As many projects as I juggle, I don’t have much bandwidth to take on much else outside work and exercise. Yet, I know I can do better when it comes to aligning my life more sustainably. It’s so easy to sit back and watch images on TV, shake my head and think what a shame when I know that I’m not doing everything in my power to lower my carbon and plastic footprint.
It’s even more challenging now that I’m living with my parents, the octogenarian teenagers. Not to put too fine a point on it, but it’s very challenging to raise their concern for the health of the planet, even for the sake of their four grandkids. Mom is so enthusiastic about single-use plastic bags and is quite annoyed by my insistence to wash and reuse Ziplock storage bags.
I attended a virtual talk by author and environmental activist, Erica Cirino, who talked about the research behind her book, Thicker Than Water. I was so impressed by her experiences, especially her efforts to build a sustainable house by minimizing the amount of plastic it contained. Eventually, I ordered her book.
Was it the Devil, the Universe or Amazon fucking with me when that book about seeking solutions to the plastic crisis came bound in plastic?
Another effort I made was to eliminate single-use dryer sheets. Even though one can clean the dryer’s lint tray with a used dryer sheet, it still winds up in a landfill. A sustainable alternative? A pack of three woollen balls. The kit even came with a small container of frankincense and myrrh to spray on the balls, which provides a light scent of those wholesome oils. Even so, the small container is made of plastic. Once I find a recyclable container of essential oils, there’s always Mom.
One Saturday, I was in the middle of doing laundry when I left to attend a yoga class. Mom figured she’d help me out by taking out the bedspread from the dryer and placing the load from the washing machine into the dryer. According to her, there were only two balls in the dryer when she removed the bedspread.
Since my bedroom is across the hall from the laundry room, the third ball couldn’t have rolled too far. Nonetheless, I couldn’t find it. Mom’s solution: “Two work fine.”
After literally sleeping on it, I woke up, knowing what I had to do. I lifted the mattress to see the challenge from another perspective. The third ball was entangled in the dust ruffle.
Normally we eat leftovers, either warmed up in the microwave or the airfryer. We’d been using disposable airfryer liners. When we ran low on the liners, instead of buying a new pack of disposables, I found an alternative.
So far, everyone has used, washed and reused this silicone airfryer liner. At this point, I don’t even want to know the bad effects, if any. I’m taking the win until I can’t.
Unlike the the reusable straws.
Once Dad came home from rehab after his hip surgery, I bought a pack of metal straws to replace the disposable plastic straws. You would’ve thought I’d invited Satan to live with us. Mom hated them.
Now that Dad has caregiving services for 48 hours a week, I no longer bring him liquids on a regular basis. On the rare occasions that I bring him a drink, especially if I make him a mocktail, I use the metal straws. They’ve been relegated to special occasion straws rather than daily straws AKA drawer clutter.
I’ve been decluttering for decades. Don’t want to take a step back and fill my personal space with good intentions.