Ian Shelley

I usually don't have lunches that require cutlery, so when I do pack one that does, it's easy for me to forget to bring a fork or spoon.  The biggest hurdle for me for cutlery at lunch was having a plan to clean it.    Throwing a plastic fork away (out of sight, out of mind) was in some ways a lot more appealing that having one with bits of dried food sticking to it sitting on my desk all day.  Once I made a commitment to start cleaning cutlery right away and packing it up where it would stay clean, this challenge got a fair bit easier.

Even in situations where I wind up using a single-use piece of plastic, like a sandwich bag, I find that I'm often able to reuse that bag

Buying in bulk, I haven't found a way to completely cut out single-use plastic (often I end up just buying one bigger plastic bag instead of lots of tiny ones).  It does mean less waste overall going to the landfill though - and single, larger pieces of plastic are easier to repurpose for other uses, such as trash bags

By using reusable dishes, you not only reduce your own carbon footprint and plastic usage, you can help set an example for others in your community by demonstrating how to cut back on single use plastic

By picking up trash and keeping the park cleaner, I feel like I'm encouraging other visitors to the park to also pick up their trash and dispose of it properly.