Jennifer Kepler

except even though I asked for no plastic utensils.... they still put them in 😕

I have been bringing a conatiner to the fish counter when I plan to buy (sustainable) Sea food.
So I did that and the lady ringing me up was so impressed with how we used our own container. So then we got to chatting and I told her how all my produce bags are months old, I clean and re-use them. She was astonished, and I went on, about how they last and that is a testament to also how long they last in landfills, in the ocean, or as trash.

Went on an early morning run and at the end of it, found a plastic bag, intact on the ground. Collected a full bag worth of plastic debris on my cool down walk - even my husband noticed it and puzzled asked if *that* was ours --- because we don't use water bottles, take-out cups, etc (the majority of what I picked up off the sidewalk and street). In just a few meters of walking the trash is abundant.

Today we took the Discovery Guides Seine Netting - in doing so we picked up approximately 3 full plastic bags (just floating in the surf), a number of plastic fragments from bags, plastic straws, and other plastic pieces.

I got a story in my social media news feed about a kid out in LI who each day goes out and picks up trash at her local beach. I was so inspired by her story, I reached out to her mom, and still having a few extra NYA comp tickets of my own, I offered them, a trip to NYA to meet other like-minded folks who care so much about the ocean. I wrote her a personalized thank you note and cheered her on for her thoughtful deed and told her to keep that spark going!

Today I created my own challenge, I am speaking up and out.
It all started when I ordered and received this shirt (see image).
I wrote the the company and urged them to do better. In this challenge I will also try to spark conversations in places where I am shopping, people love challenges I learned, as I asked my fish counter to put my lobsters into Tupperware I brought from home - a lady over head we are doing a challenge and it sparked a conversation about plastic free July! I will also praise people I see using alternatives to plastic- I do this a lot at work but will also try to do it more in places beyond!

Today I brought Tupperware to the store to bring home lobster from the seafood counter. This reduced my haul home by two single use plastic bags. The fish person at fairway was kind enough to  heed by my wishes!

I'm excited to continue moving away from single use plastics and learning/adopting new ways to ditch plastic! One of my favorite ways to do this is in my weekly meals: I plan my week of meals, I shop for ONLY what I need to feed myself and my husband (and our pets) for the week. I have a set of plastic produce bags that I clean and re-use plus a collection of linen bags I use (I never take new bags!!!). We buy only what we need ($$ saver!).
Then we cook all our meals from fresh produce! Leftovers are stored in repurposed glass jars, reusable tupperware, or silicone zip bags (to replace plastic baggies!).
Since we eat mainly vegetarian, our food often is package free! I try to buy from bulk containers (no packaging!) which also saves $$ and in lieu of single use containers the store provides, I have repurposed large yogurt containers and talenti gelato jars to pack these items in. Their minimal weight does not affect the price by weight.
Then of course at the end, I bring my own bags and my shopping trip has been one that creates a far lower waste flow than that of the average shopper (I Think!).