Diets have always been in the back of my head. I had done some but never succeeded in keeping up… After watching the documentary “A Plastic Ocean” I decided that it was time for me to start dieting again. This time I need to go on a Plastic Diet. I am committed doing my best to keep it up because I´m not only helping myself but the environment as well. Here are some facts for you to see what I am talking about:
– Plastic is the number one source of pollution in the ocean. It is harmful to the environment because it does not degrade; instead, it breaks down into smaller pieces called microplastic and they never disappear. It poses a significant health threat to the various creatures, and to the entire marine ecosystem.
– Over one million seabirds and one hundred thousand sea mammals are killed by ocean pollution each year. Three hundred thousand dolphins die each year as a result of becoming entangled in discarded fishing nets, among other items.
– Even though the trash and waste dumped into the ocean are released hundreds of miles away from land, it still washes up on beaches and coastal areas and affects everything in between.
– Plastic debris can absorb toxic chemicals from ocean pollution. Small animals at the bottom of food chain absorb the chemicals as part of their food. Then these are eaten by larger animals that again increases the concentration of chemicals. Animals at the top of the hierarchy of food chain have contamination levels millions of times higher than the water in which they live. Therefore people get contaminated by eating fish and seafood.
– There is an island full of garbage inside the Pacific Ocean: The North Pacific Gyre. This is the largest oceanic garbage site in the entire world. There, the number of floating plastic pieces outnumbers total marine life six to one.
The more I read about it, the more I got convinced to reducing my use of plastic. In my research, I found some bloggers that already promote a life without plastic. I am lucky enough to live in the same city as Nicky and Jessie; zero-waste bloggers from the blog ‘Het Zero Waste Project’. I visited Jessie in her zero-waste office to ask her for some tips. To my surprise, she in combination with her organization ‘Opgemärkt’, is hosting a plastic diet event during the whole month of July. They are going to give tips, host talks, and different kind of events where we can learn more about a low to zero waste lifestyle.
To prepare for the diet, Jessie gave me tips and showed me some products that I can get in order to get started. I have listed them out for you:
1. Bamboo toothbrush
This toothbrush is made out of bamboo and the brush is BPA-free. The package is made out of recycled cardboard. This brush is vegan, cruelty-free, and fairly produced. The price is €3,99.
2. Toothpaste
Dental tablets are meant to wash your teeth the same way toothpaste does. They are free of preservatives, aluminum, and micro-plastics. Available with and without fluoride. How to use it? Chew a tablet and wet your toothbrush well. Brush your teeth as usual. The 100 grams package has 300 pieces and it last around 3 months. The price is €12,95
3. Bread bag
This bag is made out of 100% organic cotton. The dimensions are 31 × 47 cm and it´s suitable to store any kind of bread (also good to freeze it). Price per piece: €5.95 or 3 for €16.95
4. Washable make-up pads
These pads are made of biological cotton with a GOTS certification (which means that this product is fairly made and the cultivation and production of the cotton are made without pesticides). The pads have two sides: a smooth side and a side with more structure to clean up your face better. These makeup pads are washable. The price for 5 pieces is €11,95 and it comes in a cotton bag that you can reuse as a laundry bag. 🙂
5. Reusable coffee cup
Every year, 100 billion coffee cups are thrown away. You can reduce that number by getting your own to-go coffee cup. Every time you buy coffee on-the-go you can kindly give your cup instead of the to-go ones. The cup is made out of bamboo and the lid is made out of non-toxic food-grade silicone. The price is €10,99
6. Menstrual cup
If you still don´t use it I encourage you to order one now! Read all about it and my experience with it HERE.
Follow Nicky and Jessie from ‘Het Zero Waste Project’ to get even more tips from their experienced zero waste lifestyle.
Are you brave enough to join me? Let me know in comments below,
With love
Alisson
Sustainable Fashion & Lifestyle Blog 
[…] 5. Bread in plastic Some supermarkets have paper bags where you can put the bread. Otherwise, you can get a cotton bag and bring it with you when you go grocery shopping. There are some unpacked loafs of bread that you can put in your cotton bag. I ordered mine here. […]
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