When I was finishing up my month long ‘buy no food in plastic’ experiment at the end of July, I decided it was time to take action against plastic food packaging.

Well that was a month ago and I have to confess that I am just now getting over the trauma of that experiment … seriously … I hadn’t realized how stressed I had become until the stress began to ease.

The week after the experiment ended I came down with a nasty summer cold. Some people told me I must have gotten sick as a result of coming in contact with plastic again after avoiding it (as much as possible) for 30 days.

While that’s a lovely romantic notion …and it may or may not be true … I would have to do bunch of double blind scientific studies to prove my friend’s theory that our “immune system deteriorates in direct proportion to the amount of plastic we come in contact with”.

No, I believe that the danger that plastic poses is more insidious than that in ways that we don’t understand and can’t yet imagine.

So right now you might be thinking that the first rule of a low crap diet is to avoid plastic at all costs … but that would be a silly rule and, as I have proven, unattainable.

Actually, the first rule of a low crap diet is to not stress about what and how you eat because stress has been proven beyond a doubt to lower immune function.

Notice I said not to “stress” about what and how you eat … you must take responsibility for your health and the health of our planet … just don’t get all stressed out and sick over it.

BYOB has taken on a whole new meaning.

My local organic store, Sunnyside Market, carries quite a few things in bulk … including dish soap. And they are quite delighted when you bring your own container … or in this case, bottle.

My last plastic bottle of dish soap had a big crack in it, so it had to go to recycling.

I went looking through my cupboards for a suitable replacement and discovered this cleaned out glass olive oil bottle.

I should tell you that I am a bit of a glass bottle hoarder … meaning I have a hard time sending any glass bottle to recycling if I think there is a remote possibility that it may one day come in handy.

I remember cleaning out this bottle and if you have ever tried to clean out an olive oil bottle you will understand my pain because it takes a lot of hot water and dish soap to get that bottle oil free. I remember asking myself if my efforts, along with the extra hot water and soap were worth it.

Today I was feeling kind of smug … yes my efforts were absolutely worth it.

The great thing about reusing an olive oil bottle is that it has a ‘spout’ attachment that slows down the speed that liquid pours out. This little feature makes it quite suitable for refilling with dish soap … and the bottle looks much prettier than plastic.

I haven’t written for a few days. I have been dealing with plastic abundance causing feelings of overwhelm, confusion and depression.

Don’t worry … I’m not about to abandon civilization and move to some remote forest to live with wolves. But I am having to reframe my outlook.

As you know, since the beginning of July I have been engaged in a 30 day experiment to stay away from food in plastic packaging.

I have discovered that it is pretty much an impossible undertaking. To live without plastic food packaging is not convenient and many foods have to be avoided.

Here’s what I have learned:
- To stay away from plastic I have to drive my car to get to u-pick farms, farmer’s markets, butcher shops and bulk food stores.
- Much of the fresh produce, especially fruit, even at farmer’s markets, is packaged in plastic baskets or bags.
- Food packed in glass bottles have plastic lids with plastic security wraps. 
- Most convenient food is wrapped in plastic to keep it fresh.
- Most people are oblivolious to the health and environmental problems associated with plastic.

When I speak to people about my plastic peeves, the most frequent response I get is a blank stare, then a compassionate sounding “… but its recyclable …” excuse. The second most frequent response is “… everything will kill us these days … what can you do…”

Everyone is feeling the same powerlessness when it comes to plastic and food.

Is plastic slowly killing us and our environment?

Is there a will to implement cost effective alternatives?

What will it take for society to change?

Is it too late to change?

Is this a battle worth fighting?

Yup – its time to for me to reframe my focus. My inner battle-weary-nature-spirit needs shoring up.

Its time for action.

The 1st Annual Buy-No-Food-In-Plastic Day has come and gone and I’ve heard some great stories from friends and family about how their plastic awareness was ignited.

The best story comes from someone I won’t name … She tells me she was having lunch with a coworker at a food court and enthusiastically talking about it being the 1st Annual Buy-No-Food-In-Plastic Day. As she was speaking she suddenly noticed that her food court food had been served in Styrofoam containers … oops …

When she sheepishly told me the story I cheered! Hooray! That tells me that the 1st Annual Buy-No-Food-In-Plastic Day succeeded in raising both her and her coworker’s plastic-awareness. Plastic is so integrated into daily life that we hardly even notice.

