Dear Friends,

This year we will again be asking you to join us in participating in a 30 day plastic free/waste reduction challenge.

Our challenge runs from Oct 1 to Oct 30.

But, before we can start our challenge, we need to inform ourselves and see where we can make changes so:

Here is how I start the challenge each year. I do a plastics audit by collect every piece of plastic that makes its way into my home and my life for a week. It is amazing not only how much plastic there is, but it is also very informative as to where it comes from.  

I have been a minimalist and have been trying to omit single use plastics from life for several years. I am still on that journey. So come along with me, and let’s do the audit.

(1)  Collect every piece of plastic, from the plastic that is wrapped around the wine bottle, to the plastic cap or wrap on that glass jar of pickles, to the bread bag, to the liner of that box of pasta you thought was housed in cardboard. I mean every piece of plastic!

(2)  Make a note of where the plastic came from, what item and what company.

(3)   At the end of the week, spread out the plastic and have a good look.  Be sure to include plastic that is recyclable along with all the rest. Now that you know what plastic has seeped into your home, you can go about eliminating or at least reducing it.  If possible weigh it so you have a comparison the next time you do an audit. A food scale will work, as plastic is very lightweight and may not register on a bathroom scale or take a picture for a great visual.

(4)  At the end of the week, recycle what you can, but first find out if it is truly recyclable.  

The first time I did this was about 11 years ago. I was shocked at the amount of plastic I had accumulated. It wasn’t plastic carry out bags, it wasn’t water bottles, or straws, I had already eliminated those. So, where did all this plastic come from?

It came from places we never even think about -- wine corks for example!  Eye opening to say the least.

Being aware is the first step, making a commitment to eliminate what you can and reduce as much as possible and finding replacements is the second step.

Advocating for reduction of plastic packaging , and having companies be responsible for the plastic pollution they are causing is the 3rd step. Write to the polluters and tell them you enjoy their products, but want more sustainable packaging.  

Congratulations on starting the journey. Share what you learned with others.

And remember, it is a journey.

We will be sending you weekly tips, information and actions you can take to reduce your plastic consumption and waste.

If you have friends who would like to share in this challenge, please feel free to invite  them to contact me, at [email protected] or you can forward them the weekly emails.

For now, the first few actions you can take are to the do the plastic audit and fill out the county survey on striving for zero waste at the county level by 2040. Here is the link to fill out the survey

Make your voice heard on this important issue.

See you at our next 350Fairfax meeting in October and look for our weekly emails starting Oct 1st

Sustainably yours,

Helene Shore