Section 306 Brett Arnold

Today is Tuesday, November 30th..my day to attepmt a life without plastic.

I woke up to my daily alarm clock and leaned over to turn it off, realizing this was the day I said I would attempt to live with outplastic, I contimplated not shutting it off...but do to my roomates need for sleep I did indeed shut it off. So my first waking moments of my day I had already failed.

I went to get myself prepared for the day in the bathroom and realized that my daily hygene depends on my use of plastic. It was then that I realized that I was going to use plastic for everything I needed today, but if it was something that I did not need I would refrain from using the plastic substance.

So in the bathroom I brushed my teeth with my plastic toothbrush and toothpaste that was in a plastic tube. I went to grab my contacts, which are plastic, that were in a plastic container and squirted contact solution onto them that was in a plastic container. Next I went to get into the shower by pulling aside the plastic shower curtain. Looking in the shower I saw my soap and shampoo were both in plastic containers and the showerhead was also plastic.

I went to the kitchen to make myself breakfast. I opened the refrigerator door and for once took the realization of how much plastic is in a refrigertor. I poured myself a glass of milk from the plastic milk carton however into a glass cup. I made my self eggs because they are in a cardboardish box and I was able to use a pan and a metal spatula. However the nobs on the oven were plastic...failure.

Then I got myself dressed and off to class. I went downstairs and too my moped. This was one point of my plastic free day that I had not seen coming. The frame of my moped was almost entirely made of plastic. So I decided to walk. On my way to class, I was bathing in my own triumphs of not using my plastic moped when I looked down and saw my shoes that I was walking on were made of plastic...funny how that happens.

I got to class and pulled out my notebook to start taking notes. I had no wooden pencils so I had to use my mechanical ones that were made of plastic. Not to mention the notebook I pulled was made entirely from plastic...it was actually a cheap one so the rungs were made of plastic too...go figure.

It was time for lunch and I entered Subway. Not to my suprise...almost everything in the resturant was made of plastic. Every container that every food item was in was made of plastic...I decided that I was too hungry to pass up a sweet union chicken teryaki chicken sandwhich so I went on with my meal.

I got home and wanted to watch tv for a while but could not because the tv was made from plastic. I decided this would be a great excuse to go to the library where a wooden desk with a wooden chair awaited me.

It was later in the night now and I had to walk back from College library because my moped was still parked.

I got home and was hungry. I was looking around for a way not to use plastic, or to minimize my use of it because I was getting hungry. I decided despite the plastic wrapping and the plastic handle on the pizza oven, I decided making a frozed pizza would suffice. I did have to enter the plastic filled refrigerator again.

After I went back to the bathroom where I had the same experiences with plastic as I did that morning. I had to set an alarm for the morning so I did so on my plastic alarm clock.

Thus ending my plastic "free" day.

Rachel Weiher: Section 306 (Vanessa)

I took my plastics challenge on Monday, November 29th. I decided to do it on Sunday night, so I prepared a little bit for the next day (though not enough). I took off the bottom sheets on my bed that contained the elastic. I also didn't put my retainer in my mouth like I usually do at night, since that has plastic. I also did not set my alarm, as the alarm clock contains plastic.

I'm lucky I guess, in that I do not really need to set an alarm clock any day, as my cat will promptly wake me up at 6:30 (or earlier, depending on how well she slept) each morning so she can have breakfast. It was about 6:20 when she got me up this morning, and still a little dark, but I couldn't turn my light on because that has plastic as well. I had a banana and one of those instant Starbucks coffee drinks that comes in glass bottles for breakfast. Then I got dressed. I couldn't wear my tennis shoes with the plastic covered shoelaces, so I wore my leather clogs instead. Used baking soda on my finger to brush teeth (did NOT feel clean afterwards though). This is how far I got before my first fail. FAIL #1: Had to clean out cat's litter box and guinea pig's cage. I'm too obsessed with my pets to impose my plastic challenge on them...so I failed. I also could not take my multivitamin (plastic container) or wear my hair in its usual ponytail (elastic in hair band)

I turned off my cell phone for the day, but kept it on me in case of emergency, but vowed not to use it for anything else (didn't end up needing it at all). I also couldn't take my backpack as that contained plastic zippers, so I packed a canvas bag (does canvas contain plastic? not sure) with a bunch of looseleaf and stuff I'd printed from previous days (no printing today). FAIL #2: Had to drive car to bus station, then ride bus to school. Both contain plastic. Really couldn't afford to miss a day of class.

When I got to school, I was fortunate that I did have some wooden colored pencils (my only non-plastic writing utensils) to take notes with. However, around this time I noticed FAIL #3: My coat had plastic zipper. I kept unzipped for the rest of day to attempt to remedy this fail. After my first round of classes I went to the library where I would normally work on the computer. But today I just read a book. For lunch, I went to Subway. I told the lady working there that I was just going to eat the sandwich right there so she didn't need to wrap it in plastic (I didn't bother to explain the whole story). She didn't mind. My one afternoon class had plastic chairs. Thankfully that lecture is pretty full so I didn't look too stupid standing in the back taking notes (though the colored pencils and looseleaf with no hard surface to write on probably looked strange)

Then I went home (obviously had to face plastic in transport again). Then I discovered that I really needed to go to the grocery store, as Thanksgiving weekend had emptied my fridge. There was really no way around this, and while I admit I could have probably stuck out the challenge and bought non-plastic items, I really hate grocery shopping and didn't want to have to go again this week, so I FAILED #4-#? and bought all my groceries, many of which were plastic, although I tried to limit it a little (like buying milk in cardboard carton instead of plastic, and getting paper grocery bags). For dinner I had a glass of juice, some fresh vegetables, and 2 donuts that came in a cardboard box.

Finally I got home and did whatever homework I could with looseleaf and colored pencils (not much, most would have to wait til next day). I took a shower, and just didn't pull the curtain, which is plastic, though I didn't bother taking it down. I brushed my teeth the same way as the morning and once again didn't put retainer in. Was about to put on my pajamas with elastic waisted pants, but then realized that won't work, so thankfully I had the old pair of drawstring pants I made in home ec in high school (a little easier to sew than elastic). By the time this day was done, I was happy the plastic challenge was over, and looking forward to the relief tomorrow would bring.

