There’s no avoiding it. The plastic that we’ve taken for granted, used without consideration, and in many ways become reliant upon, is slowly destroying this beautiful earth. The recent BBC series, Blue Planet, helped to bring the issue to public attention. I found it heartbreaking watching animals suffering so greatly because of our throwaway culture, in parts of the world that shouldn’t even be touched by human consumption. There’s no avoiding the issue, and it often feels like there’s no avoiding the plastic.

I began taking steps to reduce my use of plastic a few years ago, initially for health reasons and as part of a general effort to simplify my life. I started to notice more and more just how much we tend to consume and throw away, and I gradually made changes to reduce my personal consumption. I can hardly claim to live a ‘zero-waste’ lifestyle (there are people out there who can fit a whole year’s worth of rubbish in a small jar!), but I have drastically reduced my waste, particularly of single-use plastics, and I continue to make changes.

I get a range of reactions to what I do. Someone recently said I was being ‘trendy’ when I commented on the unnecessary use of a plastic bag. I think some people think I do it to save money, whilst others think it’s a more expensive way to live. I’m sure some people find it boring when I start talking about plastic and rubbish, but I can’t help but smile when I notice people coming in and out of my home, taking ideas away with them.

I was delighted to find an article on reducing plastic in my local parish magazine. Whilst I believe every individual effort counts, imagine how much further we can go within a whole community? Earth. Food. Love opened in Totnes, Devon last year. It is a grocery shop that only stocks ethical, packaging-free products, asking customers to bring their own containers. Penzance in Cornwall has officially been granted the status of a ‘plastic-free community’, whereby businesses and groups have pledged to reduce their plastic use. Other shops and towns have followed these examples. Can Thaxted, my local community, become plastic-free? That was the question asked in the parish magazine. We have a high street of independent businesses and some have already chosen to charge for bags or use paper wrapping. Vintage Style Living sells beautiful canvas bags with iconic images of Thaxted and we have a local market where a lot of fresh produce can be purchased packaging-free. I’m sure we can do more and I’d love to see a community effort.

You may wonder where this issue fits on a blog that’s predominately about mindfulness, but how can we be consciously connected without acknowledging it? As you cultivate a mindfulness practice and develop awareness and compassion towards yourself, so too develops awareness and compassion towards others, including the world we live in. It feels part of being in touch with life, of being aware that actions have consequences, of taking ownership and responsibility, and of aligning how we live with the values we hold deep.

Here are some of the things I do to reduce my personal use of plastic. I would love to hear your ideas too.

– Take a reusable bottle, cup and bag when going out
– Use stainless steel drinking straws
– Re-use glass jars for food storage
–  Cover food in the fridge with a plate, rather than cling-film
– Shop packaging-free at the local market
– Have a vegetable box delivered
– Cook from scratch when possible
– Make toiletries and cleaning products in reusable containers
– Use soap bars instead of liquid soap
– Line household waste bins with bags made from newspaper
– Re-use packaging, wrapping paper etc.
– Buy products packaged in card or glass when possible
– Make cards and other crafts from repurposed items
– Buy second hand