient and cheap.
The plastic habit is hard to kick altogether, and trying to be more environmentally conscious has made me realise that other products we think of as recyclable – like glass, aluminium and paper – are problems in their own right. Our heaving landfills are proof of that.
It does take an ongoing effort to change our behaviours for good. So all I can say is that I will try to do better, even if that means bringing my own bag for the rolls, a reusable container for the honey, and oh, telling my spouse that I forgot the Coke again.