What I learned: It's nearly impossible to go a day without plastic. The only way this would become easier is for the whole world to simultaneously abandon plastic, so you wouldn't have to worry about it wherever you went. Although plastic is often the most convenient, there are several alternatives, such as wood, paper, metal, or even the occasional house cat.

Codie Vassar section 307

November 29th, 2010


I started of my plastic challenge by setting out clothes and shoes that aren't made of plastic the night before. I had a sweater, shorts, socks, and a pair leather sandals. I woke up at around 11am on Sunday, mainly because I couldnt use my cell phone or alarm clock. After waking up I had to forgo brushing my teeth and showering because my toothbrush and almost everything one would need to shower is made of plastic. At around noon I decided to eat something and I found that almost all of the food in my fridge was contained in plastic. I decided to order a pizza, and payed in cash to avoid using my plastic credit cards as I usually would. After eating I could not even watch T.V so I decided to go back to sleep. I slept for several hours and after waking up realized that I woulndt be able to do enjoy my Sunday much less avoid all plastics any longer so I decided to use my Ipod and go work out. I lasted about 5 hours.

Maria Selig - Plastic Challenge (Vanessa 311)

Today is Tuesday, the day after the day I lived with out plastics. It was like a step back into history. The simplicity that the day turned into was amazing.

I woke up and grabbed my glasses. It was my first stop as the sides of the glasses are plastic. I was going to try my contact lenses, nope they are in a plastic case and they have plastic content anyway. This has to be my first plastic choice, as without sight the day won’t happen. I decided to stay with contacts since they have less overall plastic content.

I darted off to the bathroom for my daily grooming. I looked at the toilet fearing the seat of the toilet was plastic, what a relief it is painted wood. I got ready to brush my teeth realizing both the toothbrush and toothpaste are plastic. I used my finger with baking soda, followed by a stick of gum.

I opened the plastic shower curtain and looked at the shower, which has a plastic showerhead. Then I looked at the bathtub, which has plastic handles. I turned to the bathroom sink and saw the handles were also plastic. I panicked thinking it was a day without water and ran to the kitchen sink and was relieved to find metal faucets. The only alternative other than not bathing is a sponge bath in the kitchen sink. I went to get my shower gel, which comes in a plastic container and had to resort to my decorative bar soap. My hair could not be washed, as the shampoo is in a plastic container. I couldn’t even comb or brush my hair either. I had to resort to fingers and a crocheted hat for the day.

The next step was breakfast. I grabbed a spool and porcelain bowl and was going to eat my Banana Cheerios, which is in a cardboard box with a plastic bag inside. Realizing that won’t work I started looking at the kitchen options. The refrigerator is off limits since it has a plastic door, handles and shelves, plus the majority of items in the refrigerator are in some sort of plastic container, including the milk I wanted for the Cheerios I could not have. I can’t cook anything, as the knobs on the stove and door are plastic. The microwave is plastic. It seems that today may be a diet day. I looked at the kitchen counters and found wheat thins, for which I think the liner in the box is wax paper. I also ate lots of fruit, a can of soup which I could eat cold, and a bottle of salsa. Realizing I would be very hungry and sad I decided to go to the grocery store. I put on a sweatshirt and slipped on my slipper sock shoes. I looked at the car and saw plastic; I looked at the bike and saw plastic so I used my feet. Luckily the store is not too far away.

I had to make a plastic choice to go into the grocery store as it is filled with plastic. I brought with me a cloth bag to carry my food since the shopping cart had plastic content. I chose broccoli, fresh carrots with their greens, tomatoes, and a green pepper. I made sure to use a paper bag, not the plastic bags. I tried to find something to drink low in calorie and healthy, and settled for some V8 juice in a can. All bread was wrapped in some sort of plastic, except for one alternative: I was able to get fresh-baked bread from the bakery section that was placed in a paper bag. I paid with coins that I had in a glass jar in my room as my wallet contains plastic and both charge and debit cards are plastic.

Frustrated I walked home with my measly fresh produce for the day.

After finding that my food selections were limited and I couldn’t properly groom myself, I then studied along with eating some snacks. I cheated a bit as I emptied my backpack the evening before this project so I could study. I opened a book, which may have a plastic covering. I chose to open and use the book anyway. I was going to sit at the kitchen table, but it had a plastic protective cover, so I moved to the living room couch. I pulled out a pen, realizing that it has plastic content and had to resort to the old fashion yellow number 2 pencil which was not sharpened, and the sharpener I had was plastic. I looked at my computer and realized that it is off limits. There is no Facebook, googling, checking the weather, no research, no email. I cannot use my IPOD, no music. I cannot use my phone, so no texting. I cannot use the TV and I do not have an access to a clock. Without plastic I am cut off from communicating with the outside world.

Frustrated again I thought I would go for a run, but my running shoes had a bit of plastic.

At this point I will sum up the rest of my day. I sat on the living room floor with my 3 dogs reading books and eating fruit and vegetables. It was an early to bed night, as I could not turn on any lights, as all the switches were plastic.

As a side note observation, I realized I broke one rule early in the morning. As I walked out of my carpeted bedroom I had to walk on a vinyl floor, which is made of plastic.

Plastic is so much a part of everyday life that I probably inadvertently made use of other plastics without even knowing it.

The end result of this day of profound realization is that it is very difficult to live in today’s society and environment without total dependence on plastic.

