Community Engagement

Hey there Green Beans, it’s me again.

Let me share a few more tips on getting rid of plastic in the home.

One of the things I’m doing is using shampoo bars – it eliminates the bottles and as a bonus, the chemicals in the shampoo. There are many different options, you just have to check into it.

Try natural biodegradable toothbrushes; it’s fun tossing them in the green bin.

I love laundry strips; a great way to get rid of another plastic bottle. Plus, they use up so little space.

And I have been using dryer balls and personally, I think they are fabulous; until of course, they go rolling around the floor.  And I suppose if you have a cat, it might be even more of a challenge but kitty will have fun!! In the spring when I start hanging out my clothes, I do use eco-friendly fabric softener.

Eco-friendly dishwasher tablets are easy to find or you can go back to buying it in a box. Plus, I only use the dishwasher when it’s filled. Now before you are compelled to remind me that you use more water rinsing, I will get into my hack for that in my ‘saving water’ blog.

Get rid of the wet wipes. First of all, they contain plastic – who knew? And they contain chemicals. I love the Swedish dishtowels; bonus they replace paper towels as well. And spray with vinegar, water and a few drops of essential oil – obviously from a reusable plastic spray bottle!

Nobody loves the convenience of Keurig more than me but I can’t continue tossing those K-cups so the answer is to invest in a reusable one. We have become such an impatient society and I suppose it’s from years of juggling jobs, parenting, caring for parents, and who knows what other challenges are made on our time but it really doesn’t take all that long to fill the cup up with coffee so brew and enjoy!

Recently I went to a drive-thru and asked them to remove the plastic cutlery in the plastic bag and sadly the clerk said they were prepackaged so she couldn’t take them out. Decision time – I can either go into the restaurant the next time and ensure the cutlery doesn’t go in the bag and share my beliefs with the Manager, plus this would save me from idling my vehicle, or I could stop going to this establishment altogether. The jury is still out. Another thing you can do is take your glass container the next time you go for take-out. I always have a re-useable plastic baggy in my purse for leftovers!

The plastic situation is very serious, not just what it’s doing to animals but what it’s doing to us. I am taking this course from Zonia and they made this major claim that was so preposterous I had to verify; this is what I found on Google:

Globally, we are ingesting an average of 5 grams of plastic every week, the equivalent of a credit card, a new study suggests. This plastic contamination comes from “microplastics” – particles smaller than five millimetres – which are making their way into our food, drinking water and even the air.

We really must get serious. Today my goal is to tackle my fridge and get rid of any plastic that I possibly can. More on that next time.

So today Green Beans, I leave you with this….

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead