2018 Goal: No more plastic

How are your 2018 goals going so far? Now that the first quarter of 2018 is almost gone it’s time to recap. For this year my goal was to produce the minimum possible waste, and concretely, to get rid of all the plastic in my life. These first 3 months have been useful to make myself aware that we our lives are coiled in plastic.

One of my very first steps has been to get rid of the coffee capsules. I know, it’s so comfortable to just put capsule in the machine, hit a button and half a minute later have a warm cup of coffee in your hands. It’s so easy you can do it with your sleepy eyes on. As you might know, each capsule you throw away, whether it’s plastic or metal, and even if you throw it in the recycle bin, it’s a very difficult waste to swallow, and it loses its properties along the recycling process. It is what’s known as downcycling. So, I took my old Italian coffee maker out of the closet corner and bought some fare traded coffee from a known origin. Every morning, I dedicate a few minutes to brew myself a delicious coffee with a morning peace taste.

Bulk stores are salvation for those of us that want to reduce plastic waste, however, I gave up buying in them because a little over a year and a half ago I was diagnosed with celiac disease and therefore, everything I buy must be packaged and labeled with the corresponding gluten free sign. It hurts my soul, but, on the bright side, now I only shop in bakeries where everything is paper wrapped or I take a container to store my goods. Anyways, I won’t stay like this, I will keep on looking for a way to buy bulk nuts, chocolate and flour, and with no trace of gluten. (Does anyone suffering from celiac disease have a solution? Thanks in advance.)

Another new habit I have acquired is standing in line in the butcher shop to buy the tiny amount of meat I eat, as well as ham and cheese, rather than picking them up from the grocery store fridge where they garnish them with EPS trays and plastic wrapping – No thanks. Life tastes better if you take it slow.

My 2018 goal includes generating as little waste as possible while traveling. That’s why I’m preparing an article with zero waste tips for responsible travelers like you. How do you feel when you find individual butter or jam plastic packets in your hotel? Leave a comment or email me with your main concerns regarding this subject and I will answer them my next post.

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P.S. My next zero waste challenges for the upcoming months:

• Buying a steel made water bottle, to get rid of disposable water bottles.
• Give the menstrual cup a try
• Look for toothpaste and toothbrush alternatives

Follow me on Instagram to know my breakthroughs.

P.P.S. If using an Italian coffee maker is easy for you, don’t miss this video. Go to minute 2:39 where some young guys try to brew coffee with them. Hilarious!