Without further ado, here is the list of plastic waste that went on in my house during the 30-Days-No-Take-Out sentence project adventure:
Meat:
9 meat wrappers
6 polystyrene meat trays
9 sheets of cling wrap
2 lunchmeat packages
1 tuna can
Fruits and Vegetables:
13 fruit clamshells
2 small tomato paste cans
1 snap pea bag
2 resealable fresh fruit bags
2 resealable dried fruit bags
1 club pack veggie bag
1 lime juice bottle
Cookies, Snacks and Treats:
3 arrowroot cookie sleeves
3 ingredient pouches from 1 cornstarch noodle soup bowl
4 tortilla chip bags
1 cotton candy bag
2 chocolate carrot holders
1 polystyrene ginger beef tub with lid
2 cookie trays and plastic lined bag
2 ritz cracker bags
1 polystyrene ice cream cake tray
5 potato chip bags
1 skittles bag
1 cake dome and base
1 fruit loops cereal bag
1 freezer pizza wrapper
6 jumbo freezie wrappers
6 single-serve yogourt containers
6 fruit snacks packages
1 cheese puffs bags
4 chocolate bar wrappers and overwrap
1 plastic-lined goldfish crackers bag
Miscellaneous Grocery:
1 wild rice can
6 cheese wrappers
1 ice cream carton
1 yogourt culture envelope
1 inner seal from a hummus tub
1 tsatsiki tub, lid and inner seal
1 margarine tub inner seal
2 spice jars
1 cellophane pasta bag
1 molasses jar seal
1 salad dressing bottle (including lid and seal)
1 veggie dip tub and seal
1 honey squeeze bottle
1 cellophane bread wrapper
1 ketchup bottle
1 Superfries bag
1 cornmeal bag
1 cellophane cinnamon package
1 plastic-lined rolled oats bag
Drinks:
1 Gatorade tub liner and lid
1 lemonade lid and scoop
1 tea packet
8 plastic drink cups
2 straws
15 2L milk jugs (including seal strips and lids)
10 1L tetra paks
36 355mL pop cans
1 pop bottle with lid and seal
1 wrapper from a flat of 1L tetra paks
4 2L soy milk carton (including seal strip and lid)
1 Froster cup, lid and straw
6 drink cup lids
Personal Care:
1 detangler lid
1 vitamin bottle
2 moisturizer pump mechanisms and lids
1 sunscreen bottle
2 24pk toilet paper wrappers
1 resealable cotton ball bag
1 toothbrush with rigid plastic packaging
1 contact lens solution bottle
2 contact lens packages
1 hair conditioner bottle
6 bandaids
hair clips packaging
5 cosmetic sampler packages
12 clothing tags
6 clothing stickers
1 bug spray bottle
1 Instead cup and wrapper
Toys and Gifts:
2 sheets of cellophane floral wrap
12 stem-fitting water holders for flowers
11 sheets of toy overwrap
12 rigid plastic package inserts
1 CD wrapper
4 cellophane loot bags
30 balloon ribbons
handful plastic ties
1 puffy bow and ribbon
13 toy parts baggies
The Rest:
1 disposable diaper sleeve
1 plastic bag
2 ziploc bags
1 leather conditioner bottle
2 garden soil bags
1 bit of plastic tubing
10 IKEA parts baggies
2 deck umbrella sleeves
1 plastic outdoor thermometer
1 popcorn machine
1 pot scrubber
1 blind cord tensioner
Total Garbage Output:
3 leaf bags
5 blue recycling bags
4 black trash bags
I consider myself a very conscious consumer, but this list looks NUTS to me! About a year ago, we were producing about two bags of trash, two bags of recycling, and two leaf bags each week. This list represents a 50% reduction in garbage output, and still looks like we have about as much regard for the environment as the Romans had for cultural diversity. IMAGINE this tally with about ten Happy Meals, a couple of Wendy’s “meals”, a couple of trips to the Olive Garden To-Go counter, and a family-sized order from Blue Willow.
I watched George Carlin do standup a few years ago, and one of his sets really stuck with me: Long after we’re gone, the earth will still be here. Under all of our garbage, poison, pollution, and Stepford mansions, the planet will remain.
It’s really a matter of how uncomfortable we want to be during our stay.
ED: Comments for this post can be viewed here.
