So. Much. Plastic.

The amount of plastic in our lives is staggering. Several years ago I organized a kind of experiment. I asked some people to save for 1-2 weeks, all the plastic from their trash that could not be recycled locally. It was collected and became a huge pile in my garage. I sorted like items and had too much to include in my display, but kept a representative of a lot of different types. This was then displayed at The Goose grocery store around Earth Day and my friend and I offered suggestions and information about how people might reduce their plastic consumption. Much of the goal was to host this display, but the other goal was to increase awareness by the people collecting the plastic for this experiment. You might try it yourself. Individually and then collectively we have a lot of power. Money talks. Shop with your eye on those items that come in plastic -whether it can be recycled or not. And choose something in glass, paper or buy in bulk. Contact your favorite manufacturer and stress your preference for non-plastic packaging. When we refuse to buy items in plastic, companies will start to change their packaging. Also, intruding producer responsibility laws will be very effective. Canada has already started doing this! Companies that produce plastic can't be off the hook for the end of life of that plastic. It is effecting us all. It has now even been found blowing in the wind above us - falling to earth in even very remote places.  Plastic break down into smaller and smaller particles, but doesn't disappear - at least not in any time worth measuring for our health. What can YOU do? Contact me for help if this is an area you would like to lean into. I have very little garbage these days, and it is because I refuse to buy most plastic packaged items. And I am not suffering unreasonably because of it.