7 ways to reduce your plastic footprint

Like everything else in my life, I always seem to be the last to know about local, national, and global efforts to help the planet (because, let’s face it, hard as I try, there’s just too much happening in my own little world to keep up with everything that’s going on outside of it). So naturally, it would take me until July 27th, a mere four days before the month is over, to discover the #PlasticFreeJuly initiative. But hey, better late than never, isn’t that how the saying goes? Words to live by (and trust me, I do).

Ironically enough, I actually started this post some time ago, and, like so many other things in my life half-started and quickly abandoned, I never actually got around to polishing it up and publishing it. But now that I’m (seemingly) on a writing kick, let’s keep the momentum going and get this out into the world in a timely-enough manner to still qualify pushing it on social media with the appropriate hashtags.

Because, these days, it isn’t enough just to recycle (although keep doing that as a last resort to the below tips). As some of us already know, just because something is plastic, doesn’t mean it’s recyclable. Some products can only be recycled at specific facilities, which may not be available in your area. Others may be too small or the wrong type of plastic to recycle to begin with. And just because you toss something into the recycling bin doesn’t mean that it actually ends up getting recycled. It has to first make it to a recycling facility, avoid cross-contamination with something unrecyclable (like plastic bags, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP TRYING TO RECYCLE PLASTIC BAGS), and then the heap of recycled whatever it was has to be purchased by someone willing and able to actually reuse and repurpose it. It’s quite a process (there’s a reason why “recycle” is last on the list of “reduce, reuse, recycle”). So let’s focus on how to avoid those single-use plastics in the first place, shall we?

1. Shop with reusable bags only. Refuse plastic bags at the grocery store and instead opt to buy sustainable bags you can reuse over and over (and then, of course, don’t forget to always have them with you whenever you go out). And before you ask, depending on the material, you can (and SHOULD) wash them accordingly to keep them germ-free, making them perfect for even the most germophobic shoppers. When out clothes shopping, take a foldaway tote that you can fill with your purchases. If you do nothing else on this list, do this one thing. It’s the most critical because plastic bags contribute to such a large amount of plastic waste, and more importantly they cannot be recycled the way other plastics are. Remember? I already said that (see above). In fact, they actually gum up the machines meant to recycle other types of plastic, and if they do slip through and make it into the giant cube of recycled waste, they render the whole lot useless. This means no companies are going to buy the recycled mass and it all goes to waste, right back to the landfills. While you CAN *reuse* plastic bags (I sometimes use them in our bathroom waste baskets when they somehow mysteriously appear at my house, usually because my husband did the shopping) they still eventually end up in landfills. And while you CAN “recycle” them back to grocery stores like Publix, there’s no guarantee they don’t end up in landfills anyway. So just don’t do it. The reusable ones are usually $1 so stop being cheap and help save the planet.
   
   
2. Use reusable mesh produce bags. Another easy way to cut down on some serious plastic waste is to purchase reusable mesh produce bags. I got this set of 9 bags for $13 off Amazon two years ago (don’t get me started on the problems with Amazon, I know, that’s not what this post is about), have washed them several times, and they’ve held up nicely. Like I said, you can wash these, too, which you should do often because, germs. Don’t forget that you still have to separate produce by bag just like you would if you were using the single use bags. Cashiers will thank you (I literally had one thank me two days ago for not putting everything in one bag like something other jerk shopper had done to her) and so will the planet. Easy peasy lemon-in-your-reusable-bag squeezy.
   
   
3. Only use paper or aluminum straws. Refuse plastic straws at restaurants, bring your own reusable straw or forgo the straw altogether. Either way, the sea turtles will thank you.
   
   
4. Use Tupperware or silicon bags instead of plastic baggies. I really can’t think of any food that wouldn’t store nicely in a Tupperware or silicon bag. I got mine from (you guessed it) Amazon, and have had success storing everything except chips (they get a bit crushed, so use Tupperware instead) and soup. Although the company I purchased from claims you can store soup in your silicon bags. Never bothered to test their guarantee, so somebody else do so and report back. In the long run, doing this will likely save you money since you aren’t endlessly refilling your supply of sandwich baggies and Ziplocs. The ocean and your bank account will approve.
   
   
5. Take advantage of water filters, reusable bottles, and water fill stations. With the craze of the Hydro Flask still holding strong, and many public places installing filtered water fill stations, it just makes sense to purchase a sturdy reusable water bottle to fill and refill when on the go. I bought my husband and I a few knock-off versions from TJ Maxx for under $15 each, those bigger ones that should get me through most, if not the whole day without a refill. They’re great when I’m at work, at the beach, out on the river, taking a hike, or driving around running errands (this one especially, since it keeps your beverage hot/cold so it doesn’t get gross sitting in the car baking in the sun all day while I’m inside the store). And while we’re talking about ways to use less plastic for drinking, install a filter at home or make use of water refill stations. We buy the 89 cent gallon water jugs at Publix and refill 5 for $1 at the Watermill Express station near our house, washing and reusing the same gallon jugs over and over until I feel like they’re probably starting to break down into micro-plastics and poison us, in which case I finally recycle those five jugs, replace them, and start the reusing process over (I’m sure there’s a better way, this is just our way to make a dent at not consuming as many single-use plastic bottles).
   