Kaitlyn Johns Section 309

I have found, through the plastics challenge that avoiding plastics is not just hard it’s inevitable. I decided to take on the plastics challenge on November 23rd. On the night before, I thought out changes I would have to make in the following day to avoid plastics. I considered specifically asking other people to touch something plastic for me to be cheating.
Therefore, I knew I was going to break the plastics challenge right when I woke up, but I thought I could make it through the rest of the day without a struggle. I broke the challenge when I touched my phone to turn off the alarm I had set. I continued on with the challenge by changing into a sweatshirt and jeans that both did not contain plastic parts and proceeded to the bathroom wearing real moccasins. In the bathroom, I realized that I could not brush my teeth, or wash my face. When I came back to the room, my roommate had thankfully turned on the light. I grabbed a piece of gum to freshen up my breath and used a wipe to wash my face. I did not put any hairspray or make-up on due to the plastic bottles these items are contained in.
The next major challenge was breakfast. I could not open the fridge or use the microwave, so I searched for some food that was not contained in a plastic container and did not have to be placed in the microwave. I also had to look for something that did not involve dishes or utensils because I only had plastic dishes and utensils. My only option was an apple so I ate it.
Leaving my phone on my bed, I grabbed my backpack, and shut and locked the door without turning off the lights. I filled up an old Snapple bottle with water to use as a water bottle. Since the bubbler contains plastic I filled it in the bathroom’s sink. I had to walk to class because the bus and my bike both have plastic components. While in class, I made sure to use a wooden pencil to take notes in my notebook.
After class, I walked to work. This is when I majorly broke the challenge. Since, restaurants are required to use plastics for convince and safety sake I was not really allowed to make improvises. I was forced to wear my non-slip rubber soled shoes. However, still trying to avoid plastics I started out my shift only touching the metal pans. Nevertheless, when the restaurant had become busy for the lunch rush, I had to fulfill my job. The plastics challenge had become a second priority at this moment.
After work, I noticed the apple did not hold me over for very long and I was lost without my phone. I finally gave up the plastics challenge shortly after this. I knew I needed to eat something when my stomach was grumbling and I could not buy food because the only source of money I had was my plastic credit card. This day was anything but simple; plastics are an everyday component of my life, that from this day I found out I cannot live without.

Alexa Edinburgh Section 308

I completed the plastics challenge over thanksgiving break because I thought that it would be too difficult to complete on a campus that is surrounded by plastic. Just by simply waking up I would encounter plastic in touching my alarm clock. I knew this would be quite a challenge to complete but I don’t think you can fully understand how difficult it is until you have endured a day without plastics.

To prepare for this challenge I first thought of what I would come into contact with through out the day that I would have to avoid all together and what I could substitute for materials that were not made out of plastic. I knew I would not be able to brush my teeth that day if I was to complete the challenge because my toothbrush is made out of plastic and the toothpaste is in a plastic tube. I would not be able to use my cell phone or computer all day because they both contain plastic. This was a difficult realization considering I use both of these items almost all the time. I also needed to make sure I ate my meals on plates not made of plastic and needed to drink from glasses instead of the water bottle that I use everyday. I felt that asking my friends or family to open something that was in a plastic container or untwisting a plastic cap was cheating. If I wanted to complete the challenge I needed to do it all for myself and see how far I could get. I prepared my meals, which mostly included fruits and vegetables and some pasta that was in a glass bowl. I would have to eat things cold because putting them into the microwave to heat them up would of course involve using plastic. I had prepared for my not so enjoyable, plastics free day so I went to bed and braced myself for the day to come.

When I woke up the next morning I got out of bed, which does not contain any plastics and got dressed. Luckily my clothes are all cotton and do not contain plastic. I spent most of the day reading and lounging around the house. I did watch TV with my family but did not have any contact with the plastic remote, which for me was a struggle considering I am the one who usually picks the show to watch. I spent some time outside as well and realized that a day without plastics really allows you to spend time in nature. I ate some fruit and cereal for breakfast. I had to eat my meals in ceramic bowls in order to avoid the plastic. When my mom asked me to run errands with her I had to break the challenge because the car contains plastic. After we ran some errands I tried to continue with the challenge and ate my lunch, which was some cold pasta and some vegetables. I broke the challenge again at dinner because I had a meal with my family and had to use plastic to prepare the food. I spent the evening doing some more reading and spending time with my dog, who luckily does not contain plastic. I had to break the challenge again before I went to sleep because I had to brush my teeth. Overall the day was successful, except on the few occasions that I had to break the challenge and use plastic.

This challenge made me realize that everyone uses plastic all the time. Plastic is in everything. It is impossible to avoid plastic, unless you lived in the jungle away from all modern societies. To live my lifestyle and the lifestyle of most people around me plastics are unavoidable.

I enjoyed this challenge because it opened my eyes to how significant and widely used plastics are. I don’t think that you can fully escape plastics but maybe we can use a little less plastic or if there is an option to buy something made of plastic or some other material, we can make the active decision to buy the item that is made out of glass, or recycled fibers. I think in the future if I have the option I will try and buy items that are made of less plastic. Plastics will always be a vital pat of society but maybe we can cut down on how often we use these plastics in our daily lives.

Kali Goldapske Section 308

When we were first assigned this challenge I thought great, this should be pretty easy to do. No plastic, no problem. However, once I started to think about how to avoid using plastics, I realized I actually had a big problem! Since there was no way I could work a day without plastics at college, I decided to wait and do the challenge once I was home over Thanksgiving break.

I tried to prepare for my plastic free day as best as I could. I stopped at the local dairy in town that still sells milk in glass bottles. Next I gathered some food such as bananas and apples that were not in plastic bags to eat. I also made sure to shower before I went to bed, as I did not have access to a plastic free shower. Luckily, I was still able to sleep in my bed as it is wooden and my sheets actually do not have plastic in them!

Morning of Plastic Free Day: I woke up and got some plastic free clothes out of my wooden dresser and ate a banana. I was feeling pretty good about my plastic free day so far. However, I had a really hard time not brushing my teeth since both of my toothbrush and toothpaste tube were made of plastic. This drove me nuts all day. I spent most of my time just enjoying the outdoors with family and also catching up on some reading. I first failed before lunch, when the phone rang and my mom asked if I could answer it. I picked it up without a thought and thus used plastic.

Lunch: I had prepared a nice lunch of mixed fruits and placed it in the fridge the night before. But, I failed to realize that the shelves within our fridge and the door handle were plastic. So I tried to hold off for as long as I could, but by 2:00 I was too hungry and opened the fridge to get my so-called plastic free lunch.

Afternoon: I really failed the challenge when my Dad asked me to help him put up the Christmas lights. I couldn’t just blow him off because I was doing the plastics challenge, and putting up the lights together has been our father-daughter tradition since as long as I can remember. I did try to keep up with the challenge using a wooden latter, but again failed since I wore my winter jacket which is made of plastic.

I spent the rest of the day trying to avoid plastics, but still broke down and used them, especially during dinner.

From this challenge I realized how plastics are integrated into our lives in just about everyway possible. They are unavoidable.

