COVID 19.

Who’s not talking about it?

Who’s not worrying about it?

Who’s sick of talking and worrying about it already?

Plastic Free July 

Did you hear about this movement? Did you try to eliminate single-use plastic last month? Plastic Free July seemed to be all the rage as we rolled into summer. Like so many things, I thought this would be an easy thing to do. I consider myself pretty enlightened on this topic and pretty aware of reusing as much as I can.

• I carry my reusable bags, 

• I tote my bamboo silverware.

• I carry a wondrous glass straw and a collection of stainless ones.

• I recycle and repurpose boxes and containers as best I can.

I figured I could DEFINITELY go all month without single-use plastic.

As the first week unfolded, I realized there are so many times single-use plastic makes its way into my life. It’s more than refusing the bag or the straw.  The plastic tabs on food containers, plastic tags on clothes, plant and garden containers.  Some of the are harder to avoid, but eliminating the obvious ones simply meant keeping reusable water bottles, utensils and shopping bags handy was easy-peasy. I definitley did not nail plastic free July, but I made progress.

I love, love, love sunshine on my shoulders. Or my feet. Or my face. Anywhere.

But often what we love too much, becomes - or is - harmful.

I’m often on my soap box about sunscreen. Mostly because I’ve had horrendous habits over the years and it’s only in my 50s that I’e started behaving like an adult, at least as far as being in the sun goes.

• Last spring, I bought a hat. That’s huge for me. I don’t like hats, but they cover parts of your head and neck that are easily missed by sunscreen.

• I wear SPF 20 on my face as a minimum every single day.

• I own several shirts with SPF in the fabric.

• I ditched all my expired sunscreens (after getting burned, literally!) and now we all have mineral sunscreen with a high percentage of zinc.

Many of us do what we can to live healthy (or -ish) lives, fulfill our goals and responsibilities and give our best to our families, communities and this earth we inhabit.  It’s not easy and it’s an evolving process as we learn and grow. As I was packing for a trip to the gulf coast of Florida to see my parents, I smiled at the towels, water bottles, sunscreen and a few reusable straws and bamboo serving utensils.  I stopped in my tracks and went, “Wowee, wow, wow!”

So much has changed, even in the past decade. And double, wowee – I feel OLD as I type this!

When my kids were little, juice boxes were just coming on the scene - along with those pesky tiny straws, wrapped in plastic. We went through tons of straws. And as I cleaned out our garage last week, I found a bin of miscellaneous plastic wear - some left over from packed lunches and USNA tailgates. I hadn’t opened that bin in years, but I clearly bought them for different events based on the rainbow of colors.

It seems as the weeks and months pass, we’re reminded and finally getting the message that plastic is really going to be the death of us.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole. But there’s no disputing that plastic is horrible for the earth and our bodies. Every time we make a choice not to use plastic, we’re doing something good. 

I’m a big Rachel Hollis fan and recommend her book, Girl Wash Your Face to so many friend and followers. But girl, before you wash your face have you ever thought about what you’re putting on it.

Probably not.

And you probably think it’s safe. (Or you’re too busy to even consider the quesiton…)

If you know me IRL or online, you know this is an issue I don’t stay quiet about. Of course, it is NOT all safe. One of the hats I wear while I a doing all the other things in life is CLEAN BEAUTY ADVOCATE. Sure, I’d love you to buy Beautycounter products, but what I’d really LOVE is for you to do two things. Two simple things that will keep you and your family safer.