GNOWFGLINS™

Even though the challenge I issued to myself and to others — Use Less Plastic — will be wrapped up tomorrow, I hope that what we’ve learned and done will carry on for much longer.

For myself, this challenge came at a good time. As many have echoed, using less plastic has been on my mind. Sharing this experience with all of you gave me great motivation to make small and big changes.

Here’s a bit of what I’ve learned and what I’ve done and even what I haven’t solved yet.

I don’t need plastic as much as I thought I did! This should be no surprise. I know it doesn’t surprise my husband, who has said it for years. I suppose he’s allowed an “I told you so…” I have used such little plastic in the last two weeks, I am amazed.

Unbleached parchment paper is my friend. I love the stuff. I use it and reuse it (it wipes clean). I have a stack on the kitchen counter, perhaps unsightly, of the half-dozen pieces that are in the rotation of kitchen use. I wrap peeled oranges in it for packed lunches. I cover bowls for refrigerator storage (secured with a rubber band). I wrap cheese and onions and apples in it to put in the fridge. I wrap up cookies in a single layer and then put that in a freezer bag for freezing. Both the bag and the paper I can use over and over and over.

Still need to hunt down paraffin wax paper bags and butcher paper. As yet, I don’t have any, nor have I seen any available locally. I envision replacing plastic snack bags, sandwich bags and freezer bags with these bio-degradable products.

Stainless steel for popcorn bowls. I initially kept back 5 plastic bowls for popcorn during my kitchen clean-out, but then I remembered that there are inexpensive stainless steel bowls ($1.99 each) available that would work just as well. So I got some yesterday. I think I’ve replaced everything I intended except for the funnels. I need both regular and wide-mouth funnels in stainless steel and I think I can get those from Azure Standard.

I still don’t have my own supply of reusable fabric shopping bags. I’m too busy making them to fill orders around here. In the meantime, when shopping we ask for paper bags or we say we don’t need a bag at all. I don’t mind bringing home paper bags as I use them for shipping, packaging, wrapping paper, and placing between tortillas.

I love how glass, wood, and stainless steel look and feel. I’m not advocating taking pride in one’s possessions. Just that if I’m going to own and use something regularly, I get far more satisfaction from using something that is naturally beautiful.

Now a few questions for you: What have you learned? What have you changed? How do you feel? What do you foresee in the future?