283

 Living with less plastic

Today, I was walking with my fellow human. He needed to go to a supermarket but didn't bring a reusable bag. I always carry a cotton net bag or a cotton tote bag with me, so we used mine. I don't even see it as my own, as these are just some objects I live with. I often share objects with fellow humans and wouldn't feel uncomfortable if someone took almost anything I live with. The situation with the bag made me contemplate living with less plastic, something that I have written about in this autoethnography and in my previous entry. 

At times, humans online share something along the lines of "I have tried living zero-waste for a week and these have been my experiences". Though it is interesting to learn about someone else's experiences of living zero-waste, one week is not enough to change one's lifestyle. I've been practising this lifestyle for over 10 years, and I'm still on a journey. I made many changes in the first few years of my practice, but it still took much longer than a week. And when I relocated (from England to Sweden, from Sweden to Finland, and from Finland to Denmark), I had to learn new things every time. I also made many mistakes on the way, such as buying objects that I didn't need and would not use. I made mistakes when I was trying to change my practice too fast. But I also made mistakes later on, when I thought my practice was good. It's humbling to make mistakes and learn from them. 

I think that developing habits is essential. I have developed a habit to always bring my reusable bags with me, even if I'm not planning to shop. At times, I would buy something I was not planning to buy, such as fresh bread, if I walk past a small bakery. Or, especially in the summer months, I could come across something I could forage. Those could be berries, mushrooms, herbs, vegetables, and fruits. At times, I would find something very beautiful such as a shell or a stone that I wanted to bring home with me. I don't use human-made decorations at home, but I do use stones and shells, and at times flowers from nature. Cotton tote bags and net bags are very light. When I travel, even if it's a short distance, I always bring my water bottle with me. A habit I want to develop is to always bring a snack with me when I travel. In Sweden I've been in many situations when my train was delayed. Oftentimes having a drink with me is enough, and I always tell myself that nothing bad will happen if I don't eat for a few hours. But at times, a small snack could be helpful. 

A while ago, I replaced many products with just one. For example, I don't own a body wash, a face wash, a hand soap, a kitchen cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, a shaving foam. I use bar soap instead of all these products. It comes either in cardboard packaging or without packaging. I always buy such soaps from small, independent, local companies. I choose the most simple option, without scents, so I can use this soap for everything. Usually I get a few bars at a time so I never run out. Perhaps it's not the most minimalist practice, but keeping one or two extra soap bars at home doesn't take much space. I don't own a hand cream, foot cream, face cream, body lotion, eye cream, hair styling cream and other creams and lotions. I live with only one organic balm, made by a small, independent Danish company from shea butter, olive oil and beeswax. And I use it instead of all those products. I use a very tiny amount of it every time, so it lasts. 

Some of my fellow humans in sustainability movements buy their clothing second-hand. It's a good practice, as we use what already exists. I don't buy second-hand clothes because I want to look the same every day, own very few pieces that last, and have no synthetic clothing at all. Currently, I live with a jacket that is made from polyester. My running shoes are made from polyester. And one pair of sweatpants has 13% of polyester in the fabric. When these objects wear out, I will not welcome anything made from or with synthetic materials into my life. 

There seem to be more sustainable options for almost everything. At times, those options are genuinely better. At other times, it's greenwashing. I believe that these days many objects can be replaced by plastic-free ones, but it's so important to ask if they are necessary in the first place. My ex partner and I used to buy candles made from natural waxes and essential oils. They were better than mass produced, fossil fuel based candles with artificial scents, but eventually, both of us realised that we didn't even want to have candles in our home at all. I would get headaches from them and preferred fresh air, and my partner didn't seem to enjoy those candles either. For me, minimalism and plastic free living go hand-in-hand. 

Many plastic-free options require a little bit of extra care. For example, soaps need some time and space to dry, otherwise they become soft, even if the quality of the soap is high. Wooden brushes and sponges, if kept in water, will become discoloured. I don't mind taking good care of these objects. Perhaps if I lived with many objects, I would find it overwhelming to care for each of them. But when there are only a few, I find it grounding and meditative. 

