A story from my anti-plastic crusade

For Lent this year, my congregations are focusing on living more simply, in terms of our space, purchasing decisions, time management, awareness of environmental impact, disposal habits, diet, etc. I'm super excited about it, because this is something near and dear to my heart, and I have thoroughly enjoyed an excuse to finally read all the books on the topic that I have wanted to read but haven't had time - but now I can call it work and Lent preparation. (Below I will include the list of resources I am providing for my congregation, so Kids - you can try this at home!)

One of the books I decided to read was Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too. I am three chapters in and already I am finding it at once shocking, exciting, distressing, and empowering. The first chapter outlines where this woman's journey started, and some of the things she has learned about the dangers of plastic to our health and the health of creation. Truly horrifying stuff, but presented in a way both appropriately serious and light-hearted enough to prevent me from feeling guilty and giving up. Each chapter thereafter focuses on the impact of specific categories of plastic (bags, bottles, etc.), what some people are already doing to eliminate

their use and offer reasonable replacements, activist organizations and movements around the nation you can get involved in, etc.

Now, plastic bags have long been something about which I quickly get on my high horse. I try not to be too judgmental about people's life choices, but I just don't see any benefit to anyone for using as many single-use plastic bags as we do. Did you know the average American family takes home 1500 bags in a year? Or that 12 million barrels of oils are used to produce the 100 billion plastic shopping bags we use a year? Or that the world uses about one million bags per minute?? (More shocking stats here.) And each one of these simply goes into a landfill, into the environment to litter it, or into

Albatross eats plastic; bird dies but plastic remains.

innocent and unsuspecting sea animals who mistake them for food. It is just so senseless. Using them to pick up dog poo? They make specific bags for that, and they are not that expensive and they are biodegradable. Using them to line your bathroom trash can? You don't actually have to do that at all, or if you must, you can use one bag to do that and instead of taking the whole bag out each time, just dump the can directly into the main garbage vessel. There is just no reason to use plastic bags.

Okay, sorry for that little diversion into High Horse City. Back to my point: By extension, I also just hate the amount of plastic that comes with our dry cleaning, and I feel much more powerless about this. We use 1-800-dryclean, which is an awesome service that is reasonably priced and comes to pick up and deliver clothes directly to your door. Yes, I know dry cleaning isn't good for the environment, either, but Michael wears suits and dress shirts for work, he uses the service to keep his expensive work clothes looking nice. Even though they usually put several items in each plastic sleeve, we still end up with so much blue plastic with each returned order. ICK. We had been wondering aloud together if there was anything we could do about that.

Well, as it turns out, my book had a suggestion. Here is a cotton bag that you can use to deliver your dry cleaning, and then it serves as an organic cover for their return in lieu of plastic. Huzzah! I was so excited, I sent the link to Michael, who forwarded it to Pete the dry cleaning guy to see if it was possible.

Pete wrote right back: "Funny you should mention it," he said. "Your timing is impeccable. Just this week, I was looking into an option like this. We would like to find a way to use less plastic, too." He asked if he could give us a call. Michael gave the phone to me and I chatted with Pete about where I found the link and why I was interested. He said he had been looking at another option, too, but this was a really good one as well. I said, "As a conscientious customer and citizen, I would find this option very appealing, and if you went this way, I would recommend you to all my friends." He said, "Well, we're not really in it for the money. I mean, of course there is a marketing and competition aspect to it, but we mostly are just interested in wasting less."

Then he said, "Can I ask you something? I'm not gonna try to sell you one, but can I just do some market research on you? How much would you be willing to pay for something like this?" I said,

"The Clothesnik, a 100% cotton garment bag made specifically
for those who love to dry clean but hate to pollute."