I also realized that plastics allow us to be more sanitary. I often wondered if glass bottles are really sanitized completely before being reused. Do the sanitary benefits plastics override the benefits of easily recyclable products like glass? Judging by the presence of plastics today, I would say so.

Ihor Sehinovych's Plastics Challenge (Emma 312)

Plastics have become a part of the culture in 1st world countries; it is nearly impossible to survive a day without plastics. Most people aren’t aware of how depended we are when it comes to using plastics, and this is surprising because almost everything contains some form of plastics.
At the beginning of my day, I didn’t use an alarm clock because it is made from plastics. After getting out of bed, I had to pick clothes that didn’t contain plastics; some of my hoodies have plastics on the strings to adjust the hood, and I had to use clothes that weren’t hung on plastic hangers. Luckily, I have clothes that is hung from wooden hangers, and folded in a dresser. I had issues all day turning on the light since the switches contained plastics, and so did the lights. Then I had to use my parents shower since mine has a plastic top, but I might have cheated here since I’m pretty sure the floor was plastic. I had to use bar soap since both my shampoo and bottle soap are in plastic bottles. Luckily, my parents shower is huge and doesn’t have a plastic curtain to prevent the floor becoming wet. I first failed when I put I my contacts because they are in a plastic container, and so is the contact solution. I decided to continue and see what other problems I might encounter. I had to find a wooden comb because mine is plastic. After, I asked my mom to get me my medication because it is in plastic bottles. Then I was going to have some milk with a bagel, but couldn’t do either, since milk is in a plastic container and bagels are wrapped with a plastic bag. Instead I had some eggs, but I couldn’t find anything to drink. This was an issue because the water in my house is either in plastic bottles or filtered in a plastic container, but luckily my town has good sink water so I had a glass cup of water. I brushed my teeth with my finger since my toothbrush is plastic.
Then I couldn’t relax and watch TV since the TV has many plastic parts. Instead I read a book for an assignment, and as I as filling out my worksheet I had to use a wooden pencil instead of the usual mechanical pencil. I couldn’t do it at my desk or couch because they contain plastics. I ended up doing it on the floor of my room. As I started thinking about my day, I realized I couldn’t do much. I was unable to talk to any of my friends since my phone and computer both contained plastics. This part annoyed me the most since I heard my phone ringing and I couldn’t do anything about it. I wasn’t able to do much homework since most of it included using a computer. I couldn’t even play my guitar since the strings are attached to the bridge with plastic knobs. I couldn’t leave the house because cars contain an obscene amount of plastic. Afterwards, I played some pool with my dad, but had to ask him to unscrew a knob at the bottom of my pool stick because it contained plastic. Luckily, our pool table is wood and doesn’t contain plastics like most pool tables. During the day I tried to have as many fruits as possible since most of my other snacks were wrapped in plastics. For lunch my mom made some food in the oven which contains plastic, and I had to find metal silverware because the everyday silverware in my house contains plastics and is hung from a plastic holder.
Boredom made me quit the plastics challenge. I used my couch, television, and remote to watch TV. Then I used my phone because I wanted to see some of my friends over break. This just led to a slippery slope, I put on my shoes which contained plastics, I used my car to go meet my friends, and I closed the garage door with a plastic remote. After hanging out at my friend’s house we went to get some food, where I used my credit, which contains plastics, to pay for my food.
Before this challenge I pretty much knew it would be quite difficult to finish my day free of plastics. I decided to do during break because I knew my school schedule would be impossible without plastics; since I have to use binders, computers, and some of my classes have plastic desk. However, even at home it was extremely difficult, it could have been done if all I did was sit on the floor and read books and eat and drink very limited and selected things. Since it was break I did want to get certain things done and failed the plastics challenge. I was aware that we depend on plastics a lot, but I didn’t expect that plastics played this crucial of a role in my everyday routine. If society wants to preserve the earth for future generations, we need to start thinking of ways to substitute plastics with more sustainable materials. Plastics are damaging to the environment, and most don’t get recycled. Many contain harmful materials that can be leached or emitted when plastic get degraded or burned. In today’s world it is hard to reject plastics because we depend on them heavily; however, people do need to realize the harmful effects. We need to make the government regulate companies into producing fewer plastics and more alternatives such as liquid wood and biodegradable packaging that will diminish our dependence on plastics.

Ben Weis's Plastic Challenge

Plastic Challenge
Upon preparing to go plastic free for the next 24 hours, I carefully thought out my upcoming day as I fell asleep the night before. I had a prefect plan. I was to wake up, they day after thanksgiving, brush my teeth with my finger rather than a toothbrush, make sure I don’t wear clothes with plastic zipper covers, and eat fresh fruit that thankfully was laying around in the fridge. Activity wise, I would simply read and greet some old friends as they stopped by to say hello. How could I fail?

Waking up that morning I reluctantly got out of bed and stepped into the bathroom. It was only until I left the bathroom that I remembered I was taking the plastic challenge and I had just lifted my plastic toilet seat and pumped my plastic soap dispenser. Disappointed I had failed not even five minutes into the challenge I thought, that’s ok, I will just start the challenge now. So it began…again.

I sat on my couch as I usually do after waking up a realized I couldn’t watch the plastic covered TV. My next go to mindless activities are usually listening to music, surfing the web, or doing homework. Listening to music was out as my Ipod is covered in plastic. My computer, of course, had a keyboard full of plastic keys, and I was not quite ready to do homework. I decided to eat some breakfast and get ready for, what I just realized, was going to be an uneventful day.

According to plan, breakfast consisted of a banana. Plastic free and safe. Upon inspecting what I can and can’t use in the shower, I stuck with a bar of soap due to all shampoos and conditioners being encased in bottles made of you know what. I wasn’t sure what my shower faucet was made of so I disregarded it of plastic. Which reflecting upon it now, it probably contained the sneaky substance. I got dressed into cotton shirts and jeans that were in my wood dresser and brushed my teeth with my finger. What I didn’t take into consideration when planning my day, was that the toothpaste tube was of course plastic. After unknowingly failing twice I went on with my day.

