Wrap-up and reflection

Well, my 30 days are up and it's time to consider what I have learned and what choices I will make going forward. I have to say that this process has made me more aware of what a huge amount of food we are throwing away as a society. Prior to this exploration, I was focused more on the waste associated with food, such as packaging. I have also realized how difficult it is to avoid some sort of waste, even with fresh local food - like the bags and wrapping from our CSA. Also, some waste decisions are out of your control, like when a restaurant places a paper napkin at your place setting that they will throw away even if you don't use it.

I took up composting, but it hasn't seemed like I've done much but created a pile of leaves and food. I don't think anything has really started to break down yet. Hopefully once the weather gets warmer I will start to see a transformation. As a renter with no garden, I also feel like I would better off if I could donate my scraps to a community garden. In the future, I can see myself really getting the benefits of it though.

I also plan to drastically reduce and hopefully eliminate the use of paper towels, plastic wrap, and aluminum foil. I will continue to bring my lunch in my own containers and try to grab lunch on the go less often. But I do know that I will be back to some of my old favorites, like Chipotle. And I have to be honest and say that I am not likely to bring my own containers to the deli/butcher counters anymore. It's just too awkward. 

Overall, this has been a interesting experience that has opened up new avenues for me to explore as a designer - though one thing I am happy to give up is blogging about it!