Do you have something against plastic, or something?
Today Ella and I had the pleasure of going on a summer excursion to York Beach in Maine with a good friend of ours. On top of being a beautiful day for friendship and being outdoors, some interesting questions surrounding project plastic arose. As we sat on the rocks overlooking the ocean, enjoying our peanut butter sandwiches ( that we carried using a reusable container of course), it was hard not to reflect on the reasons we have for undertaking this challenge. The ocean is so very much worth protecting from plastic pollution. It is not only incredibly beautiful, but also sustains an incredible amount of biodiversity and humanity would not be able to survive without it. Restricting our plastic usage through this project is a small, insufficient thank you for all the things the ocean does for us. It was good for me to be reminded of that.
Ella and I were also able to have a really good discussion about sustainability in general while we relaxed and read our books on the beach (OKAY I admit it, Ella was reading an actual book, and I was just reading Entertainment Magazine, but regardless...). Nature can provide really cheap and easy routes to enjoyment and happiness. Far too often in our society we spend money and fossil fuels on entertainment we think we need to consume to be happy, when just stepping outside our homes and appreciating nature's aesthetic beauty could be exactly what we need to relax and enjoy ourselves. Ella and I got such a kick out of watching seagulls waddling all over the beach today. Moments like that are awesome.
But for those times we can't resist consuming and spending money, we are going to try our darnedest to stay plastic free. As we were walking through the town shops we meandered into a candy shop, and to my delight I saw that they were selling candy in bulk. It was the classic scoop the candy and weigh it after situation, meaning I could rot my teeth with delicious candy whiling sidestepping the plastic packaging all together! Unfortunately the store seemed to be only offering plastic bags for people to use. What an unnecessary waste...
Since I already had my heart set on some sour, blue gummies though, I went up to the counter and asked the store clerk for a paper bag.
"Do you have something against plastic, or something?" the store clerk asked.
Ella and I shared a knowing and nervous glance.
"Well, paper would be much easier for us to recycle," I replied.
The clerk grumbled something else that sounded grumpy and then handed us two paper bags to use. I was pleased that we were able to use the paper bags, though I do wish the option had been more accessible. I also think the interaction may have been a sign of things to come in terms of people's reactions to this project. Perhaps the clerk was just annoyed that he had to be inside serving teenagers on a really sunny day, but perhaps he indeed felt challenged by our question. Most of our friends are going to be on board with our efforts, but I'm sure loads of people will think we are crazy and somehow feel a little threatened when they see us carrying our reusable utensils everywhere we go, and obsessing over our garbage. Part of that I realize, is because us undergoing this project is a challenge to other people. A challenge to join us in changing our daily behaviors for the good of the planet.
Ella and I were also able to have a really good discussion about sustainability in general while we relaxed and read our books on the beach (OKAY I admit it, Ella was reading an actual book, and I was just reading Entertainment Magazine, but regardless...). Nature can provide really cheap and easy routes to enjoyment and happiness. Far too often in our society we spend money and fossil fuels on entertainment we think we need to consume to be happy, when just stepping outside our homes and appreciating nature's aesthetic beauty could be exactly what we need to relax and enjoy ourselves. Ella and I got such a kick out of watching seagulls waddling all over the beach today. Moments like that are awesome.
But for those times we can't resist consuming and spending money, we are going to try our darnedest to stay plastic free. As we were walking through the town shops we meandered into a candy shop, and to my delight I saw that they were selling candy in bulk. It was the classic scoop the candy and weigh it after situation, meaning I could rot my teeth with delicious candy whiling sidestepping the plastic packaging all together! Unfortunately the store seemed to be only offering plastic bags for people to use. What an unnecessary waste...
Since I already had my heart set on some sour, blue gummies though, I went up to the counter and asked the store clerk for a paper bag.
"Do you have something against plastic, or something?" the store clerk asked.
Ella and I shared a knowing and nervous glance.
"Well, paper would be much easier for us to recycle," I replied.
The clerk grumbled something else that sounded grumpy and then handed us two paper bags to use. I was pleased that we were able to use the paper bags, though I do wish the option had been more accessible. I also think the interaction may have been a sign of things to come in terms of people's reactions to this project. Perhaps the clerk was just annoyed that he had to be inside serving teenagers on a really sunny day, but perhaps he indeed felt challenged by our question. Most of our friends are going to be on board with our efforts, but I'm sure loads of people will think we are crazy and somehow feel a little threatened when they see us carrying our reusable utensils everywhere we go, and obsessing over our garbage. Part of that I realize, is because us undergoing this project is a challenge to other people. A challenge to join us in changing our daily behaviors for the good of the planet.
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