I picked up my paperback book that I had carefully laid out on the cloth couch the night before and began to read. After an hour or so I began to get restless. So I went downstairs to examine my piano for plastic. I concluded the wood frame and ivory keys were okay to use so I proceeded. It wasn’t long until my stomach was growling again and I wishfully opened the stainless steel fridge for some more substantial food. My growling persisted as I browsed over the fruit and veggies sitting in ceramic bowls. So I was forced to snack healthily on what was in front of me for the rest of the day.

The rest of the day was spent on my plastic safe living room couch with friends, and using the bathroom with a ceramic toilet; a fairly uneventful yet relaxing day. I had made it to about five o’ clock of not doing very much when I looked at my wrist lazily when something caught my attention. My royal blue silly band sitting intertwined with my string bracelet on my left wrist. I had been wearing it all day and it of course was made fully of plastic. My heart dropped when I realized all my efforts thus far were for nothing. There was no way to live productively in today’s society without plastics, I concluded, especially without silly bands.

Alissa Wilkerson (307) - Plastic Challenge on Thanksgiving

I chose to do the Plastic Challenge on Thanksgiving. This challenge proved to be impossible, but I included some of the highlights in the presentation below. After spending a day overly aware of the plastic I was using, and trying to find suitable alternatives, I feel I am so much more aware of how dependent we are on plastic. I also realized that there are not many alternatives available to us, namely, hygiene and food products. However, we can do our best do substitute plastic for materials like glass and metals.

Kristi Ward - A Day Without Plastic? (Emma Sec. 303)

Upon reading that we were supposed to attempt a day without using any plastics, I immediately knew it would be extremely challenging, if not impossible. The minute I stepped out of bed, I came in contact with some unavoidable plastics; some of which I had never even realized are plastic. Just within the first five minutes of being awake, I had to turn off my cell phone alarm (which is made of plastic), flip the light switch in my room (also plastic), use the bathroom (toilet seat is made of plastic), and the list just goes on from here. Since I obviously quickly failed the "day without plastics" challenge, I decided I would try to fully complete a single daily task without using any form of plastics.

I challenged myself to make myself lunch without coming into contact with plastics. As I thought about what I should make, many of my choices were eliminated since they were packaged in some sort of plastic or required a plastic object to open. After I ruled out bread, lunch meat, everything in my freezer, yogurt, and canned goods (since my can opener has a plastic handle), I decided to make shells and cheese which was sitting in my cabinet in a cardboard box (finally, a food that had nothing to do with plastic)!

The first step was to boil the water. Since all of my measuring devices are made of plastic, I just filled my stainless steel pot with water until it seemed like enough to cook the pasta. I was very grateful that my stove has metal knobs to turn on the burners, otherwise I probably would have had to go lunchless. With the pot full of water heating on the stove, I had to find the single wooden spoon in my apartment so I could actually stir the noodles. Once the water boiled, I opened the box, poured the pasta into the water, and went to set the stove timer for 12 minutes...until I realized that the buttons were made of plastic. After a moment of brainstorming, I concluded that I would just have to estimate the cooking time, since my cell phone and the microwave timer also contain plastic.

When I thought it had been about 12 minutes, I removed the pot from the burner and had to come up with a way to strain the noodles (since my strainer is made of plastic). I ended up just using my wooden spoon to block the pasta from escaping as I poured the water out --this actually was quite difficult and I ended up with a good 1/4 of my pasta in the sink. Once I had gotten out as much water as I could, it was time to add the cheese sauce.

The cheese sauce came prepackaged in a thick aluminum-like pouch. Since it didn't contain plastic, I thought it worked out perfectly that I could just rip it open and add the cheese to the noodles. The package turned out to be extremely difficult to rip, and I couldn't use scissors like I normally would because their handles are plastic. After about 3 minutes of using the "teeth method", the package finally opened. I poured the cheese on the noodles and stirred it with my wooden spoon, which was actually kind of gross because some of the cheese found its way into the deep grains of the wood and remained there.

Finally, I took out a glass bowl and metal fork and scooped some of the pasta into my bowl using the wooden spoon. Although I successfully cooked my meal without using plastics, clean up was a different story. I couldn't really do anything besides soak the dishes in water, since all of my dish soap was contained in plastic bottles. It's actually pretty sad that plastics have invaded our lives to a point where even completing a simple task (such as making lunch) without using plastics is challenging. This experience really opened my eyes and motivated me to lead a more plastic-independent lifestyle.

Plastics Challenge by Sarah Soon 310 Peter

Date: 10/23/10

In this day and age, plastics are ubiquitous in our lives, permeating almost every aspect of them. As I was planning my day the night before, I realized that I had taken many things that contained plastic for granted. I was surprised to learn that almost all of my daily necessities utilize a form of plastic. Previously, when I had been reading about BPA and the products that contained it, it was easier for me to imagine not using items such as water bottles with BPA and eating from canned foods that were lined with BPA. However, to avoid plastics completely for an entire day was a wholly different matter.

I was shaken awake by my roommate at 8 o’clock in the morning because I could not use my alarm clock, which was made of plastic. Next, I had to wash my face with a piece of bar soap as opposed to my normal facial cleanser that was in a plastic bottle. I was most bothered by my inability to use any moisturizer or make-up since all of them were in plastic containers or had plastic in them. Thankfully, I normally use a wooden comb so I was able to brush my hair. However, I could not use any hair ties or hairbands. Choosing clothes to wear was a problem because most of my clothes are hung from plastic hangers. After ten minutes, I managed to find a 100% cotton shirt and a pair of sweatpants in my wooden chest of drawers.

Breakfast was extremely inconvenient because I could not eat cereal, drink milk, or take a water bottle because all of those actions involved plastics. In the end, I grabbed a banana and made a hardboiled egg, which I wrapped in aluminum foil. As I was about to leave my apartment, I heard my phone ring but I could not touch it despite the fact that someone was calling me. I felt really uncomfortable because I am used to being able to text whenever I want and contact people if I need to. I could not use my normal backpack since the zips were made of plastic. Instead, I used a cloth bookbag and made sure I had a wooden pencil to take notes with.

My first class was in Ingraham Hall and the seats were plastic. To make things worse, my professor was using a projector to display a slideshow. I was determined to continue with the plastics challenge despite these setbacks. As the class went on, I was getting very fidgety without my phone and my lips were craving chapstick, something that I could not use because it had plastic.