   
6. Explore products made from sustainable plastic-free materials. Up until a few years ago, I never would have guessed bamboo was used to replace so many plastic products. But there are sooo many products being made from bamboo now (just type ‘bamboo’ in your Amazon search bar- sorry, not sorry- and see how many auto-fill suggestions it gives) and a lot of them are relatively easy to make the switch to. My favorite is using a bamboo toothbrush (haven’t yet convinced my husband, but maybe one day). I got a 5-pack from Marshall’s, but there are tons in other stores and online, too. I like something like this one with charcoal properties for an extra kick of goodness. Compared to plastic, bamboo is better in so many ways; namely, it’s biodegradable, and, because it grows much faster than other trees, it’s easily sustainable. Plus everything just looks cuter when it’s made from bamboo, so you can help the planet and be fashionable at the same time. Other materials, like glass, are a good alternative to all the one-and-done plastics out there. And while I haven’t yet had a chance to try their products myself, companies like Grove Collaborative do a bang-up job of aggregating plastic-free products in one easy-to-maneuver location for all of your plastic-alternative needs.
   
   
7. For products that come in plastic, buy in bulk. This is a great one for all you Sam’s Club, BJ’s, Costco, etc. people out there. Being that it’s just the two of us, I can’t justify having a membership to any of these places, but even when shopping at the “regular” grocery stores, I always buy paper products (like toilet paper and paper towels) in the largest sizes available to avoid having to buy more often and go through more of that dreaded plastic shrink wrap. It’s so easy you don’t even have to think about it much.
   

Of course this list is not exhaustive, but just a good jumping-off point for those of you looking to make a change and do better but maybe not knowing where to start. And I know some of you will say “yeah this sounds great in theory but I can’t fit this into my lifestyle.” Then start with ONE thing. If every single person reading this eliminated just one way they consume plastic, think about how much plastic waste we could reduce! It’s only possible if we ALL contribute, in some way, even small, seemingly meaningless ones. It probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to refuse straws when you go out or use Tupperware instead of plastic baggies for your lunches. But to the rest of the planet, the animals and fish we are killing and the habitats and clean water we are polluting, it could mean the difference between life and death. And we can’t expect to fix a problem if we all aren’t willing to start somewhere and try.

Book clubs make reading (more) fun

This summer, I reached out to my local Tarpon Springs community on Facebook, desperately searching for an adult book club I could join. Having facilitated one among my middle school students the last few years, I was eager to branch out and try my skills at a book club aimed at adult novels for adult readers. Unfortunately, a book club didn’t seem to exist in my town (or at least, exist anymore, the most recent one being dismantled in 2018) but everyone seemed to have a great interest in joining and being apart of one! So the teacher in me decided that, while I hadn’t exactly planned to start the club myself, it seemed I would have to do just that. So while I gathered attention from my neighbors and painstakingly obsessed over every little detail, including (and most importantly) the title of our club (Books & Banter, catchy, right?), I hoped I wasn’t making a big mistake by putting myself in charge of a group of adults when that’s basically my worst nightmare. A classroom full of kids? Any day. A group of adults who probably know more than I do and are silently judging me the entire time I’m speaking? Nope. But I’ve been trying this new thing where I push myself outside of my comfort zone, and I’d already created the Facebook group, sooooo there was really no going back.

After everyone submitted their suggested title for the first book (I snuck in The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter, since it had been sitting unread on my bookshelf for far too long), I waited for the votes to come in. After giving everyone ample time to cast their votes, it would seem that, while 95% of the list consisted of the dreaded historical fiction, my book, my little ol’ mystery/thriller that seemed to be the least requested genre, came in at the top. And so it seemed we would be reading The Good Daughter!

This was my first Karin Slaughter novel. This book got right into the action from the first page and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end! I enjoyed putting together the pieces, and there were even a few twists thrown in that I didn’t see coming, which is always appreciated (of course, only when the twists are relevant to the story, and not just haphazardly tossed in like some authors do). The way the author blends the characters’ past trauma with the mystery of the present crime was seamless, making connections where I wouldn’t have guessed there would be any. The main characters are well-developed, and each have their own quirks and traits that made them unique. I especially liked Rusty’s character, and could get a great visual of him (I pictured a lanky, Dallas Buyers Club version of Matthew McConaughey). It was also clear the author had some prior knowledge or conducted research to accurately portray the courtroom scenes and jargon, which I appreciated, as it added to the realistic nature of the plot.