They then discussed how they could have easily brought down reusable plates and cutlery from the office kitchen.

Maybe next week they will.

It doesn’t matter if you succeeded in going 24 hours without purchasing plastic or not. What matters is that you became a little more plastic-aware.

Congratulations!

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Today is my birthday and you can wish me well by participating in the first annual Buy-No-Food-In-Plastic day. All you have to do is pay attention to how the food you purchase is packaged. And when you have a choice, choose food products that are self-packaged or in non-plastic containers.

Before a problem can be solved, we must first be aware that there is a problem. Do you remember when Big Mac’s and Quarter Pounders were served up in cancer-causing polystyrene aka Styrofoam? 

More than 20 years ago McDonald’s assistant vice president was quoted in the New York Times: ”We use foam packaging for the same reasons that schools, hospitals and other restaurants do. It keeps our products hot, it keeps them fresh, its portable and it’s a safe and sanitary way to serve our product.” (http://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/11/nyregion/mcdonald-s-is-urged-to-alter-packaging.html Accessed: July 16, 2009).

Today, McDonald’s no longer uses foam packaging for its sandwiches and the change in packaging hasn’t seemed to hurt their business. Their sandwiches are still delivered hot, fresh, safe and sanitary … in benign paper-based wrapping.

Change can happen. It starts with awareness.

Its fairly rare to see food in Styrofoam packaging these days. But the packaging of choice is still predominately other types of plastic. Plastic keeps food fresh. Its portable. Its sanitary. It’s a wonder product. But is it safe? The evidence is mounting that it is not; not for lab rats, not for babies, not for adults, not for fish; not for water, not for landfills.

Today is the day to raise your plastic awareness. Can you go the whole day without purchasing food wrapped in plastic?

It’s a difficult challenge, but its not impossible.

Well here I am, half way through my PFF experiment. (PFF = Plastic-Free-Food … way easier to type than “30-Day-No-Food-Purchased-In-Plastic”.)

Eating PFF is not easy and as I reflect on the past 15 days I realize that I have had some wins and some slip ups.

For instance, I didn’t think I had to give up my daily whole milk latte habit. After all I was bringing my own cup to the coffee shop. But today I watched as the barista poured the milk for my latte out of a plastic jug. Crap! Ok technically I didn’t purchase the milk in the plastic jug … or did I?

Then there are the herbs I bought in China town yesterday that were all sealed in plastic bags. I was buying the herbs for my business, so I didn’t think I was compromising the experiment. And I wasn’t … well not until I tore into the bag of Goji berries for a snack. I was well into my third fist full of the berries before I noticed the plastic bag in my hand.

One day on the weekend I was at the big box grocery deli and wanted a quick, high protein snack. I scanned the deli case and spied unwrapped sausage rolls. I told the clerk I wanted one, but I didn’t want the plastic take out tub that they use. I suggested that she simply wrap it in a paper towel. She said she could put it in a plastic bag instead. I told her “No! I don’t want plastic!”

I didn’t mean to yell … I apologized and tried to explain about my PFF experiment … but I’m pretty sure she rolled her eyes at me as she handed me the paper wrapped roll. I shrugged my shoulders and proceeded to pull off all the crappy white flour pastry and then ate just the meat part. It wasn’t very good.

So I stopped at the organic store on the way home and picked up a few handfuls of fresh cherries, using one of my cloth bags instead of a plastic bag. The clerk in that store gave me a 5 cent bag discount. The cherries were delicious.

This Friday, July 17th is your turn to experiment with PFF purchases. Write in and let me know your experiences.

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Since there are so many new readers this week, I thought I’d give you a quick catch-up on what’s going on at LowCrapDiet.com and then we’ll talk about ketchup.

Low Crap Diet is about cutting ‘crap food’ out of our diet … improve our health; improve the health of the earth.

Lately I’ve been cranky about plastic and other throw away packaging. In fact I became so frustrated with all the low crap food in high crap packaging that I decided to try a 30 day buy-no-food-in-plastic experiment. Feeling a little lonely in my experiment, I invited you to join me by declaring Friday, July 17, 2009 to be the first annual “Buy No Food in Plastic” day. (Better start getting organized … Friday is only two days away.)

Now that you are all caught up, here’s the promised ‘ketchup’ bit.

