Jane Rankins

One of the biggest things I learned is just how hard it is to get away from plastic containers.  They're everywhere.  The metal tumbler I use at work in lieu of disposable cups has a plastic lid.  I don't want to give up eating berries, which are one of summer's great pleasures, but no one puts them out in cardboard containers any more--just plastic boxes.  I have a friend going through chemo--the drip comes in a plastic bag through plastic tubing.  I reuse store bags to pick up after my dogs but unless I want to give up walking them, I can't avoid using plastic bags.  A paper bag won't survive a 40 minute walk.  

But all of the vital and, in some cases, life-saving properties of plastic make me realize how much it matters to cut back wherever we can.  Bringing a mug and tumbler to work for coffee and water doesn't seem like it makes a big difference--until I see all the Styrofoam cups left in the trash by the folks who don't go for something reusable.  Refilling, reusing and finding alternatives may be difficult, but they're critical to keeping the planet healthy.  And speaking up, gently and kindly, can help too.  No one wants to be lectured, but there are ways to talk to people that leave them feeling open to thinking differently vs written off for thinking differently.  

Thanks for doing the challenge.  It's a great way to keep us all thinking and making changes that matter.