Since deciding to weed out plastic from my life, here is the progress I have made:* Replaced my plastic razor (which I will still use for traveling) for a stainless steel safety
razor.
* No more trash can liners. I own this metal trash can with a lid from ikea that I clean out every time I dump it.
* Plastic bags and plastic food packaging, including produce bags. I bought some unbleached cotton draw string bags from
Nourishments on Etsy:
I use these bags for everything. Bulk beans, rice, noodles, cereal, lettuce, fruit, you name it. So I mainly do my grocery shopping at the farmer's market and the bulk food place now.
* Plastic water containers. I go once a week to fill up my 3 gallon glass carboy with distilled water for only $.75. Then I haul it back to my apartment, flip it upside down into a ceramic dispenser. It's not super heavy, but sometimes it gets slippery and I'm always a little scared of dropping it. However, there is something empowering and humbling about fetching your own water. People do it all over the world; sometimes every day!
Here is what I still haven't found plastic free solutions for:* Juice and milk/half and half cartons that are lined with plastic.
*Glass food jars (like spaghetti) with lids that have plastic on them.
*Pads. I know. They are so lame. But I live with a roommate and don't have a washer and dryer. So using/cleaning cloth pads is just not what I feel like I can do right now.
*Ziplock bags. I have been reusing the same box for over a year. But I still don't like that they are in contact with my food.
Currently looking for: a non-plastic wide tooth comb and hairbrush. Natural lotion and makeup in glass/metal containers. Milk in a glass container.