Thank you for committing to this 30 Day Christian Green Living Challenge with us! Each day as we step through our journey, I’ll share the challenge for the day then, depending on your green goals, I will share resources where you can learn more, dig deeper into the topic, or challenge yourself even more. We will do the challenge once *live* together, but you can participate anytime by joining in on the comments below and by using the hashtag #ChristianGreenLiving. So, when you’re ready, let’s Go Christian Green!
So far, we’ve talked a lot about plastics and today we are going to focus on disposable, one-time-use plastics like plastic forks, spoons, plates, cups, lids and straws.
Most of us are already aware of the dangers of plastics to our health and the environment, but we continue to use plasticware at every turn — to stir and drink our coffee, to eat our organic salads, at almost every graduation party and backyard barbeque across America. Unless you never leave the house, it’s hard to avoid one-time-use plastics. —But we have to try.
Consider the amount of plasticware you and your family have personally used in your lifetime. Now multiply that by the number of families in your neighborhood. Your state. Your country. The world.
In her 2017 National Geographic article, environmental writer Laura Parker says, “If present trends continue, by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills. That amount is 35,000 times as heavy as the Empire State Building.”
Wow, that hurts! Especially when we realize that plastic can’t break down in landfills. The even more troubling news is that almost nothing can break down in a landfill, even organic or compostable materials because of the lack of oxygen. To learn more about landfills, click HERE.
To affect any real change to plastic pollution, we have to make serious lifestyle changes and encourage our friends, neighbors, employers, churches, and businesses we frequent to make changes too.
Today’s Day 9 Challenge:
How can we change our lifesytles to reduce the amount of one-time-use disposables? How do we avoid them, find sustainable alternatives and encourage others?
Pray
Let’s pray today for encouragement, vision and determination to seek solutions to plastic pollution to the best of our ablity. Ask God for guidance to affect change even if its only in the smallest of ways.
Act
Try to avoid all disposable one-time-use plasticware for one week. If you accidentially forget, recycle it, and then start again. If you are hosting a party or event soon, look for and plan alternatives. NOTE: Avoid “compostable” alternatives unless they are “backyard compostable,” or you have a commercial composting facility available in your area. (It may not be easy, but it is possible.)
Share
Is disposable plasticware a challenge for you or are you a eco-warrior? Share your stories of eco-friendly parties & events by commenting below and/or use the hashtag #ChristianGreenLiving.
Learn More~
- How to Throw an Eco-Friendly Party —Madeline Summerville/The Guardian
- Plastic Pollution Coalition — This is a very informative site with really great resources.
- SLO Active Plastic Pollution Guide — Great information and resources for how we can help.
- The Problem of Trash in Our Oceans — A very good article from Jennifer Hanzlick/Clutter Trucker
Click here to go to Day 10
Ready to pin? Thanks for sharing!
WOW! I use silverware on a regular basis BUT never thought about the times when we host those family gatherings or better yet picnics and summertime gatherings when it’s just “easier” to use those disposal plates and plasticware…..I definitely will be more conscience of this as summer approaches….Thanks for the Challenge Darlene! Happy Monday everyone!
Thanks for sharing Cheri! I agree parties and events can be a more challenging time to be green. The good news is that more and more options are becoming available to us, even affordable restaurant serviceware from Sams, GFS or Costco that we can use over and over again, but don’t take up too much room to store. I hope you’ll come back and share your successes with us & I hope your week is blessed!