Sunday, June 12, 2011

Plastic

Wow, it's been almost a year since I posted. Not sure if I feel bad about that or not, but my inclination is to feel bad - blah.

And this post is basically about the issue my last post was about, plastic, and plastic monitoring/plastic fasting. hmmm... It's been a year since Cat started her plastic fast and she's issued an invitation for others to try it.

I kept all my plastic last week and weighed it, about .63# So I think I will sign up and next week do this challenge - it's an interesting process.

I am a little overwhelmed by trying to keep a)gross plastic (I just threw out a bag from traction grit that has been sitting in my yard since last November - I will find something similar to throw in the tally) and b) plastic that by the time I know I'm throwing it out is full of garbage (again, just put in a substitute and take it back out?)

A lot of what I throw away is second-use. I get plastic shopping bags and bread and newspaper bags from friends to use respectively for trash and dog poop pickup. I feel like I should get credit or some sort of moral discount for this, but I am actually the one throwing that stuff away.

My project has inspired me to ask the local ice cream store to get wooden sample spoons. My first taste of activism! :)

Anyway, should be an interesting project, plastic is pretty horrifying, if you think about it for a moment.

Also finding it interesting that this process is somehow alleviating my guilt a little - not like it's license to use more plastic, but it's like confession I think. Somehow holding myself accountable and owning up to what I'm doing takes part of the yuckyness of it away? hmmm