"My parents' grocery store in California has a program where you can buy a canvas bag for say, $2. Then every time you use one of their bags (not per trip, but per bag you use), you get 5¢ off. So in maybe a month's time, you've paid for your bag, and after that, you are saving money. I would be willing to do something like that here - pay an upfront cost, knowing that I would make that money back and then some the more I use it." He responded to that very enthusiastically. "What a great idea! You must work in marketing!" Nope, I said, laughing. I'm a pastor. I just want to give people an incentive to use less plastic. He said, "You must have gotten an entrepreneurial spirit from your parents, then." Nope, dad's a pastor too, and mom's a teacher! Well, whatever the case, he thought it was a great idea. And even with the small discount, they wouldn't lose anything because they would be saving the cost of the plastic. Everyone wins. He thanked me very much for my ideas and my time, I thanked him for caring and looking into it, and we said goodbye.

Honestly, I couldn't believe this conversation was even happening. Michael and I had just been talking about how as small as one person may seem, he or she can make a difference. I always joke at the store (not just the grocery store, but every store) when I pull out my own bags, "Saving the earth, one bag at a time." But just think - my one little idea in what Michael is calling my "anti-plastic crusade" inspired a guy at a huge dry-cleaning company in something he was already thinking about, and now my little idea (which I got from my parents' small town grocery store) could be implemented in such a way as to save hundreds and thousands of pounds of single-use plastic!

I am so buzzed about this. I don't know that I have ever felt quite so empowered as a citizen before. Things are so cool sometimes.

Resources to Help You Live More Simply:

WEBSITES:

Nourishing Minimalism (http://nourishingminimalism.com/)  - The goal of this Christian blog is to “help people clear the clutter, invite calmness into their homes and enjoy the time they spend together.”

The Story of Stuff Project (www.storyofstuff.org) - learn where your stuff comes from and where it goes in this series of clever, easy-to watch videos, and learn how to take action.

Project 333 (theproject333.com/about) - Could you live happily with only 33 items of clothing per season? Project 333 says yes, and you will feel freer than ever before. Tips on how to pare down your closet and live with fewer clothes.

Becoming Minimalist (www.becomingminimalist.com) - A family of four decided to live with fewer possessions and as a result found a better way to live a life centered on more important pursuits.

Giving it Away for Lent (https://www.facebook.com/groups/234176396671993/) - A Facebook group that offers resources and community in your effort to get rid of stuff you don’t need.

My Plastic-Free Life (myplasticfreelife.com) - One plastic addict’s effort to eliminate single-use plastic from her life. (See also Plastic-Free book below.)

BOOKS:

Sustaining Simplicity: A Journal by Anne Basye → Down-to-earth journal entries from someone trying to live more simply.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo → A categorical method of decluttering – keep only what “sparks joy” in your life.

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker  → What’s the payoff from living a deeply reduced like? It’s the discovery of a greatly increased God - a call toward Christ-like simplicity and generosity that transcends social experiment to become a radically better existence.

Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity by Pastor Adam Hamilton → Includes keys to experiencing contentment, overcoming fear, and discovering joy through simplicity and generosity. This book could change your life, by changing your relationship with money.

Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too by Beth Terry → A guide to giving up plastic, and why you should do it.

Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach → Daily essays on embodying an attitude of simplicity and abundance.

Satisfied: Discovering Contentment in a World of Consumption by Jeff Manion → A Christian look at seeking satisfaction.

Sabbath as Resistance: Saying NO to the Culture of NOW by Walter Brueggemann → Sabbath isn’t about keeping rules; it is about becoming a whole person.

Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller → We need not schedule an entire day each week. Sabbath time can be a Sabbath afternoon, a Sabbath hour, a Sabbath walk. (Poems, stories, and suggestions for practice)

Just a Little Bit More: The Culture of Excess and the Fate of the Common Good by (Lutheran pastor) T. Carlos Anderson → Is America’s religion Christianity, or consumerism?

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver → A family of four vows for a year to eat only food they grow themselves or can buy from their neighbors. Complete with expository essays and recipes. You are what you eat.