There are some graphic scenes and topics in this novel (murder, assault, etc.), which could potentially upset anyone with similar experiences as the characters. And for anyone who doesn’t like reading long chapters with few to no scene breaks, be prepared for just that. I found it difficult to sit and read the long chapters, especially when there was no good stopping point, so I did struggle to make enough time to sit and read at least one chapter all the way through at a time. If I could change one thing about the novel, it would be shorter chapters! Other than that, the book was well-written overall, with an interesting plot, interesting characters, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars!

The OG, original 13 “founding” members who attended the first (of many) Books & Banter meetings! We drank wine & talked books!

While I spend a majority of my time reading young adult/teen fiction (both for classroom use and to keep up-to-date on authors within the genre I write, and also I just really like them), I tend to gravitate towards the mystery/thriller/horror genre when it comes to books for adults, so it was no surprise that this one fit right in with other favorites of mine such as The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us, and Home Before Dark. But everyone in my book club seemed to also enjoy it just as much as I did, and from what I gathered from that first meeting (in addition to the initial questionnaire), everyone has vast tastes in books, mostly ranging from historical fiction to nonfiction with a bit of thriller and romance thrown in for good measure. So while this is a great novel for those who love a good mystery/thriller, it seems it’s also perfect for anyone who’s willing to give the genre a chance. For those who’ve already read The Good Daughter, what did you think?

For our next book, we’ll be reading Where the Crawdads Sing and, while the main genre that comes up when I searched the book on GoodReads was that dreaded historical fiction, the second genre that came up was mystery. So maybe this will be the perfect blend of what I like and what I’m used to, and what I probably need to just get over and give a chance (although I will say I’ve already branched out with hist. fict. in my student book club, and was surprisingly pleased to enjoy some of those middle grade reads, including all-time fave Refugee). Anyone who has read Crawdads, please give me hope that I will make it through, even though it’s supposedly historical fiction, hah! And while you write me up a reassuring comment, I’m going to go get started on next month’s reading.

Saying farewell to vacation is always bittersweet

Today was our last day in London. Somehow a trip that seemed so far away snuck up so quickly, and once it was upon me, it came and went so fast. I’m still shocked we’re leaving tomorrow. I’m actually still in shock that I’m really even here after ten years have gone by since I called this place my home for four months. It’s crazy to think I lived in London longer than I lived in Los Angeles.

Despite the bittersweet feelings, we made the best of our last day here. The morning started off with a tour of The Globe Theatre. Though I toured it last time I was here, this time around felt more informative. Plus, with my love of Shakespeare, you can never tour the Globe too many times. My only regret is not having seen a play at the iconic theatre. Romeo & Juliet was currently showing, but the only tickets available were standing room only and as much as I’d love to see one of the playwright’s notorious works acted out for me how he intended them, I just couldn’t fathom standing for an hour and a half, with no roof over my head, in the cold, with the chance of being rained on. Guess I have a reason to come back.

After our guided tour, we hit Borough Market for some nourishment. I managed to find several gluten-free options, enjoying a tasty Indian dish for lunch and buying a gluten- and dairy-free cupcake for dessert (which I ate after dinner and was delicious), as well as a gluten- and dairy-free blueberry muffin to enjoy on my way to the airport tomorrow. Once we’d satiated our palates at the market, we headed back to Covent Garden to return to the Alice Through the Looking Glass bookstore that I’d tried to go to on Thursday while my friends were on their tea bus tour. It was open this time, and it was glorious. They had so many rare editions of Alice in Wonderland, as well as some great prints and posters with illustrations from the book (which of course I had to buy).

As we headed back to our hotel for a quick rest, we passed through Trafalgar Square, which was supposed to be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day festival but instead seemed to be the spot of some sort of protest about Turkey. Not exactly what we had expected, so we high-tailed it out of there, through St. James’ Park and back to our hotel for a quick break before hitting Oxford Street shops one last time. We ended the night with a good meal at Timmy Green.

I’d say it was, overall, a good last day, a final farewell to this city that captured my heart all those years ago. This whole week, I haven’t really felt that overwhelming excitement you get when you go to a new place for the first time, but that’s probably because, in some ways, it’s felt like coming home to be back here. After all, I did get to know this city very well in the 16 weeks I lived here. It’s been ten years, but in some ways, it feels like I never left, like I just slipped right back into my old life here. I’ll forever cherish my memories, old and new, that this city has given me. It’s been real, London. Until next time, xoxo.

Sue doesn’t sell sea shells by the seashore but she does sell fish and chips

Today was quite possibly the worst beach day ever in recorded history, yet we decided to go to the beach.

