Admittedly I have purchased so much more in plastic, and it’s not all by choice. I have always tried to be as transparent as possible when it comes to purchases I make. While I am not plastic-free, I strive to have as low-waste a life as possible. Unfortunately the package-free strides we were making have gone by the wayside since the pandemic. In all honesty, if dealing with more plastic waste, and waste in general, means that it might lessen the spread, then I’m all for it.

This pandemic has really made me think of some things that I had previously given little to no thought before. For instance, if you have food sensitivities or allergies, it can be safe to buy prepackaged food than to buy from bulk sections. I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve seen people with severe sensitivities, in the bulk section, rest their bulk bags ON THE FOOD (not the lid of the container, which you should also avoid)! There are so many things wrong in doing that. If bulk sections are accepting personal jars/bags, I recommend getting a funnel so the scoop/tongs never touch your items brought from home. You could also get a Terracycle box or pouch. Some programs are free, and some aren’t, but Terracycle breaks down packaging so the raw materials can be used again.

When you make purchases online, many of the items have plastic in their packaging or there is plastic as cushioning. My fiancé uses plastic cushioning because of how breakable the items are. That being said, we are looking for a cost-effective alternative. My suggestion for any plastic cushioning is to reuse it. The next time you ship off a care package, or need filler space for a gift, use it. I have done that. I’ve also wrapped gifts in newspaper and magazine pages. If your item is wrapped in plastic, and there is a plastic-free option for the company to choose, write to them. It may be a bit of an annoyance, but hopefully by reaching out, it gets their attention. Don’t get discouraged. This, too, shall pass.

In short, there are things that we can do to deal with plastic waste in the time of quarantine:

• Reuse or repurpose plastic when possible.
• Recycle, if it is possible in your area.
• Reach out to companies and suggest better packaging.
• Deal with it because right now we don’t have many options, and like I’ve been saying, that is okay!

Peace & Love, always!