Day 9: On the road

Greetings from Tampa! It's not very warm or sunny here. But I wouldn't even know, since we spend all day in meetings in windowless rooms. The meetings are going well, really interesting conversation and people.

I want to update about the troubles that travel presents a plastic-free gal.

Tuesday I packed all my goodies and headed to the airport, but TSA took away my toothpaste. It was over the ounce limit for liquids on carry-on. I could have checked a bag, but that would have cost me $75 over the week (3 flights at $25 a pop). So they took my lovely Tom's of Maine gingermint in it's metal tube and threw it in the trash.

I had to ask the front desk at my hotel for a small tube of toothpaste, and it of course is plastic. I felt sad but the alternative of not brushing my teeth for the week was too terrible to consider.

On the 1st flight on the way here, I didn't get a beverage- avoid that plastic cup! Plus, it was an hour, do I really need 4 ounces of diet coke to make it until we land? Not really.

On the 2nd flight, I pulled out my ceramic mug and tea, and asked for hot water. The flight attendant was surprised and said that he had never seen this before, someone bringing their own mug. I hope we can reverse that trend because that is a lot of trash generated. It doesn't help that they don't let you bring your own bottle of water but I bring a jar or something to fill at the water fountains inside the terminals.

So the moral of the story is that flying on airplanes is a hard place to avoid plastic. As are airports. If you want to eat healthy, cheaply, and plastic-free, you'll have to pack your own food. I was really hungry in between flights and had basically zero time to find something to eat but I did find a hot pretzel that they handed it to me in just a small paper sleeve. That plus the Maine apple I packed were a nice supper.

Checking into the hotel, I realized we don't use metal keys anymore, but plastic cards to get into our rooms. I hope they will recycle mine afterwards, but it is still a plastic failure. Two in one day!

My hotel room bathroom was stocked with tiny bottles of shampoo and soap wrapped in plastic. My planning paid off, so my shampoo bar and soap bar with me let me avoid using those small bottles. I hope they don't throw them out when they clean the room and turn it over for someone else.

Day 7: Preventative Packing

Traveling is taking this challenge to the next level.

I'm off today to Tampa for a meeting of the United Church of Christ, and then to Washington, D.C. for the Citizens Trade Campaign annual fly-in of fair trade organizers from around the country.

I won't be as in control of the circumstances, so I am trying to pack to prevent any plastic problems. A week on the road could be problematic.

I've packed an old glass juice bottle that I use as a water bottle, a ceramic mug for coffee, fork and spoon, and some paper plates in case the caterer uses plastic.

I am re-using an old ziplock bag for my quart sized baggie to bring my liquids- toothpaste and lotion- on the plane. I don't think the TSA staff would let me use a paper bag, even if I explained that it was for Lent.

I will try to document all the potential plastic pitfalls of traveling and report back. I am off now to find a meal to pack for dinner before heading to the airport, as airport food will most likely be wrapped in something disposable. And is usually pretty gross.

Day 5: Plastic Free Partying

Anyone that knows me can guess that I don't let much get in the way of socializing. I'm sort of an extrovert. So when it comes to weekends and get-togethers, I didn't want to miss out on any fun just because of Lent.

It happened to be my roommate Emily's birthday last week, so Wednesday and Friday we had shindigs at the Big Blue House.

When my other roommate Whitney asked me to grab a lighter to light the birthday cake candles, I paused. Plastic! I reached instead for the matches. Perfect, so easy.

No party at the Big Blue is complete without an assortment of beverages. Bag of ice cubs? No way Jose, it comes in plastic. Luckily, I scored a couple of metal ice cube trays at a yard sale last summer.

Party on, plastic-free people.

Days three and four

Today I want to discuss personal care products.

I have a wooden handled toothbrush, which was a fun find, but it still has plastic on the top where the bristles are. Better, but not plastic-free. I have also seen recycled plastic toothbrushes made by Preserve.

For toothpaste, I buy Tom's of Maine (which used to be owned by Mainers but they sold out to Colgate or something like that). It comes in a metal tube, but still a tiny plastic lid. Again, better! I like Tom's also because you can get toothpaste without fluoride. I could make my own, and found a bunch of recipes online:
http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/04/27/diy-toothpaste/
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/diy-recipe/diy-recipe-toothpaste-066720
I'll try that next!

