Plastic Feet

In the last month, efforts to reduce our plastic footprint have increased. We try to be conscious, and it’s a fun new way of problem solving. We encourage each other and work together to reduce our imprint. The message gained from “Addicted to Plastic” and some of the topics covered in our earlier blog about plastic are impacting our actions more and more each day. The more we think, the more responsible we feel. The greater our efforts, the greater our motivation to strengthen these efforts.

We have about nine plastic bags that we reuse: a few are used to organize our clothes, one to keep my conditioner from exploding over the contents of my bag, and we carry several to use while shopping. Of the plastic bags that we carry and reuse, one is from the delicious Zam Zam bakery in Mumbai, India, where we bought boxes of cookies back in March. Another toughie was acquired at the Gaylord Hotel, dating from December of 2009. We also have the Gaylord to thank for two disposable (but actually incredibly strong and durable) plastic cups that we continue to carry and use with frequency.

When we left the United States, I packed two forks and two spoons with us, so we can refrain from accepting plastic utensils with to-go food. But I kick myself for not hanging onto a set of wooden chopsticks.

Now that we are in more westernized regions of the world, we have discontinued our bottled water purchases. We drink tap water from our Nalgene bottle, which we carry everywhere. This is made much easier in Turkey, for roadside water coolers are abundant, and many businesses also set public water coolers out on the sidewalks. The water is clean and completely safe for consumption.

My flip flops keep breaking, but I am obsessed with trying to find a replacement that is more eco-friendly: leather or wood or a combination. Soon I shall be barefoot. Cyprus had plenty of gorgeous Roman-style sandals, but I couldn’t justify the 80+ Euro price tags. I am a humble backpacker, after all!

Whenever possible, an easier feat in this part of the world, we try to purchase food in bulk and shop for homemade goods that are less likely to be wrapped in plastic. Yesterday we bought the most delicious cheese, a sour mozzarella that cuts like butter. We asked for 2 Turkish lira worth of this decadent cheese, and had the shopkeeper put the cheese in a Tupperware container that we carry with us. He barely batted an eye, but tried to put the plastic container inside of a plastic bag. Sorta defeats the purpose!

A jar that once had homemade peanut butter from Ghana is now filled with a homemade spicy tomato paste purchased here in Turkey, perfect for dressing up cheese and cucumber sandwiches.

Nathan has cut himself off from buying packaged ice cream from the cooler and now only indulges when hand-scooped cones are available.

But that’s not to say that it is always easy. In fact, some people are terribly confused by our actions. Some of them appear to be downright horrified when we pull out an obviously-used, rather wrinkled, perhaps even a bit dirty, plastic bag instead of accepting a new one. I have even had to argue, heatedly, against pushy salespeople armed with mountains of flimsy plastic bags. Our Point-It Book lacks images to communicate recycling or reusing or eco-friendliness.

I am desperate to find a translator; I feel that it will heighten our decisions and help people to understand our intentions. I’d like to write out a small card that reads: “Thank you for your understanding. We choose not to use plastic because we feel that it harms the environment.“ Please email me if you can help with this translation in Turkish. I will be needing Bulgarian, Croatian, Italian, Serbian, and French as well.