The Beginning: What's this all about?

Hello, folks. Welcome to my blog -- thanks for visiting!

This is the beginning of my first PLASTIC-FREE MONTH. I'm excited!

Because this is the introductory post, it has the grand scheme, which is long but necessary. In the coming weeks, I'll be "zooming in" and focusing on specific parts of the plan, my everyday challenges & successes, and providing easy-to-do, realistic, adaptable tips for reducing the waste in your life!


Dear YOU,

I just want to publicly announce that I'm starting a PLASTIC-FREE MONTH starting today, May 4th, 2011. Even though I've always been pro-sustainability, it's taken me a long time to realize how important reducing use of disposables is.

I WOULD LOVE YOUR HELP -- please comment and help me refine my strategy & goals! Share your own experiences, too! Focus on positive input & suggestions.

"Plastic free" is just one part of my month - my overall goal is to reduce and finally eliminate disposables from my daily life. I'm defining "disposals" as things that you use once and throw away, and things that aren't biodegradable. They end up in rivers, lakes, oceans, the ground, your backyard, birds, you know the deal. There is too much trash & the marketing industry is busy convincing us to buy & trash more things all the time.

WHY?

I have a lot of inspiration -- both positive role models and terrible reminders of our pro-waste habits. I'll be posting inspiration regularly on Facebook.

Main inspiration right now: Pick Up America, run by my good friends.They inspire me by actually doing something about the problem, and educating others.

CHECK OUT: http://www.pickupamerica.org/

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoQ_d3Hijdg

Another inspiration is the GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch

ACTION PLAN

I'm going to do one month, monitor myself (successes & failures), and blog about it. Then I'll evaluate my month & improve my action plan for month 2!

IF YOU JOIN ME and blog about it, too, I will make you a FREE custom piece of art! Calligraphy, paper art, set of decorated blank cards, or clay figurine.

WHAT'S OKAY:

- Reusable items ALREADY owned (tupperware, take-out containers, bottles, jars, bags)

- Alternative items ALREADY owned (glass/metal containers like Mason jars, paper containers/bags, hemp, cloth, bamboo products, etc.)

- "Duh" Repurposable items ALREADY owned (e.g. backpack = shopping bag)

- Biodegradable items SPARINGLY (napkins, paper towels, cardboard containers for food, etc.)

- Unavoidable items (IV's, syringes for medication, metro cards)

WHAT'S NOT OKAY:

- NEW plastic items (food containers, drink bottles, bags)

- NEW items in general (limit purchases of anything besides food, unless necessary)

This effort is not comprehensive - it does not consider issues like fair trade, organics, animal cruelty, development, etc. The focus is on a specific issue because I believe people get discouraged and overwhelmed by all the problems in the world, and don't do anything because they don't know where to start. This is one place you can start.