My Relationship With Plastic is Complicated

I think it’s time for us to break up.

I seriously considered breaking up with Trader Joe’s the other day. I’m grateful that they’re taking steps toward change, but my favorite grocery store has that one red flag I’ve been trying to paint green (pun intended) for nearly 15 years. They still contract with companies that package produce and other products in plastic.

They’ve made progress. And yes, I’ll probably still shop there for other things that aren’t an non-recyclable mess. I’ll soon have a garden and won’t need to shop for much produce.

There’s some hope. The article below states that they’ve recently reduced their prices. Less packaging means lower cost. It’s a step in the right direction, for our environment and our wallets.

But I recognize how long it’s taken for them to get fully on board the earth-friendly train. Plastic wrap has no place there. It’s incongruent with all the other great things they provide. TJs needs to stand in their truth and take some drastic action.

I decided to conduct an experiment.

I vowed to buy nothing packaged in plastic or anything in a plastic container next time I shopped for groceries.

I considered our downtown farmer’s market. I knew there would be some wonderful, fresh and local foods there, some for a reasonable price. I opted out due to time and crowds on a busy Saturday morning.

Farmer’s market trips usually turn into an event. I see people I know and it’s social hour. I didn’t have energy for that. Next week I’ll give it a try. I crave the community vibe and appreciate supporting local farmers.

I started with Trader Joe’s.

It’s the friendliest and most affordable place to shop. And it’s home. I worked there for a couple of months, many moons ago. I have friends there. So I keep coming back.

I grew up in the quaint little beach town of Carpinteria, just 12 miles south of Santa Barbara. It’s aesthetically beautiful, but unsustainable for my family. Cost of living has soared beyond any reasonable means for us and countless others. We’re visiting before we move to Albuquerque, where we’ll have stunning views and can afford the rent.

That’s one big reason to shop at Trader Joe’s. It’s the least expensive grocery store in town.

I opted out of some things on the list. I wanted to do this thing right. I planned on finding paper wrapped alternatives elsewhere.

Next was Lazy Acres.

Their prices appeared higher than past experience, especially in the deli.

Lazy Acres is a locally owned specialty grocery store in Santa Barbara, CA, catering to health conscious folks. Despite some of their overpriced stuff, I’ve been known to get some deals there. My kimchi was the same as Natural Grocers at $7.99.

I noticed some conventional strawberries were in a cardboard box. They were actually a good price, at $2.99 for about 6 Oz. But I shop organic as much as possible. So I bypassed those, to find that ALL the organic berries are in plastic containers. I was astonished.

It’s disheartening on a few levels. I’m low-income, food stamps already spent, want to be healthy and eco-conscious.

See why some folks just go for the conventional produce? Or cheaper organic packaged in plastic? We have to pick either/or, not both.

Other foods were cost prohibitive, like dairy cheese and meat at $12.99/LB. Vegan cheeses were an overwhelming $7.99 for 7 Oz.

Mejool dates were $3.85 for .38 LB, which was only 9 dates. Oh my. I decided to splurge. I guess I’d better eat and enjoy them all, and slowly.

To avoid plastic tubs, I paid $2.99 for 1/2 LB of mushrooms (4 large ones). As a note, they didn’t taste fresh.

I paid 2.49 for one sweet potato. I can get a 5 LB bag for under $5 at TJs. Oh my word.

Next stop was Whole Foods, not-so-affectionately renamed “Whole Paycheck” by some.

It’s also owned by Amazon. I have mixed feelings about that. I usually only get my Yerba maté there now, but I intended on checking produce this time.

I didn’t buy any plastic, but I spent $23.34 on only a few items. Trader Joe’s used to have yerba maté for $4.99/33-count, but discontinued it about a year ago due to low sales.

See how that works? The more people buy something, the more available it will be. That’s purchasing power in our hands. If I had known sooner, I would have told all my friends and neighbors to buy that yerba. Incidentally, they partnered with Guyaki, who sells it in 75-count packages at Whole Foods for $14.99.

My yerba maté package is apparently made from renewable wood pulp. That’s fascinating, as it appears to be metallic plastic. I intend on using loose leaf teas in a press pot when we land in Albuquerque. But for now, I’m ok with the tea I purchased. Guyaki deals in fair trade and has sustainable practices, the whole bit. I want them to take my dollars. And I love yerba maté. Could you guess?

Final thoughts

This is me on a weekend, without kids, at my parents’ house in my hometown. I have some extra money because I’m not paying rent.

Can you imagine me alone, as a low-income single parent of two small children, driving all over town for what I think I need? I’ve tried it and it’s not healthy or efficient for any of us.

It’s time to re-evaluate.

Our lifestyle needs to change, and I’m determined to make it happen. I can’t wait to get my hands in the soil and start gardening.

It took me and hour and a half to get to 3 different stores and I didn’t buy all I intended.

After all my best intentions, I returned to Trader Joe’s the next day and bought plastic-wrapped food. Ideally, I won’t use unnecessary plastic containers or packages in the future. At least all that you see here is recyclable in CA.

I reflected on Saturday’s experiment. I spent a collective $64 at three different stores I had to drive to, using fossil fuel. I’m currently on a limited budget. The turkey slices I bought at TJs are $4 cheaper per LB than other places.

It’s just not realistic to spend that much time and money to avoid plastic. I considered my food choices again. What am I willing to give up? I’m not sure yet. But I need to do something. The most obvious one is the package of strawberries my kids begged me to buy. Next time I’ll get them at a local food cart or next week’s farmer’s market. I’m not powerless, but I do feel frustrated by lack of choices in such a choice-driven culture.

I’m heartbroken. I don’t want to contribute to making more plastic. But I need to efficiently access our food.

I’m lucky enough to have some privilege.

What about families living in food deserts with limited choices? What about people who have even less money and resources than I do? If they have to work full time, when can they tend to a garden or run all over town to shop? Not everyone has a farmer’s market.

Those of us who do have choices need to step up. I’m one of those people. I may have some limits, but I do hold some consumer power and intend to use it.

I see a country that’s unsupportive of the change we need. I notice our stuck places. I want to get unstuck.

I still believe consumers hold power. The less plastic we buy, the more likely they’ll stop offering it. For now, I’ll need to do the best I can and be gentle with myself.

I’ve reduced plastic in other ways. I no longer buy plastic bags. The ones I have are repurposed (from Trader Joe’s foods, of course) or reused from a purchase a while ago. I switched to cloth bags and food pouches years ago. I use mesh produce bags, as featured in my photos. We only use metal water bottles. I use silicone pouches and beeswax wraps. I reuse jars for all kinds of leftovers.

Now I’m ready to take it to the next level. Will you join me?

Support local farmers. Buy less plastic. Grow your own food. Forage and food share with neighbors and friends. Join a CSA.

Speak up. Take action.

Be the change.

Check out my personal blog at gratefulx365.wordpress.com