Acceptance: a stage in keeping a Lenten discipline

Here’s what I have learned about myself: I can’t completely do without single-use plastic. 

Working full time I don’t have time to roast a chicken, keeping aside some meat to use later and then make my own chicken broth (which is still going into plastic, but reusable, containers because I broke a glass mason jar in the freezer). I mean, I can do this sometimes but it’s a level of meal planning and prep that I don’t have time for on a regular basis. 

And that’s why plastic works: it makes it convenient to prepare meals or to eat quickly (if not always healthily). Also, it is impossible to buy meat or cheese that isn’t encased in plastic for health and safety code reasons (and given a recent Twitter thread about (spoiler alert) finding human body lice in salmon, I am feeling pretty grateful about that). Plus, I am not nearly ready to go vegan, which is the only way, currently, to reduce that plastic load.

What I can do — is make chicken broth sometimes.
What I can do -- is use "Better than Bouillon" to make chicken stock because it comes in a glass jar and not in a plasticky container (to be confirmed whether the taste matches, but I've heard good things)

What I can do — is reuse that plastic bag that held my bread (or whatever) to pick up dog poop.

What I can do — is write to companies asking for less plastic in their packaging.
What I can do -- is ask my local grocery store manager to train their staff on tare weights and  handling reusable produce bags

What I can do — is keep looking for ways to reduce my plastic usage.

I can celebrate all the ways I have cut down (see list below) and acknowledge areas that I can tackle next, such as my art practices, where I have made some environmental changes already but I haven’t really dealt with plastic.

• Chose a tea packet that wasn’t wrapped in plastic and brought a reusable plastic tray to church coffee hour
• Bought a small bottle to work for milk instead of plastic disposable creamers
• Cotton mesh produce bags instead of the grocery store film bags
• Beeswax fabric wraps (but not with raw meat)
• Stasher bags (even to freeze meat)
• Metal and wood silverware instead of disposable plastic (although I am finding I prefer to use these when I bring my lunch to work, if I am going to eat out, I am going to eat at a proper restaurant)
• Replaced plastic (polyester) dental floss with waxed silk — no plastic packaging (it’s a glass container) and can get refills. It’s so cute.
• Woolen dryer balls - can be used for a couple of years before replacing instead of dryer sheets made with polyester (they're actually working really well, except for bed linens and its more due to the frustration of trying to unearth them all)
• Period panties (actually TBD, stay tuned for a follow-up on this one. I know you can hardly wait.)

Cutest dental floss EVER! (From tree bird, found on Amazon)

How did your Lenten practice go?

Easter Monday (that's the day after Easter because there are 50 Days of Easter you know, not just one) I will post the list of all the plastic I used. Get ready, it'll be a long one.