Brighton has been on my list of sights to see since the last time we were here ten years ago. It would have been much better to visit it the last time around, when we had four months and plenty of nice, warmish, sunny weather in which to enjoy the seaside, but it never happened last time. So I was determined to make it happen this time.

The train from Victoria to Brighton was fairly quick and easy; at about an hour or so, with 2-7 stops (depending on which train you get), we arrived in the not-so-tiny seaside town shortly after noon. Without really knowing where anything was or what direction we needed to go, we followed our spidey senses and headed down the road towards what we assumed was the beach.

The weather was total garbage, basically as bad as it could possibly get when you’re trying to meander along the shore. Cold and rainy, with blustering winds up to 40 MPH at times, it wasn’t the scenic walk down the pier that I’d hoped for, but we prevailed and were still able to at least venture out onto Brighton Palace Pier and through the arcade to the end, where it seemed certain boardwalk rides were actually still operating (I guess the Brits don’t care as much about crappy weather, since it’s basically the norm here). I also can’t say I would ever enjoy “going to the beach” in England (if that’s even a thing they do), because the beach is just a bunch of stones and rocks, very unlike the fine, sandy beaches I’m used to in Florida.

After a brief tour of the beach & pier, we stopped off at All Bar One (which come to find out, is a chain here) for some lunch. I enjoyed a tasty vegan burger sans bun and a piping hot cup of tea. Just what I needed to cure my shivers after the excursion by the water.

The last item on our agenda was to visit the Royal Pavilion, which served as a seaside retreat for Prince George of Wales in the 1800s. Though you weren’t allowed to photograph the inside, it was very cool to walk around in and view the ornate details of the palace and learn a bit about its history. Once we’d gotten our fill of the palace, it was time to head back to the train station and make our way back to London, where I was extremely grateful for the “improvement” in the weather (which really just meant less wind and a degree or two more increase in temp). Do I wish the weather had been better for our jaunt to the seaside? Of course. But maybe that just means I’ll have to revisit Brighton again someday.

Ten years is a long time but not long enough to forget all the good times you’ve had in a place

Today was a particularly nostalgic day in London. After my friends enjoyed an afternoon tea bus tour (which I opted out of last minute because, who am I kidding, we all know buses make me want to vomit), we met back up at our old stomping grounds: Kensington. Normally, a college student wouldn’t be able to afford to live in the ritzy, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, but due to our dorm’s location, we had the privilege of calling it our home for four months.

So naturally, we had to pay a visit to the mediocre college that brought us all together ten years ago and say a quick thank you for all the memories it bestowed upon us.

Our journey first called for a returning trip to our tube stop, Gloucester Road. Upon arriving, and even after coming up to street level, I still didn’t feel like we were back. But the minute The Gloucester Arms pub came into view, it all came rushing back. We stopped in for a pint, recalling all the times we’d pop in for a drink before heading out for the night, or all the nights we just decided to grab one on our way back to the dorms, too tired to go anywhere or do anything else.

I reminded everyone of one particular noteworthy night, when four of us were in for a drink and gained some young admirers, boys who slipped me their number as the rest of my group waited at the bar for more drinks. Yes, we texted them. Yes, they invited us to another bar nearby. Yes, one of my friends and I decided to go, even though it was clearly not the best idea. Yes, the boys made a comment about how they were “definitely at least 18.” Yes, it was after that comment that we were ready to call it a night. It was one of many ridiculous stories we hold in our memories, one of the numerous ones that made our study abroad trip what it was. It’s part of the reason this trip back after all these years is so meaningful. Recounting all the “remember when’s” and reminding each other of times almost forgotten has been part of what has made this return trip to London so much fun. It was a big deal that I spent four months of my 19th year of my life living in this amazing city. But I digress.

After we enjoyed a beverage at “our” pub, we made the short walk down the street to our old dorm building. It looked exactly the same as I remember it ten years ago. We even paid homage to the terrible trash compactor (whose location seemed to have been moved, perhaps as a result of us throwing a bunch of crap out of our windows at it the last night we were there in revenge for waking us up so many early mornings all semester?), the trash compactor who interrupted so much of our sleep on a regular, 6am basis. Really, why must the trash be compacted at such an early hour? Again I digress.

It was bizarre seeing the school again but not entering as students. So much of our time was spent in that dorm, preparing for nights out on the town, planning long weekends away to visit other countries, pretending to study. It was a special feeling to go back, almost a way to get closure, because I truly don’t know if I’ll ever be back to this wonderful city again. I’d like to hope so, but with so much of the world left to see, I just don’t know that it’s likely.

So in a way, it was good to go back. To say thank you. To reminisce. To say goodbye.

We only have a few short days left until it’s back to the good ole USA, but I intend to make the most of it. Let’s just hope the weather and my stubborn body cooperate for the remainder of the trip!