Plastic-Free February Challenge: Day 1

We interrupt this “Top 10″ on your t-shirt to bring you news that I have just accepted the Rodale “Plastic-Free February” challenge.  This is going to be really tough.  Before I even get this thing going, I realized that the computer I am using to write this was made using plastics.  Ugh!  Well, assuming my computer can make it through the month, I should still be OK, right?

The ground rules are:

1. No buying or acquiring new plastic.

2. No cooking with plastic or storing food in plastic.

3. Minimize all other plastic use.

So here we go.  I am sitting at a great fair trade, organic, locally-owned coffee shop and as is true for all the shops I know, the lids supplied along with the cups to go are made of plastic.  Luckily, I brought along my own ceramic mug this morning.  And low and behold, so did the guy at the next table!  This has never happened.  Someone else brought their own coffee cup.  In fact, I was beginning to worry that I was going to become known as the “mug lady”, which would add to the title my 16-year old son is threatening me with of the “bird lady”.  Now really, is it that strange to fill a bird feeder and then watch who shows up?!

But I digress.  I’m taking this challenge seriously.  And although I think plastic in some applications is probably the right thing to do (I can hear the boo’s heading my way), I’m going to follow the rules and keep a list of all the plastic I encounter and avoid every day this month.  It’s not leap year, is it?  Thank goodness.  I think 28 days is tough enough.  I’m dreading the fact that my cling wrap and food storage bags are off limits.  Fortunately, rule number 3 is going to allow me to get on a plane later this month with my 1 quart “ziplock” bag of toiletries.

OK, so tomorrow I’ll have my first list of plastic tempters, traps, and with any luck, triumphs!  Until then, have a great plastic-free day.