When first reading about the plastics challenge opportunity I was extremely excited because I didn’t realize how literally “challenging” it would be. One day I was explaining to my roommate the requirements for this project. While doing so I realized that it was almost impossible to go a day without using plastics, because they have now become apart of our everyday lives. We need plastics to survive in the world that we now live in today. After reading various blogs that failed in not using plastics, I decided for my project I would jot down every time I used something plastic. I realized that in my lifestyle, it’s nearly impossible to spend a day not using plastics. I specifically picked this Sunday to do my project because I knew this was the only assignment I had, so I could use the least amount of plastic and could just sit around all day and watch TV. It’s like minimizing my “plastic footprint.” Even though I tried to create an environment that would limit my use of plastics, it didn’t turn out so well…
Fore note: All words bolded below:
-Has some sort of connection to plastic
- Are made by plastic
- Contains plastic
MORNING:
11:11- Woken up by a phone call.
11:12- Un-plugged my phone from the plastic phone charger
11:15- Walk across the carpet in my room (made by plastic) to get to the bathroom
11:16- Use the toilet
11:17- Brush my teeth with toothpaste and toothbrush
11:19- Use hairbrush
11:20- Wash my hands using soap dispenser
11:21- Dry my hands using a towel
11:22- Turn on TV using remote
11:23- Touch Fridge handle to get bagels out of freezer that are wrapped in plastic
11:24- Use toaster
11:25- Use plastic plate for bagel
11:26- Fill plastic cup up with water from our Britta water container
11:35- Change into clothes
AFTERNOON
11:45ish- 5:30ish- Watched TV show: How I Met Your Mother
Throughout the show I was:
- Had to open the DVD case to take out DVD
- Periodically touching my phone to check and respond to texts
- Periodically touch the remote
- Talk on the phone with my mother
- Touch the plastic containers that held the food I was snacking on
- Touched my computer to check email
5:30- Use remote to turn off TV
5:31- Use the toilet, soap dispenser, and towel again
5:35- Pack up my materials to bring to the library and put in my backpack
5:40- Put on winter boots
5:41- Put on winter coat and other accessories
NIGHT:
6:00ish- Arrive at college library and check phone
6:05-6:25- Use phone to talk to friend
6:25-12:00- use computer and phone while doing homework with a mechanical pencil. Use computer to turn in assignment
It was really annoying to have to write down every time I used plastic. I found myself doing different things throughout the day to avoid using plastic, so that I wouldn’t have to write it down. I am glad that I decided to do this project on a day that I wasn’t really busy. My usual day is much more active, which probably means that I use much more plastic. For example, I have days where I work, which is at a catering company. This means that we are constantly wrapping food in plastic all the time. We literally use pounds and pounds of plastic everyday, which is so disgusting. Even though I decided to do this project on a relaxing day for me, I probably missed writing down some things I used that are plastic, because I am accustomed to using them without even noting. Another reason that I could of neglected writing down the use of plastic is because I wasn’t sure if the product contained plastic. Plastic comes in so many different forms, a lot of times it’s disguised by different appearances.
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