In between classes, I was feeling very hungry and was so tempted to get food from a vending machine, but all of them were wrapped in plastic so I had to give that a miss. My second class of the day was better because my professor did not use a slideshow. However, my pencil lead broke while taking notes and I only had one wooden pencil; to make matters more difficult, I was sitting in the middle of a row so I could not get up to use the pencil sharpener. I had no choice but to borrow my friend’s pen in order to continue taking notes.

As I waited for my final class of the day to start, I was feeling extremely anxious having been unable to check both my email and my phone. I made sure I sharpened my pencil before my class started.

The class passed uneventfully and I was finally done with classes, I made my way home. When I got home, I could not watch television because the remote was made of plastic. I received a text message but still could not check my phone. Fighting the urge was becoming a monumental task. My dinner options were extremely limited because most of the food in the refrigerator was kept in plastic containers. In the end, my roommate and I went to Panera Bread. Even though I am not sure if the food preparation used plastics, I made a conscious effort not to order anything that was served in plastic.

Doing homework was a problem since I could hardly get anything done without a computer. I decided to take a shower and that was the decisive moment when all my frustrations from earlier in the day boiled over, causing me to give up the plastics challenge. I found it ludicrous that I would have to shower without my plastic shower curtain and wet the entire bathroom in the process. I dare say that I have never appreciated using my shampoo, conditioner and body soap more. After my shower, being able to use my moisturizer after what seemed like an eternity felt really nice. Even though I felt guilty for not seeing the plastics challenge through to fruition, brushing my teeth before I went to bed was something that I appreciated so much more after today.

After all the ‘trials and tribulations’ that I have been through today as part of the plastics challenge, I am now more aware of how dependent I am on plastics. Even though it might not seem the case, plastics are omnipresent in our everyday lives, playing a crucial role in the things we do and the tools we use. Precisely because of their ubiquity, people have begun to take plastics for granted. Only through such a challenge are we reminded of the importance of plastics, and can we learn to appreciate their value more. My experience today has proven that the saying “you never know what you have until it’s gone”, although cliché, never rings truer.

Plastics Challenge! Amanda Verbrick - Section 302

Going to bed the night before I began my day without plastics, I was dreading how much I’d have to sacrifice in the morning (and throughout the day); before the experiment even began I became intriguingly aware of how much I was dependent on the substance. Since I usually use my cell phone as an alarm clock, which has many plastic components, I had one of my roommates knock on my door to wake me up. No e-mail checking that morning. No Facebook. No computer (which actually made my morning routine go a lot quicker).

I went downstairs to make breakfast - in the dark. All the light switches in my apartment are obviously plastic. I chose Special K cereal since the box is cardboard (I unfortunately poured it out of its plastic bag inside the box, but thought I was doing a decent job of avoiding plastic). Silverware seemed a safe option, until I realized that the drawer we keep is on plastic wheels. I couldn’t use my milk carton, or make coffee with the plastic coffee maker, grounds in a plastic back, or plastic measuring spoons. I set out an aluminum can of Diet Pepsi to get myself caffeinated during class.

I just skipped a shower - I usually use a plastic shower curtain, hooks, all hygiene products, and razor. Instead, I threw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt/sweatshirt combination, both coming off plastic hangers. I was thankful my pants were staying up with the elastic waistband, but today disappointingly realized it was plastic. I needed to see during the day, so wore I contacts instead of glasses (I figured that was less plastic, anyway). At this point, I was becoming very interested in what everyday products were made of before plastic replaced it - not in a rhetorical way, I was truly interested.

I didn’t use make-up since all the powders, tubes, and brushes have plastic components. I didn’t use a rubber band for my hair, but since I didn’t take a shower my blow drying and straightener wasn’t a temptation. My bible and devotional book both have a plastic cover, but I gave myself a “free-pass” on that one. I packed my computer paper (since my notebook has a plastic cover) and recently purchased wooden pencil before heading out the door. I wore my boots (which I’m sure had some plastic) to avoid by plastic-soled tennis shoes. Off to class!

On my walk to class I followed the traffic lights and construction workers’ flags that dictated where I could and couldn’t walk. Arriving at Psychology class, I watched the Powerpoint slides on the plastic projector slides. Thankfully this was my only class of the day. On the way home, I stopped at Subway; I figured that even if they used plastics to make my 6 inch turkey sandwich, at least I could keep my fingers clean of the toxin. I came home to eat my sandwich, taking more time to get my keys out of my backpack since I took off my plastic keychains the night before. The lonely metal keys were just boring. I finished my meal and spent the afternoon reading a novel for Psychology before preparing for the bible study I lead. Again, the plastic Bible and journal cover took a toll on my conscious, but it was an obligation (I know, this day was filled with excuses).

For dinner I went to my friend’s house where she generously made me breaded ravioli, knowing my impairment for day. Coming back to my apartment was refreshing then, spending time in conversation during bible study took my mind off the constant task of avoiding plastic. Before bed, I changed into my pajamas, and caved when it came to brushing my teeth with a plastic toothbrush with toothpaste tube. I took out my contacts, and was thankful I could go to bed without setting an alarm on my plastic cell phone since the next day was Friday (and I don’t have class on Friday).

Reflecting on the day, I feel that plastics have become a lose-lose situation in my life. I believe I need them to sustain a hygienic and somewhat convenient life, but find it impossible to avoid toxic contamination of the all the products and pollutants from them being made. This experiment has been eye-opening, and, in light of Thanksgiving, I am now much for thankful for all the everyday objects I take for granted and the knowledge I am acquiring from this university.

Lauren Schafer 308 Tiffany

Knowing that I had a plastic free day ahead of me, the night before I showered so I could use my shampoo, conditioner, and body wash that are all kept in plastic bottles. The next morning, I realized I couldn’t use any of my make up or hair products because they too were all enclosed in plastic. Looked like I’d be au natural for the day. As I started to put in my contacts I realized sadly it was going to be impossible to avoid all plastics all day.

I went into the kitchen to make some breakfast, which consisted of oatmeal and a banana, pretty much the only two things not wrapped or contained in plastic, but I had to use the microwave to heat the oatmeal. I had some time before class but it was hard to find something to do that didn’t have plastic involved. My computer, tv, and phone were all off limits for the day.

