I don’t do regrets. I can’t see the point in looking back and getting upset about something that has already been and gone. Today I am going to make an exception.
Why on earth did I go public about trying to go plastic free. The more observant readers will notice the introduction of a new word. Yup “trying” because as the 1st September fast approaches I am starting to panic that it is all going to go belly up pretty fast. There is so much plastic around us.
The project is not helped by the fact that I have three teenage daughters. Three perfectly formed modern consumers who like stuff. Not masses of stuff to be fair and they are discriminating about on what they spend their money. But much of the stuff they like tends to come with plastic: toiletries, Haribou tangfastic; soft plastic bread for toast; cotton wool pads; fresh strawberries in plastic punnets.
They already think I am bonkers, the mention of the plastic free month was met with much eye rolling, sighing and pleas to be a bit more normal. They are fairly well resigned to the fact that all jams and jellies for example are homemade, but still look longingly at the jars of pap on the shop shelves. I did suggest (as a joke) that we made our own Nutella (which as a plastic lid by the way), you would have thought I was suggesting they eat raw tripe for a month!
But I cannot put all the blame on them. I have spent this month looking at everything I buy and how much plastic is involved. Oh boy, there is so much and some is going to be very hard to avoid.
One area that I am really struggling with is cleaners and toiletries. Not buying them, I can do that quite easily and make my own instead. But the ingredients I need to make them come in plastic bottles! Vinegar, surgical spirit, rosewater, witch hazel, beeswax, glycerine, oils. They all come in plastic bottles. I have to buy in bulk because I use so much so I have to buy over the internet and nobody is going to send glass bottles through the post if they can avoid it. I’m wondering if I can send them back but I suspect the answer will be “no it’s too much fuss”. Grrr
Inspired by 
