Have you ever gotten sucked in by Social Media? Well, I can’t. Even though I thought I could distance myself from the tornedo of posts I emerge hours after what I thought was “just a quick peek.”
While I was buried under posts about dinosaurs, global warming, funny animals videos, I came across one offering an eco-conscious alternative for Lent. Rather than giving up sugar or cocktails, 5gyres.org promoted “nix the six.” In other words” let’s forego unrecyclable plastic which are denominated by the “6.” Three Plastics to Avoid, Esquire Magazine. https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/health/a9998/plastic-recycling-codes-tip/
“Nix the six” refers to category 6 plastics also known as polystyrene or Styrofoam. “No. 6 plastics are found in disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles and compact disc cases. You should particularly watch out for insulated Styrofoam cups which, when heated, can release potentially toxic breakdown products like styrene into your coffee or tea. Number 6 plastics have also become notorious for being one of the most difficult plastics to recycle.”
From there, I came across the “Grannies for a Livable Future” at 100grannies.org who advocate foregoing plastic bags as did bluehabits.org. and countless other sites. Certainly, a Jewish mother from Topanga could make an extra effort to reduce pollution for forty days.
On Thursday, day one after Ash Wednesday, I followed my routine aware that I had given up nonrecyclable plastics. I drove to the school where I teach and as usual, ordered a decaf soy latte from Starbucks and then stopped by the cafeteria on campus for my vegetarian bahn mi.
It was not until I sat down in my office, that I realized that the coffee had a plastic lid, the exact type described in the article which motivated me to give up plastics. I could not even make it one day.
Friday was successful. Then came Saturday and the farmers market. I brought extra burlap bags to avoid plastic. My first stop was to pick up my standing order of juice. Stored in recyclable plastic. The vendor told me it was the last week of pomegranate seeds. Since they were in already packaged in plastic, I passed, annoyed that I did not think to bring my own containers.
As i wandered around the market, i noticed how difficult it is to forego plastic. It should not be so hard. I bought berries in cardboard boxes without my usual plastic bag. But I needed a bag for the greens for the chickens. The hummus and feta i bought without bags and hoped they would not leak. My favorite baked goods were packed in plastic. As were the broccoli sprouts, almonds and dried fruit. I was such a massive failure that I threw up my hands and returned to the first vendor to buy the last plastic container of pomegranate seeds, vowing that next week i will bring my own containers.
Thereafter, I kept a coffee thermos in my car and loaded canning jars in my shopping cart for the farmers market. I continue to have failures but I am more aware and have reduced my use of plastics. I even think that the experience will modify my future lifestyle to incorporate these, and hopefully bigger, changes.
“The world produces more than 300 million tons of plastic each year, and scientists estimate that up to 91 percent of plastic is never recycled, threatening the environment and poisoning animals.” I recommend taking a look at the link to an article by Sarah Pulliam Bailey: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2019/03/05/latest-lent-challenge-churches-give-up-plastic/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.4987190d722e
