Going Plastic Free

I recently finished reading Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too by Beth Terry. And let me tell you, it was both extremely enlightening and a bit horrifying! 

I had already been trying to lessen the amount of plastic we used simply to reduce waste and we had decided not to allow Isaac to have plastic toys, but plastic sneaks into your life easily and in ways I didn't even think about. 

Baby bottles were the first things to sneak in. I registered for glass baby bottles but we didn't receive any and since I am a stay at home mom and breast feeding we didn't bother buying any. Then I got a free bottle in a sample pack from the maternity store, then one from a sample in the mail, and a third one came with the pump. Three bottles was perfect for the few times I have had to leave Isaac with Daddy or my mom. I didn't think anymore about the bottle besides filling them when we needed them and washing them. 

After finishing the book I went straight to the kitchen to stake stock of what plastic was left in there. At first I was so proud of myself, there wasn't that much and most of what was left was not needed and could go away. Then I opened the freezer and saw the bottles. Plastic! What was I thinking, I had been saying for months no plastic for Isaac but I was allowing him to be fed from plastic. So I sat down at the computer and ordered him glass bottles and packed up all the plastic from the kitchen to be donated. 

Confession: I couldn't bring myself to throw out the three bottles of frozen milk, those were a lot of work for this mama to make. I just finished feeding him the second to last bottle as we drive to visit my parents. 

So since finishing the book I’ve been making a mental note of everything plastic in the house and as they wear out Ill be replacing them with non-plastic options. 

The book opened my eyes to the way landfills and recycling plants work, how plastic is made and the waste associated with it, as well as discussing the toxins in plastics. My favorite part was it idiot proofed the science so I could not only understand but also explain to others when they stare at me like I'm crazy (I get that stare a lot so I'm used to it). 

The other nice thing was Terry gave realistic ways to change and repeatedly told the reader that it took her years to get to the point that she was. And that was very encouraging to read.

 This is a journey where each step matters as much as the final destination.