Deborah Kim (Ecochallenge.org Staff)

I watched The Story of Plastic. Highly recommended if you haven't seen it already. It's truly astonishing to see how plastic harms communities around the world at every stage of the lifecycle.

Fairly difficult! It's so easy to forget my bags, so I'm trying to make it a habit of doing the prep early. Even though we banned plastic bags in Oregon this year, COVID has definitely created exceptions where grocers run out of paper bags but prohibit reusable bags at the checkout. I've been told you can still use them at self-checkout, though. I'm going to try bringing cardboard boxes this weekend (Costco-style) to see if that helps us, too. I'm also holding onto plastic bags until we can recycle them at the store again, and it's a painful reminder to take stock at my collection of plastic that will stick around long after me.

Eating fewer processed snacks means fewer empty calories and refined sugars and fats. More fresh, whole foods are better nutritionally and for our planet 🍎🍐🍊🍉🍓🍑🍒— though we also can't forget about the supply chains and the people picking our produce. Sustainability means more than the health of the soil and the trees; it's the whole system.

With access to reusable and zero waste period products, people will have one less barrier to education, and means to live a little more comfortably with less financial burden from menstrual management, plus more care for the environment by not increasing waste. They (and we) can learn about the myths that perpetuate the stigmas and taboos around periods. I'm not sure that a period kit can equalize access to education, but I hope it helps. In the U.S., people with periods have paid a luxury tax, and mixed support for reproductive healthcare is harming so many people who can't afford or who are denied access. We need so much change!

My annual plastic footprint is 6.36% higher than the average American. The bulk is in home decoration. While I haven't been very spendy this year in terms of home decor, it's true that home items are often bigger in size and require more plastic packaging; or they're made of plastic. It's frightening to see that there could be more plastic in the ocean in 13 years, at this rate. Even my pill bottles can't be recycled locally because they're too small.

I've thought about why plastic is usually the go-to when producing and shipping a product. Usually it's because it's lightweight, flexible, durable, and resistant to water damage and humidity. Consumers want a pristine product, and plastic is very effective in protecting and shielding an item from the elements. This goes for food packaging, too — no one wants stale cereal. So plastic is heavily integrated into so much of our lives. But the costs are so tremendous. I will have to do more research and thinking about my consumption.