Is it just me, or did January feel unusually long? I swear Christmas was six months ago…but anyway with the first month of 2019 over, I’ve decided to show my first monthly plastic consumption chart. Keeping track of my plastic use definitely made me mindful in my choices, and helped me realize where in my life I consume the largest amount of plastic. So I present to you, my life in plastic:

I’ve realized that I consume a lot of plastic food packaging. A lot. I almost felt ashamed writing down the number each time I looked back on my day. Also, keep in mind that this packaging was what I went through during the month. My bulk items that came in plastic packaging will be counted once I finish those bags. In January, at least one meal I made per day involved using plastic packaging.

While sometimes it’s unavoidable to buy groceries that have plastic packaging, a lot of the plastic packaging really is unnecessary in the grocery. While shopping at places that don’t have as much plastic is slightly more expensive, it is important to me to make an effort to put my dollars towards less plastic.

My other big number was coffee creamer. At work, I flavor my coffee using the single coffee creamers they provide. Now seeing it add up over a month, I’m going to start bringing my own creamer into the office with me.

Plastic silverware. This one was the easiest to avoid, but we all have human moments and there were times I found myself without reusable silverware when I was out to lunch with a friend. To reduce this, I’m buying a set of portable silverware (I bought mine here) so that I won’t find myself in need of using unnecessary plastic.

With my total of 80 for my monthly plastic consumption, I hope at the end of February to decrease this number to 60. Wish me luck!

Favorite Articles

I love reading, and it is so important to stay up to date on events that are happening around the world. For me, I try to stay current on environmental news, but whatever sparks your interest to read current events is great! We live in a world where it may be easier to shut things out, but that does not mean it’s right. We are bombarded with news everyday, and it is uncomfortable and sometimes overwhelming, but learn how to look through the excessive news to absorb and understand what goes on in the world.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Anyway, here are my favorite articles that were published in the month of January:

The flexitarian diet that could feed 10 billion people. I found this article so interesting and insightful! I have heard several times how the best diet for our environment is veganism, but I understand how many would reject this lifestyle or find it unsustainable and impossible for everyone to follow. This article shows demonstrates how we can still feed the world without going to the extreme of everyone being vegan. In short, the article calls for less meat, more veggies, and incorporating more beans and legumes. My favorite read of the month!

California set a goal of 100% clean energy. The sunshine state committed to reaching this goal by 2045, a massive step towards sustainability in the U.S. Because California has the fifth largest economy, other states are expected to follow its lead as it reshapes industries. A great environmental and business read.

Lakes melting at a record pace around the world. While many don’t think about the effect, this article showcases how shedding ice on lakes is becoming a challenge to how communities (literally) connect and survive around the world.