Confession

I think it's worth pointing out that this exploration actually started out as something more like a challenge. I had the idea that I would try to eliminate all food waste, including packaging that couldn't be composted or recycled. I quickly realized, however, that trying to do so was going to be much more difficult than I realized and in some ways a violation of common sense. For example, my boyfriend makes his own granola with oats, nuts, and dried fruit. The dried fruit and nuts came in plastic packaging that couldn't be recycled. Yet we no longer buy packaged cereals because of this. Surely, our less "industrial" cereal should count for something?

A pasta dinner was another concern. Should I not eat the pasta since it was packaged in non-recyclable plastic? It started to dawn on me that I might have to go out and purchase all new foods just to get "acceptable" packaging. In some ways, it was too late to take back the decisions we had made regarding packaging. The food was already in the house, the landfill was going to be that much bigger. So I loosened up a bit. I figured that taking a critical look at the packaging that we did use would also be a beneficial exercise and help me to be more conscious in the future. Ultimately, it did not make sense to bring more packaging into the house, even if it was recyclable.

These types of concerns highlight the awkward transition phase that might occur when trying to change to a more sustainable lifestyle. Physical evidence of our former decisions can cause guilt, yet it usually doesn't make sense to get rid of these things, especially when it only means creating more waste. The desire to be more green sometimes means you have to hang on to your not so green possessions.