Day 1: How I Am Trying To Live A Life Without Plastic
From humble beginnings to a life where we no longer can live without plastics, it must be some sort of an achievement for us to finally acknowledge the damage we have done.
June 1st, 2018 was my first day to lead a life without plastics, or so I thought. Before having ventured into this fight that would end up benefiting me, my family and ultimately the system in its own tiny ways, I assumed that my flight would be as easy as the previous challenges that I have endured.
Sadly, it wasn't.
I woke up to a bright and sunny day, thinking of ways how I could eradicate plastic until I picked my plastic brush and squeezed out toothpaste from a plastic tube on plastic bristles. I then leaned forward to wash my face with my go-to face wash, sadly, that too came out of plastic. It took me a moment or so to gather that not only my washroom, but my bedroom, my living room and my entire house was filled with many things that were made of plastic.
It is only then, at that moment that I realised how strenuous this one month was going to be, but is there a turning point of view! I quickly gathered all the items that come in plastic boxes or bottles I use on daily basis. These are the first few things that I picked and as you will follow me through this journey, you'd see many more things.
My only aim for the following days is to find alternatives, cheap alternatives to everything that's plastic. From sanitary pads to toothbrush, from lunch boxes to face wash - I will find them, wherever they are.
Anyhow, as for today, I pulled a glass bottle out to keep in the fridge for cold water. I think any glass bottle would do here- wine, beer or whatever. As for plastic containers, I have personally picked them out of my kitchen and trying to make my kitchen plastic free- the least I can do for starters.
How do I get rid of my plastic dustin and the plastic bag that holds the trash? #NotAPlastoholic pic.twitter.com/Ha3yWdTkXv
¡ª Shewali Tiwari (@aBlahNari) June 2, 2018
As ever, I assume that you are ahead of me, detailing a range of ways that we can avoid plastic, which also includes the laptop I am using to write this blog and my cell phone with which I post my Instagram post, but this has a catch. I recently stumbled on this guide that tells us the difference between good plastic and bad plastic.
So while this may give me cancer, obesity and endocrine problems..
..this won't really have a lasting effect on me.
The food we eat, the water we drink! #NotAPlastoholic pic.twitter.com/AIIZZwwpC9
¡ª Shewali Tiwari (@aBlahNari) June 2, 2018
This inescapable item can be divided into 7 parts - from PET bottles to what makes a toaster. One has to know the level of harmfulness all these forms bring in. Plastic -1, which is found in household containers and bottles is relatively safe until it's subjected to heat. It is also one of the most common types picked up by curbside recycling programs. Then comes the high-density plastics, aka HDPE which bears the low risk of leaching.
For a thorough understanding of the plastic we use, refer to this guide by #NonToxicRevolution.
So I will sign off for today.