How much plastic do you use in one day? It is a tricky question and the harder you think about it, the harder it is to answer. The fact is that plastic permeates our physical lives on every level. It's in your toothbrush, television, trash bag, tupperware, and maybe even the t-shirt on your back. At first, going a day without using plastic sounds challenging, but not too difficult. And then you think again.

But, after all, we are only talking about ONE day without plastic. Can it be done? Sure. You can go a day without brushing your teeth or combing your hair, flipping on the TV, or even listening to CDs. It's not so hard to store leftovers in a ceramic dish. But that's not really a fair analysis, is it? Being able to ignore all the ways we use plastic for one day only exemplifies how difficult it would be to do it for even a few days. What about a week? A month?

Going without plastic is extremely difficult in today's marketplace. It plays a part in nearly everything we buy. Even organic foods are typically stored in plastic. Even your cereal is stored in a plastic bag that is in a paperboard box. Still, while eliminating plastic from your life may be impossible for now (plant-based, compostable packaging is on the rise), it is not difficult to significantly reduce our use of plastic products.

Packaging is the most common use for plastic, from grocery bags to milk jugs, and not all are recyclable. First off, try to purchase products that are packaged in containers that can be recycled in your area. Second, cut down on your use.

• Take reusable grocery bags to the store.
• Buy fresh fruits and vegetables loose (not shoved in plastic bags).
• Look up a local farm or co-op that may sell local produce by the crate.
• Phase out plastic plates, silverware, and cups.
• Reuse and/or recycle the plastic containers you already have.
• Practice canning rather than freezing as much as possible.

As for television, stereos, and other products, there's not much getting around the plastic in these, but they are not disposable items and we typically use them for as long as possible. Just dispose of them properly when the time comes.

Even for one day it is a challenge to go without using plastic. On a daily basis, it is nearly impossible for average person. But just as human perfection is impossible but still a goal worth striving for, so we can strive to be free of plastic. You most certainly can make a difference.

In fact, here is something worth imagining: We, as a global community, reduce our use of plastic and recycle what plastic we do use to the point that no NEW plastic need be made. That's right, nothing but an endless recycle cycle. It all starts with just one day.

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