Riverstone Michelle

I found myself in a hard spot today because I needed to make frosting for a birthday cake. I realized while at the big box store that the cardboard box of confectioner's sugar I was going to buy had a plastic bag inside it. So, I left and went to the natural food store near by, thinking I could get it from their bulk bins and, though not prepared with a jar, could put it in a paper bag. Unfortunately, they didn't have confectioner's sugar anywhere in the store, bulk section or otherwise. They had alternative sugar powders I was not familiar with (not gonna buy it if I don't know what it's made from), so I ended up having to buy the plastic bag version from the big box store. 

The natural food store is really small in our town and I think it doesn't want to compete with carrying supplies already available elsewhere in town. I think the only way they feel they will succeed is if they focus solely on alternative products. For the moment, they might be right! But, it would be great if they had more support to be able to expand their business and provide townspeople with a larger bulk section to reduce wasteful packaging. I'll keep supporting them as best I can and voice things I would buy, if they became available.

This evening, before leaving work,  I filled up my travel mug with leftover coffee to save some of it from going down the drain. Why waste the coffee when I’ll need it tomorrow??

Today was another good day for avoiding plastic! I made a point to remember a travel mug so I could fill it up while I was out and about. I also discovered a new-to-me store in Woodstock, NY that sells self care products from  bulk containers and encourages you to bring your own containers. Good to know where these progressive stores are! Oh, and they also had some Terracycle drop boxes for thorough recyclers—great!

Today was not the best day for avoiding plastic.
(1) I heated my lunch up in the plastic Tupperware I had b/c I needed to steam the broccoli by keeping the lid on top. While this wasn’t a new, disposable container it want to avoid microwaving any plastic in the future.
(2) I didn’t think ahead about going out for dinner and didn’t have my own container to bring home my leftovers, so, it was given to me in a plastic Tupperware before I could even think about it. The good thing is, it’s a good container that I’ll keep and use for food storage, so it’ll be reused plenty until I recycle it.

Today was a great day for avoiding plastic! (1) I brought my own jars to fill in the bulk section of a natural good store, including some yummy snack items that I now have w/o packaging! And, (2) I used my travel mug for a coffe I picked up along the way and (3) I got a roll from the prepared food section and put it in a paper napkin, instead of plastic containers you usually find. And, of course, (4) I brought my own reusable bags to put everything in. 

One thing that I actively chose not to buy was an individually packaged drink mix—“just add water!”— which  was in a plastic wrapper. Nope! Not today...not today... 

Day 1 complete! I brought lunch to work and had no errands to run so, today was an easy day for avoiding plastic consumption. I’m, actually, also in the process of figuring out ways to reduce plastic at work, so I also put in some research time toward that goal. Feels good.