Year of Plastic

Plastic project update: Had a few great sessions with David where we made house plant pots our of my single use plastic (polypropylene #5 and high density polyethylene #2). I've begun experiment with making shakers out of the pots by putting some dried mung beans in them and gluing them together. David, who I met through Precious Pastics, runs a really great DIY plastic recycling makers space in the Bay. Thanks for your help, David!

Here's one year of plastic! I've been working with David, a DIY plastic recycler, who is helping me turn this plastic into pots for plants. Stay tuned for how they turn out...

Nice discovery at the Staff of Life bulk section: soy curls! They're basically dried tofu strips that you can just put in paper bag. Good to go.

Somehow I managed to do pretty well with plastic consumption on my trip to Mexico. I did end up eating out a lot so there's definitely some plastic that didn't make the photo. But in general, I found the mercados in Mexico very friendly to a bring-your-own-bag / bulk food mentality. Great!

Yes, that's a salmon jerky packaging. I caved on a day-long cycling trip through the San Gabriel mountains when my friend Steven gave me a whole extra package he had. Must admit, it was delicious. My air purifier filter replacements also boosted my plastic collection this time 'round. I did make a nice grocery store discovery though: silken tofu (plastic-free)!

I had friends in town for two weeks straight and then did a week of traveling myself. It was hard to resist the easy food prep and figure out eating out without plastic. I’m also still cleaning out the pantry and plastic goods that have been in there for a while. Looking forward to being back home!

First time collecting! There was more but it was accidentally thrown out by my unassuming friend on a trip in LA…travel is hard! Not pictured here also is doggie poop bags — though I think I have found some nice *actually* compost able and not just bioplastic ones to use once our others run out.

I was on a roll until I got to LA and the people who were housesitting the place I'm now housesitting left me these delicious dumplings (green package). That and the plastic box packaging for the tacos from my favorite Mexican food place in LA. Note to self: get a (foil-wrapped) burrito next time!

Getting tofu more often now. Hence the extra plastic. I remember visiting my dad in China - in the markets there were stands where you could get fresh tofu from a wooden cutting board. Maybe there's an Asian market with fresh tofu like that. Or maybe I could make my own tofu...

Q: If plastic bags are illegal in grocery store in CA, then why should these items be legal?

A little organizing and tidying up resulted in the unearthing of much of this plastic.

Most of this plastic is associated with my cycling trip in the Pacific Northwest this last month. It's definitely challenging trying to use less plastic on such a trip. Biking through little town with grocery stores and gas stations filled with plastic everything. Makes me think that reducing plastic as a consumer is tricky for people who live in rural towns that don't have bulk section in the local grocery store.

I am back! plastic in a pandemic is a HARD thing to avoid... finding places to refill your bottle when you’re not at home... and also so many deliveries! here’s to discovering new ways to use less!