Parameters of the Experiment

A few readers might arrive at the doorstep of this blog wondering why, or even, why on earth? But I suspect most readers drawn to this site already have a pretty good handle on why, and what they want to know is how.

How, therefore, will be the focus of this blog for the next twelve months, as my partner-in-saving-the-world and I endeavor to live a life free, or very nearly free, of plastics in every form. I'll dip into why from time to time, but mostly I'll be writing about the practical challenges, inspirations, frustrations, workarounds and insights we have as we try to navigate daily life without modern life's most ubiquitous synthetic polymers.

On a recent road trip -- a kind of Mardi Gras to our long impending Lent -- we set out some parameters for our experiment:

1. We will trust each others' judgment; we don't have to call each other in the middle of the day to make agonizing mutual decisions about purchases. But we'll check in daily, or nearly daily, about our experiences and I will blog accordingly. I promise to quote Rick sounding funny and charming.

2. When we run into purchases that we consider truly necessary for which there exists no alternative, we will cringe and buy plastic, making those decisions on a case-by-case basis. (Example: Rick may very well need a new vehicle some time in the coming year. Vehicles contain vinyl, which is the root of all evil. But what are ya gonna do?)

3. We make an exception to the no-plastics rule for items of medical necessity, including vitamins and over-the-counter and prescription meds.

4. We make an exception for cat food. (No, cat food isn't made of plastic, except maybe the kind from China. Though bulk cat food exists, our four cats eat a prescription food from the vet -- see Rule # 3 -- that comes only in huge plastic bags.)

5. We each get one free pass per month. (We may have to further refine this parameter. I was thinking along the lines of cheese, but what if one of us wants to spend our free pass on, say, a Zeppelin?)

6. Without becoming profligates, we will cut ourselves slack while travelling, because we will have less control over our purchases and fewer options.

7. Our main aim is to avoid creating demand for the manufacture of new plastic items. If an alternative to plastic (such as glass) is not an option, we will look for second-hand versions of the items we seek.

8. We may end up spending silly amounts of time on this experiment, or burning up extra fossil fuels in our pursuit to be plastic-free, or otherwise using resources in ways that are not sensible. We are not going to worry about it. To try to be perfect is madness, and we are mentally ill enough as it is.