One of five trash vortex's in the ocean

Plastic and oil

The list below I borrowed from Greenpeace.

10 Simple ways to use less oil

1- 1. Carpool, cycle or use public transport to go to work.

2- Use products packaged without plastic.

3- Buy organic fruits and vegetables (fertilisers and pesticides are based on oil more often than not).

4- Buy beauty products (shampoo, soap, make-up) based on natural ingredients, not oil.

5- Prefer locally produced products (less transport involved).

6- Buy clothes made out of organic cotton or hemp – not from oil derivatives.

7- Use non-disposable items wherever possible

8- Eat less animal products.

9- Fly less.

10- Be energy efficient at every opportunity

As we reach the end of the first month of PFL I have realized that our food is certainly wrapped in plastic. Shopping at organic stores is no exception to this rule of selling food. Thankyou to OrganicNZ magazine who dont send their magazine wrapped in plastic. I emailed the editor who also told me they dont gloss their pages in plastic either. Some of my favourite products such as aloevera juice, flaky seasalt, blueberries and coffee beans do however use  plastic containers. So this week I have started writing letters to my favourite companies to ask what the other options might be? Also our dog/cat food at the butchers. Please can you tell me when those awful black plastic bases became the norm?!!!! We have asked 3 butchers if they will wrap the offal in paper. None have said yes. Its awkward for them and I do understand why they said no. So our rubbish the last two weeks is full of (un)gladwrap and styrofoam meat plates. Luckily all this does is to enthusiastically encourage me to find a solution. Surely moves by London cities mayor and other communities to remove plastic bags is just the tip of the iceberg. Because what we put in the shopping bags is generally more plastic.