I made my way to my first class, which was a chemistry test. I had not been able to find any wooden pencils so I had to resort to plastic mechanical pencils. Also, my calculator was essential for not failing my test so I had to give in to using plastic again.

I came home for lunch, which was hard to find considering all my vegetables are wrapped in plastic bags. Finally I decided on veggie nuggets that are kept in a cardboard box, but then I realized I couldn’t use my microwave so I scratched that idea. Next I decided on some fruit because that was virtually the only thing I could find that didn’t have plastic packaging or need a microwave to heat up.

I left for my next class, horticulture, but couldn’t take notes because my notebook/binder had a plastic cover over it. I sat and listened to the lecture, hoping I would remember some of the material I wasn’t able to write down.

As I came back hope I got ready to go to the gym but found that my Nike’s had plastic on them. Going shoeless wasn’t an option so I gave into using plastic again. When I got to the gym I had the sudden realization that all of the treadmills and elipicals had plastic casing, not to mention the majority of the weight machines. This was going to be a strange workout. I concentrated on free weights because they seemed to be the only items that were without some sort of plastic.

After a not so fulfilling work out, I came home to eat sushi, which I had been craving all day. I went down stairs to the grocery store took one look at the plastic packaged sushi and turned in search of a new dinner option. I decided on fish that I could cook on the stove with little plastic involved. I ate dinner with a metal fork, knife and a ceramic plate.

Getting ready for bed was also a challenge, as I had to use my plastic toothbrush, throw away plastic contacts, and was my face with face wash in a plastic bottle. In conclusion, one would have to go back to the very basics of living in order to avoid plastic, and in many cases it would most likely be impossible to totally avoid plastics. Glass could be an alternative to some things, but there are many things we would have to do away with in order to avoid plastics.

Katie Roehl Section 308 Tiffany

11/20/10-Went home for the weekend!
12 Am to 8 AM- Slept on hard wood floor with some blankets and a down pillow with absolutely no plastic! It wasn’t very comfortable
8 AM-Woke up. Could not shower because plastic is everywhere, in the shower handles, shower curtain, and plastic containers that hold shampoo/ conditioner/ and body wash. Had to settle with just washing my face in the kitchen sink where there were metal handles. Put on clothes that were 100% pure cotton.
8:15ish- Looked for some breakfast. All the cereal, poptarts, and breakfast bars were wrapped in plastic. I couldn’t eat anything in the fridge because it is made with plastic. I had to settle for some squishy grapes in a glass bowl on the counter. I did not turn on any lights because the light switches are plastic.
8:30ish-FAILED from this point on-I needed to either put in my contacts or put on my glasses, both of which contain plastic. I have terrible eyesight so it was a necessity. My contact solution is also in a plastic bottle. Because I had already failed, I decided to brush my teeth with my plastic tooth brush with tooth paste from a plastic tube. I also brushed my hair with a plastic brush, and put on deodorant in a plastic applicator.
After that, my mom yelled at me to take my beagle, Sophie outside and for a walk. I realized that I was trapped in the house because all my doors are made with some plastic. Even the garage door opener is made with plastic. I also had to bring a plastic bag in case Sophie went to the bathroom on our walk. Furthermore, all my tennis shoes have plastic parts to them (the shiny decorations and the end of the laces, that I know of). I couldn’t even go for a walk without using plastic. I was not going to go barefoot in November! I also checked the mail in our plastic mail box.
10:30ish- After my walk my mom yelled at me to clean my ferret and tortoise and feed our fish. Well, fish food comes in a plastic container. My ferret lives in a 5 feet tall metal “Ferret Mansion” with a plastic base and litter box where she leaves behind all her stinky waste. I cleaned this out with water and Dawn Dish Soap from a plastic bottle. I washed her hammock and plush bed in the washing machine, which contains plastic parts. I added some laundry detergent from a plastic bottle. I fed my tortoise peas from a plastic bag and removed her poo using a plastic scoop. It seems I cannot take care of my pets without some form of plastic.
12ish- Lunch time! My mom made hamburgers, that came from the plastic freezer, and grilled them outside on a grill that contains plastic parts. We ate them on plates that aren’t plastic but I’m not sure what they are and drank from glass cups.
1:00- I had a piano recital today and consequently used lots of plastic because we had to drive to the building it was in. Also, the piano I played on had some plastic parts to it.
4:00- Drove to Olive Garden to eat after the recital. Not sure what plastics they use but I know the cheese grater they use to add extra cheese to your soup, salad, and meal is plastic!
5:30 pm- Back home and decided to start my homework, and once again found myself unable to do anything without plastic. Half of my work was on the computer, which uses a lot of plastic, and half was reading from textbooks with a plastic-coated cover.
9ish- Went to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1!!!! Plastic was used in the car, in the movie screen, in the seats, in the popcorn bag, and the soda straw.
11:30ish- Came home and got ready for bed, with plastic toothbrush and contact solution bottle, and slept on my bed frame and mattress that have plastic parts and plastic elastic bands on the sheets. Set my plastic alarm clock for the next day.
Conclusion: I cannot even make it through one hour after waking up without using some essential plastic in my life. I’m sure these items could be made with other materials besides plastic, but alternatives are not available in stores. I’ve never seen contact solution stored in a glass bottle, or a computer with a metal keyboard at least.

My Attempt at the Plastics Challenge - Vanessa Kemp, Section 307

My day without plastics was one of the most interesting and annoying days I have ever had. It started out with me rolling out of bed in the morning to realize that I had already failed the challenge, being that my bed sheets had elastic in them and I used my plastic cell phone for my wake up call. However, I still tried to continue my day without the use of plastic. I contemplated not taking a shower because I knew that would be an arduous task without the use of plastic, however, out of courtesy for my classmates I decided to attempt it. I stepped into my shower, and removed the plastic mat from beneath my feet (which I hesitated to do because I have had one too many falls without it) then I unhooked my shower curtain pole because that too was made out of plastic. I rinsed my body with water and had to lather with a bar of soap because my shampoo, conditioner, and face wash were all contained in plastic. After hopping out of my shower only semi-clean feeling I went to brush my tangled mess of un-conditioned hair, to realize all of my brushes were made of plastic, along with my ponytails, headbands, and all of my hats had plastic. Needless to say, this was a bad hair day. I went to get dressed, unsure of whether or not my clothes had any plastic materials in them. I assumed they probably did, but in order for me not to freeze walking to class or get arrested for public nudity I put them on anyway. I could not put on any makeup and could not brush my teeth. I almost began putting toothpaste on my finger when I noticed I couldn't even do that because my toothpaste was contained in plastic. Forgetting about my personal hygiene, I went to go make coffee and eat breakfast. That proved to be a bust since my coffee maker, creamer, and coffee mug all used plastic. I was able to eat a banana for breakfast because that was one thing that wasn't stored in plastic or bought using a plastic bag.