I’ve always wondered why “returnable glass bottles” didn’t catch on for more products. It’s a brilliantly sustainable system. When I purchase milk in a glass bottle, I pay a ‘deposit’ on the bottle as incentive to bring it back to the store so it can be refilled. When I return the bottle the deposit is refunded. It works for milk and pop and there is no reason it couldn’t work for other consumable products.

I’d like to see the following products in returnable glass bottles:
- yogurt
- feta cheese
- olives
- cooking oil
- vinegar
- mayonnaise
- nut butters
- stewed tomatoes
- bar-b-que sauce
- spices
- honey
- juice
- ice cream
- ketchup

I think you get the picture and you can probably add other products that you regularly purchase.

The ability to purchase ketchup in a refillable glass bottle would remove a huge amount of ketchup’s crap-factor.

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Did you know that:
- plastic is collecting in the ocean
- the plastic in the ocean breaks down into tiny colourful bits
- fish and birds eat those colourful bits thinking they are eating food
- you can be part of the solution.

Raise your “plastic-awareness”. On Friday July 17 purchase only plastic-free-food.

Click here for a poster that you can forward to your friends.

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A marketing guru blogger guy named Seth came onto my radar a few months ago when I was setting up Low Crap Diet.

Recently Seth wrote about his birthday wish, asking people to “… start a project, launch an idea …” … create a “Make a difference day.”

Today Seth’s post challenged me to go farther: “Go ahead, do something impossible.”

I like challenges.

I am in the midst of an impossible challenge.

I have a birthday coming up.

I want to make a difference.

In fact, I know you want to make a difference too, so I’m answering Seth’s birthday wish with a birthday wish of my own.

On Friday July 17, my birthday, I invite you to take part in the first annual No-Food-Purchased-In-Plastic Day

The purpose of No-Food-Purchased-In-Plastic Day is to raise our ‘plastic-awareness’, especially in the area of food packaging.

Did you know that:
- plastic never goes away.
- not all plastic is recyclable.
- not all recyclable plastic is recycled.
- plastic leaches toxins into our bodies, our water, our air, and our earth creating havoc in ways we are only just beginning to understand.

My 30 day experiment is teaching me that it is difficult to avoid food with plastic packaging. But I am learning that it is possible to drastically cut down on how much plastic garbage I generate. 

Here’s just a few ideas of how you can participate:

1. Pay attention to how your favourite foods are packaged. (Do you really need your sandwich wrapped if you are going to eat it right away?)
2. When you do purchase food wrapped in plastic, be sure to reuse or recycle the packaging.
3. Bring your own knife, fork and coffee cup (BYOKFCC)
4. Bring your own reusable bags (BYORB)
5. Whenever possible purchase plastic-free-food (PFF)

Can you go 24 hours purchasing only plastic-free-food? Leave a comment and let me know your ideas and thoughts.

Stay tuned for more details … and Happy Birthday Seth!

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Plastic is making me cranky. Its everywhere, not just wrapped around our food. I’m sitting on a vinyl chair, typing on a plastic keyboard, using a plastic mouse. I could reach out and touch plastic speakers, stapler, phone, ipod, printer, cables and cords, a lamp, picture frame, cell phone, camera … the word “ubiquitous” comes to mind.

I went shopping yesterday and purchased mostly fruits and veggies, along with a few other staples. I was feeling pretty proud that I had spent $75 and not one ounce of plastic had found its way into my cloth bags … or so I thought.

Turns out a cardboard label was attached to the pineapple with a plastic thing; the kind of plastic thing that you normally find on clothing. And there wasn’t just one. Seems an over zealous clerk found it necessary to use four of these things to attach two cardboard labels. (I wonder if this was done by a machine or if the labeling was done by a human.) I did not even notice the plastic until I had chopped the top off the pineapple and was about to put the leaves in the compost.

My second faux pas happened in the dairy section. Did you know that ‘cardboard’ milk cartons are actually plastic? The ’paperboard’ is sandwiched between two layers of Polyethylene. You can read all about it on the Elopak Packaging website.

I bought cream and milk in cardboard containers under the assumption that cardboard containers were lined with wax, not plastic. Guess I should have done more thorough research before I jumped to that conclusion. All the more reason to seek out a store that carries milk in glass bottles … well … except for that plastic lid.

What happened to the little cardboard disk that used to seal glass milk bottles?

Yup – I’m cranky and I still have three weeks left in my experiment.

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