The Making of Change, One Step at a Time

Okay, so I've long known that plastic has some heinous effects on the environment, but when I learned that estrogen mimicking compounds are in most plastics, plastic and I were no longer friends.

Invigorated by my findings, I tore up my condo and performed my first serious plastic purge.

And that's when it hit me...

I couldn't make the change because I didn't know where to start

It was overwhelming. 

And so, feeling defeated, I put all the plastics back into their hiding places and moved onward with my regular ol’ plastic-riddled life. 

But, as luck would have it, my warrior status was renewed when I came across my first etee wraps, because they taught me that saying goodbye to plastic didn’t need to be a scary, hole-in-one type of operation. 

Instead they offered a simple, daily reminder that there is another way to store my food.  Plastic wasn't the boss of me. I had choice, and that choice got me pumped to make more changes that I wanted to share with you.

Bye bye plastic containers - hello glass jars

So, you bought that plastic container with the tight fitting lid because it was handy and served a great purpose. There’s no sense beating yourself up over that now, but it’s also a good jump-off point - this is where change can really take place. When it’s truly time to say goodbye to your plastic container, give it a scrub a dub dub and recycle it. Now that it’s gone, what can you replace that plastic spice container with? Make your go-to a glass jar with a screw-top lid! 


Bring the revolution to your grocery store aisles

Picture your typical grocery store - it ain't always pretty - but this is where the revolution really begins. 

First easy step? Ditch those plastic produce bags. Instead put your pretty fruits and veggies straight into your basket or reusable produce bag and have them weighed at the cash as is (I’ve not had a single cashier bat an eyelash when I don’t have my peppers all together in a bag - they go all old-school, weigh them on the scale and onward to the conveyor belt they go.)


Are you a Nervous Nelly about keeping those apples clean before ending up in a lunch box? I used to be too. See, produce from the farm has had multiple hands on it, has probably been sneezed on and may have even accidentally taken a nose dive onto the ground before being meticulously placed onto that display. So make sure you clean the produce that you have before you prepare it for eating, which I’ve learned should happen regardless of whether it’s been in a plastic bag or not.

Carry that bulk vibe into other areas of your grocery experience. Pasta, cereal, grains, seeds, crackers, and candy - these can all be purchased at bulk food stores, eliminating the plastic packaging that is included when buying each of them in their pre-packed form.

Reach for a box or tin of juice over a plastic jug. Even better, juice your own fruit instead of buying it! There’s really nothing better than a freshly squeezed glass of grapefruit juice, in my opinion. Making the switch to a box isn’t limited to the juice aisle, either. Change over to laundry and dish detergent that comes in cardboard boxes too!

When your grocery list is all ticked, and you’re ready to go, don’t forget to use your reusable shopping bags. Keeping one in your satchel, purse, car, bike carrier ensures that you’ll have one handy at all times, avoiding the needless use of a plastic bag. Reuse your bags, but always wash them between use to avoid bacteria buildup and contamination between shopping trips.


Finally - in your quest to rid plastic from your life, it’s really important to pick your battles, making conscious and wise decisions and being willing to bend. That freshly squeezed margarita that I am going to make this evening? Those limes are being juiced on a plastic juicer. Is it ideal? No. But am I going to kick myself for not having the budget or selection when I purchased that juicer? There’s another hard 'no’. Decision making that enables change in your life should be simple enough to encourage you to continue doing it.

See, now that wasn’t so bad, was it?

C’mon! We can keep this momentum of change going if we keep working at it together!

← Older Post Newer Post →


Comments


  • Heya Rebecca – it depends what you mean by bulk foods, but I fill up jars of nuts, and cereals when bulk shopping. In the produce section of the grocery store, I put all of my fruits & veggies straight into my basket, then after paying in a reusable bag to take home. Once I’ve washed them, I keep them in my etee Food Bags to keep them fresh for longer :D!

    Melanie from etee! on
  • What do you put your bulk foods in to take them to the check-out?

    Rebecca Morgan on
  • I love the idea of reducing the plastic we take home from the grocery store.
    However, it is hard to replace those nasty plastic mesh bags they package avocados, lemons etc. in. Because if you take them out of that mesh bag, you are now effectively buying them individually and then they cost more.
    I can’t bring myself to making a scene at the cash register by having the cashier ring up the meshed item and then ripping open the mesh and putting the produce into my own reusable bag. It would work, and send a message – but meanwhile I’m the “crazy old no bag lady” LOL
    A pet peeve.

    Karen on
  • Remember the three R’s: Reduce, Reduce, Reduce. You don’t really need fruit, and you REALLY don’t need fruit juice. All that sugar is bad for you. And leave the carrots, potatoes, beets, turnips, and parsnips on the shelf. Root vegetables are full of carbs you don’t need.

    Ken Cory on
  • I have not noticed boxed laundry detergent in our stores, which brands use this packaging? Thanks for your product, I feel like my footprint is getting just a bit smaller, one less plastic wrap at a time…; – )

    Debrah on
  • Steve can you expand your product line with beeswax lids to go over standard sized jars or babyfood jars?

    Kristi Elming on
  • I’m working on my own personal plastic purge - and I’m trying to take my sister on the same journey. I’ve purchased re-usable bamboo straws & take them with us to the movies. I’ve bought steel boba straws & refuse to take any plastic bags. I’ve started using shampoo + conditioner + deodorant bars, as well as eco-friendly dental wax. We can do this world! :)

    Susan on
  • I gave everybody etees at Christmas & hope they’re all in use. They are great! I live in BC now but my fave grocery store is in Edmonton — Earth’s General Store — https://earthsgeneralstore.ca/category/refilling/. They have 500 products in their Refillables among many other fine initiatives. It can be done. Check them out for inspiration.

    Kristin on
  • Emily! So glad that you’re loving your etees!!
    Kali – keep your eye on us moving forward, cause we’ve got some GREAT bathroom plastic replacements coming soon. You’re totally right – there’s just so much of it in there!

    Baby steps everyone! We’ll get there!

    Melanie from etee! on
  • I am thrilled with my purchases
    They are brilliant
    Thank you
    I look forward to many years of association with your company

    Emily Hewitson-Townley on

  • 1
  • 2

Leave a comment