When leaving my house for class, I put all of my backpack contents into a canvas bag. I grabbed a wooden pencil, instead of my usual pens and headed out the door. Walking to class I realized that my jacket zipper was plastic and that all of my binders for notes were also made of plastic. These were two things I didn't want to sacrifice for the day. During class, I was unable to avoid plastic because I was sitting on it, writing on it, and technically learning from it since projection screens, computers and laser pointers all use plastic. Also during class my stomach started growling because I was hungry since I couldn't pack any food to eat in between classes, then this caused me to become very cranky and not-so-pleasant to be around.

After class I went home and decided to give up on the plastic challenge because I was hungry, also my asthma was acting up and needed to use my inhaler and take my medication for it - both using plastic. By the end of the day I realized that a day without plastic is impossible for me. I couldn't do most of the regular tasks I do throughout the day. It was hard to eat anything and I couldn't even bring my water bottle around to drink anything. I was unable to use my computer which made doing assignments for school impossible. This challenge really opened my eyes to how plastic is literally unavoidable in our everyday lives, we need it to maintain personal hygiene, for making and eating meals, for maintaining education, and for medical purposes. Plastics have made their way into all aspects of our lives and we have become dependent on them, I think that it would be near impossible to ever try to completely elude from plastics in life, but there are definitely ways we can cut back our use on plastic.

The Plastics Challenge- Kevin Cleary - Section 304

Unfortunately my morning started out using my alarm clock, which was made of plastic but from that moment my “Plastic-free day” began. I hopped in the shower unable to use my bottle of shampoo so I went ahead and stole some of my roommate’s bar soap. I lathered myself up using that and ended up having to use it as well on my hair. I headed to my room to get dressed avoiding all things plastic. I realized in doing so I had to leave behind my phone, my wallet, my elevator card and ultimately my glasses. I couldn’t use my contacts either so I struggled my way around my apartment. I made my way to the kitchen only to find that I was unable to eat all of my delicious food, so I grabbed myself an apple. Avoiding everything plastic I popped in a mint for minty fresh breath since my toothbrush and toothpaste both had plastic.
Distraught about my morning I made my way to class. Upon my arrival I luckily realized I had brought a wooden pencil and luckily my notebook was completely paper, containing no plastic. I was relieved that I wouldn’t fail my class because I was unable to take notes. Following class I went on to my next, with the ability to avoid plastic. Class soon ended and again I found myself in the debacle of finding food to eat. Although it would have been a good idea to eat another apple or any other fruit/vegetable for lunch, my stomach longed for more. I dove into my delicious frozen pizza that was unfortunately wrapped in plastic. I popped it into my microwave oven, which had plastic, and ate it all. With my hunger fully satisfied I found myself bored out of my mind with nothing to occupy my time until my following class. I ended up falling asleep, only to be awoken by one of my roommates frantically yelling at me to go to class.
I left my apartment disheveled yet again and rushed to class. The next two classes were less than thrilling, but the plastics challenge had helped me to stay focused in class. Following class I ventured to the library for a solid study session. With no computer or phone for distraction, I was able to get a large portion of my homework done. I decided to skip dinner so I wouldn’t be tempted to eat all the delicious food that was tainted by the use of plastics.
To say the least, it was an interesting day. Plastics affected every aspect of my life, from socialization, to schoolwork, and everything in between. Exhaustion succumbed by the end of the night and I went to bed at 9 that night, hoping for the following day to start so I could begin using plastics again, finally.

Plastic challenge - Cullen Bergh - Sect. 306 Venessa Wishart

I started my day going through my normal daily routine. In order to maintain my normal everyday hygiene I took a shower. I washed my self with a bar of soap but found myself breaking the challenge right away as I reached for my shampoo bottle made of plastic. After I had lost the challenge I continued to see if could avoid plastic after that. After getting dressed I went to the kitchen to make breakfast. I used a ceramic bowl and ripped the paper-like package of oatmeal and dumped it into the bowl. Opening the fridge by habit, I discovered my milk container was also made of plastic and therefore decided to use tap water from the faucet instead. I then discovered I lost the challenge once again upon putting my oatmeal into the microwave, where at least the outside shell was made of some type of plastic. Discouraged and in a hurry, I ate my oatmeal and continued my plastic-less day.

Walking to class was easier, until I realized my backpack zipper was also made of plastic. While in class, I was proud that I had remembered to bring a wooden pencil to take notes with. But that effort was soon in vain as I took out my 3-ring binder that had to have been made of some type of synthetic/ plastic-like material. I realized very quickly that this challenge was just about impossible to succeed in if I were to go about my normal life. It seems that I would have to sit still in field all day to avoid plastic. I found eating to be very difficult if I were to avoid plastic. All my food in the refrigerator was sealed in some type of plastic wrap or Tupperware. Even throwing things away into plastic trashcans with plastic bags inside them was a very hard option to avoid. Using the toilet also became a plastic using activity, whether it was sitting on the toilet seat or using toilet paper that hung suspended by the plastic spring-like apparatus on the wall.

Plastics....Video mashup by Steve Thomson of Plomomedia

The Plastic Challenge

Spend one day trying to live without any plastics. See how far you get. Keep a plastics diary for the day, discussing all your encounters with plastics, your substitutions, and how you managed to spend a day without plastics (or what finally made you give up and use something plastic).

You'll post these diaries to this blog (after the plastic-free day, of course--use a pencil to take notes during the day). I encourage you to include images (if you have a metal camera--or if you can find someone else to handle the plastic camera), and you can also create a video, upload it to youtube, and then embed it in the blog.

Deadline: December 6th.

The class will vote on the best blog entry, and the winner will receive a (non-plastic) prize on the last day of class.