Ripples

I almost didn’t want to watch War on Plastic on BBC 1 the other night. I often feel overwhelmed at the magnitude of the problem of plastic waste, among the many other global problems. I did watch it though, and have decided to try anew to further reduce my plastic consumption. I felt ashamed that I had not done more, and then decided that shame would just keep me stuck, so I resolved to move on and try to do better. I have experimented with veg box delivery to reduce plastic packaging. I am going to try shopping in a local, independent supermarket next, to try and buy the fruit and veg I need plastic-free. I found a pot of coriander in Aldi from an Irish grower, Egans, with a recyclable pot and biodegradable non-plastic film, and am carrying it around to show it to supermarket managers. I’m sure they are thrilled to see me coming. One poor guy in Lidl nearly runs when he sees me. You just have to have your embarrassment glands removed.

Watching the programme, I was especially horrified at the information that there is plastic in most teabags. Starbucks said that is in line with international practice and research. Hmm. Let me see. Would I intentionally consume plastic, knowing that it is a foreign substance that my body cannot break down? No, I would not.

I remember quite a few years ago, discovering that vegetable soup was not necessarily vegetarian – it can be made using chicken stock. That was the beginning of questioning the contents of food for me, and clearly I still have a lot to learn. Is it just me, or does it seem insane that the food we eat is poisoning us? What a crazy world. So my suggestion is – keep it simple, make your own fruit tea, lose the packaging when you can, and keep asking questions. The small changes we make today ripple outwards to make a better world. Blessings.