For face lotion, I am addicted to Holly Farm's rose face lotion, and luckily it comes in a glass jar.
It's made in Orono and has great natural ingredients. Roberta at the Ampersand on Mill Street in Orono keeps me stocked in this.

My hairbrush has a wooden handle, but plastic bristles. Has anyone seen a metal or wooden comb? I'll have to keep my eyes out for one this coming yard sale season. (Maybe Uncle Jim Phillips can look around, he's the best yard saler I know, with cousin Megan at a close 2nd.)

Good news! I found a shampoo bar, sold wrapped in paper. It's made in New Hampshire and all natural. I was skeptical though. Shampoo bar? Would it suds? Well it was great! I didn't use conditioner and my hair looked good, if I do say so myself. Thanks, JR Ligget's.

I still have a ways to go. I occasionally wear a little make up, and haven't looked into non plastic for that yet. All deodorant that I have seen comes in plastic, even the best all natural stuff, even the crystal rock stuff. Anyone have ideas? I could just go without. My all natural stuff barely works anyway.

Day 2: Cooking Dinner and Showering

Well, so far I have made it without any new plastic!

Last night I was cooking dinner for a potluck at the house. Pumpkin Risotto was to be the main course. At work yesterday I went to the bank and planned on stopping at Hannaford on the way back to get the rice for the risotto.

Alas! I realized it would come in plastic! Luckily, Whole Foods in Portland sells aborio rice in bulk and has paper bags- a key part of my buying food for the next 40 days.


The rest of the meal was plastic free so we were good to go.
It came out pretty well. Thanks to Kaet for talking me through the process and my WND crew for eating it!



Then this morning it was time to face the shower.
I've replaced plastic scrubbies with a washcloth and replaced body wash in a bottle with a good old fashioned bar of soap.

I don't know what to do about the shampoo situation. Some people just don't use it, that's one option. I know there are shampoo bars out there so I will have to start looking because I think my current bottle will run out before Lent is up. I know you can buy shampoo in bulk at the Belfast Co-op so if I find myself in Waldo County anytime I could bring an empty vessel along, but what? Glass in the shower is a bad idea. I'll keep thinking on this, any advice?

I recently replaced our old nasty vinyl shower curtain, full of toxins, with a fabric one. I love it. You can just put it through the wash when it starts to get funky.

For hand soap, it's fun to make your own! My friend Artie taught me, and I use the website The Sage to figure out how much lye and oil to use. http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php

Day 1: Breakfast

Here we go! Day one of no plastic.

Luckily, my breakfast routine is already plastic free. Oatmeal, cooked in a metal pan with a wooden handle (yard sale find from last summer). For my coffee, I use a cloth filter brought to me from Honduras by my friend Liz, but ceramic cones work in the same way.

Sometimes I have a 2nd cup of coffee at the office, and went to make it today, but the coffee comes in K-cups which are plastic. No go! Maybe I'll have tea. It's probably for the best, Hot water shooting through plastic with my coffee? Sounds a little sketchy. I drink too much caffeine anyway.

Dishes:
The sponges are out. I'm going to use dishcloths (thank you church fair ladies) and eventually I'll have to knit my own.
http://dishandwashclothmania.com/grandmas-favorite-dishcloth-knit/

I also found this hemp scrubby at the Co-op up in Blue Hill. That should help with the super stuck on food chunks.


http://www.twistclean.com/ravioli-scrubby/

I think the day so far is a good sign of what this will be all about, a mix of old techniques and yard sale finds, new alternatives, and just giving some things up.

**P.S.** Special thanks to my friend Pious for setting up my blog!!

Shrove Tuesday. T-minus 1 day

Well, it's my last night before Lent starts. Traditionally, it's the night you go all out, celebrate, be crazy, and do all of the bad things you won't be able to do for the rest of Lent. Does that mean I should be rolling in Saran Wrap or eating individually wrapped candies all night?

Happy Fat Tuesday, and I'll be back in the morning to launch my Lenten challenge.

I'm going to give up plastic (new plastic and as much plastic as possible) for Lent.

Check back here starting on Ash Wednesday, the 17th, and follow my journey through a no-plastic Lent.