Plastics make it IMpossible for this challenge....

December 4^TH Plastics Challenge

Living a life without the use of plastics was impossible for me to do with the living arrangements that I currently have in my house at school. I decided to do my challenge on a Saturday so that I would have more time to think things through and not to be too stressed with planning. The challenge forced me to not only think about the way I would go about doing things, but it also forced me to do some pre-planning to organize meals, activities, and other parts of my life. Planning meals was one of the most difficult portions of the challenge. It was crazy to think about all the plastic wrapping and containment in foods and also used for the storage of foods (i.e. the refrigerator). This blog takes you through my adventure to try to live a life minimizing (because I couldn’t eliminate) my plastics use.

I had my roommate wake me up in the morning around ten so that I wouldn’t have to use my phone as an alarm. Though there is most likely some kind of polymers in my bed sheets and my pajamas, I didn’t change them out in the morning for the day. I did however take off my running watch for the day, something that I usually wear 24/7. It was pretty sunny through my windows, so I didn’t need to use the light switch to turn on the lights. Showering occurred the night before to cut down my plastic use of shower shampoo and conditioner bottles. I tried to just use toothpaste (which the container is plastic) and put it on my finger, but it didn’t work as well as I had hoped and I resorted to using my toothbrush (also plastic). I need some sort of vision correction, so I put in my contacts, which are made out of plastic as well. For breakfast I heated water up on the stove top instead of the microwave to cut down on my use of plastic that is in the microwave appliance. The hot water was then put into a mug and I used a tea bag from a tin container. I moved this preparation to our kitchen table rather than the countertop because the counter has a plastic finish on it. I had a piece of fruit for breakfast which didn’t require any sort of plastic use. But I did throw the peel into the garbage can, which is made of plastic and has a plastic bag. I then read a textbook for one of my classes in my room. I usually use a highlighter of some sort, but decided not to cut down on my plastic use. I read for the rest of the morning until my roommates called me out into the living room.

The afternoon was even harder to get through without plastics. My roommates were all watching the Packer game that was on at noon on our TV, which is made of plastic. I was debating about watching it with them but decided for them just to shout game updates to me. Because of my leadership role in my student organization I had to check my e-mail sometime on Saturday. I got my computer out and really realized how much plastic was on it. From the exterior to the small chips which are all manufactured plastics. I continued to work on my homework, using a wooden pencil (which I sharpened a few the night before), but had to also use a calculator for computations so was yet again forced to use a plastic product (these weren’t addition formulations, but logarithmic calculations so they couldn’t be done in my head). For my lunch break my roommates had ordered pizza which I ate. I paid my roommate in cash which eliminated the use of my plastic debit card. The final product that I ate was in a cardboard container and I didn’t have to order it (cutting the use of my phone).

Just when I thought I was back on track for the challenge, my phone started ringing and I noticed that it was my parents. I took the call, thus using more plastics. I continued my homework reading in my room, but in my room I was surrounded by plastic items (lamps, picture frames, etc.). I was getting restless just sitting in my room, so I decided to go for a run. I usually run with my I-pod, but decided not to use it for the sake of the challenge. My shoes however were covered in plastics. After I cooled down I went back inside my house to read part of a book that I’m reading for fun, outside of my classroom readings. I then started to prepare dinner, which I bought everything that I would need for the meal the night before so that I would be prepared. I cooked noodles in a glass pan over my gas stove and got the sauce from a glass jar from my shelf. I used a metal strainer for the noodles and also used metal silverware to eat with. I had applesauce from a glass jar as well. I left dishes from today for a chore I will do tomorrow. The rest of the night was pretty lazy. I talked to my roommates, started to knit a scarf for my mom’s Christmas present (the needles are aluminum), and pondering the extensive use of plastics that is present in my life. The rest of the night was pretty relaxed. I was pretty tired from thinking all day, not only on my academics but mainly about the challenge. Second guessing everything that I did that day and checking to see if plastics would be involved. If so, then I had to figure out a way to work around it if possible. I decided to just go to bed early to then be for certain that I can’t use any more plastics for the rest of the day!

Missy Setz

Discussion 312 - Emma