Going to a supermarket or a food market takes a bit more time too, as I want to choose those options that come without plastic. Usually, I don't plan my meals. I simply get what I can get without packaging, something that is local and seasonal. Right now, there are many beautiful Danish root vegetables one can buy in a supermarket. These days, we get carrots, parsnips, potatoes, for example. We also get leek and onions often. We cook pasta dishes with seasonal vegetables, cream soups, and eat smørrebrød with potatoes. 

Living with less plastic is a personal practice, but my loved one is interested in minimising his use of plastic too. We talk about our sustainability practice very often. Both of us are sustainability researchers and practitioners. We also discuss how we can be a positive influence in his child's practice. She is only 4, but I believe that starting to introduce a young human being gently and in a playful way to sustainability practices can have a positive effect. 

282

 Plastic

I've been trying to reduce my use of plastic for the past 15 years or so. I'm a social scientist, so my knowledge about the technical aspects of plastic pollution is limited. Perhaps it is similar to that of any other fellow human interested in this subject. But UNEP produced many reports about plastic pollution that can be found here. I felt so much sorrow when I read their report Chemicals in Plastics - A Technical Report. As a social scientist, I believe that humans reproduce and transform social systems and structures. Possibilities for these acts depend on many factors such as personal circumstances and age, for example. As a human being, I want to transform those social systems that are detrimental for nature, non-humans, and humans, including myself. I cannot transform those systems on my own. Indeed, my personal actions don't really matter in the grand scheme of things. And this is oftentimes the argument against individual actions. And yet, I believe that if many fellow humans take part in transformations, systems can change. There is no other way to change social systems. They are not changed from without. 

I find that the best way to minimise the use of plastic is living with less. Excluding many categories of products from my consumption. 

I prefer to welcome those objects into my life that are made from natural materials such as stainless steel, glass, organic cotton. I think they last longer and look more beautiful. All my skin and body care is zero-waste, plastic-free and very simple. I use a multi-purpose balm (made from olive oil, shea butter, beeswax), shampoo bar, soap bar, toothpaste tabs, crystal deodorant, a lip balm. 

Whenever possible, I try to welcome those objects into my life that are not made from mixed materials (e.g., blends of cotton and polyester). 

Whenever possible, I buy food that is unpackaged.

I do my best to remember to bring with me things like a bread bag, so I don't need to get packaging with the product I am buying. 

Whenever possible, I stay in a café to drink my coffee. Or I use my reusable coffee cup. 

When I give gits, I do not buy plastic ones and do not buy plastic packaging for them. I give zero-waste gifts or food. For packaging I use recycled paper or fabric.

Whenever I get a chance, I let companies know how I feel about their use of plastic. For example, some tend to overpackage. 

Whenever a plastic bag comes into my life, I honour it. At times, such bags come into my life from other humans or deliveries. I try to buy only from small, independent businesses that use sustainable packaging, but rarely there is a situation when the packaging is not sustainable. I keep those plastic bags and use them rarely until they are no longer functional. Then I recycle them. One situation where I use (old) plastic bags consistently is when I need to transport my laptop or documents in the rain. I put them in a cotton tote bag and a plastic bag. My backpack is not waterproof. There are other objects that I carry that can get wet. But I don't mind it, as they will dry. I love rain water and don't see it as something I don't want to get on my clothes. 

There are still plastic objects that I live with. My jacket, the only jacket that I live with, is made from polyester. I welcomed it into my life when I lived in northern Sweden. Previously, I had lived in England where a simple wool coat was enough. In northern Sweden it was much colder. My running shoes that I wear in winter are made from plastic. 

My backpack is made from vinylon f. It's durable and light, but I am not comfortable with this material. It does not feel good when I touch it. I also notice that it gets dirty very quickly and attracts dust easily. 

I try to learn about materials that surround me. 

At times, my fellow humans say that everything is made from plastic. It is used in trains that I use, for example. It is used by medical professionals. I understand this. At the same time, I think that plastic should be used where it is absolutely necessary, and where other materials would be much worse. In my personal life, other materials work well and even better. 

I understand that there is only so much consumers can do. So much plastic is being used in the supply chains where I have no control. But knowing that what I can do has a limited effect is humbling. It is ok. It reminds me of the fact that I am a being amongst billions of my fellow beings. I do not want to only take part in those actions that are grandiose. I feel that this approach is narcissistic.