Alysa Remsburg

I had a rare occasion to eat out for lunch.  I chose The Mint because of their commitment to no waste and sustainable local farms. I thought it would be expensive, but it was the same as all the other restaurants around here: $7 or $8 (plus tip).  Everywhere else would have given me a plastic straw, paper napkin, and condiments in disposable plastic too.  I was so happy to eat at The Mint!

Avoiding Styrofoam plates, cups, and plastic-ware was nearly impossible when I went to a funeral lunch at a church.  I suppose I could have skipped the meal or come prepared with my own, but I didn't want to make a fuss in front of the volunteers serving the lunch.  Still, I'm very disappointed that I used the most energy-intensive and least degradable materials just to trash them 10 minutes later.  Unbleached paper plates could have gotten the same job done for a similar or slightly higher cost.  I sure wish the cost to the environment were factored into the price of plates and cups!

I almost bought a bubble tea at the farmer's market today.  When I remembered the plastic cup that would come with that, I decided against it.   So the EcoChallenge has already saved me $3 and a bunch of sugar I shouldn't have.  Next time if I want one, I'll try to bring my own cup.

Practicing gratitude outside for ten minutes a day sounds really difficult to me with a crazy busy schedule.  But I can walk instead of biking in order to be more contemplative, and I can spend time out in the yard with my son and my dog.  I love the leave colors!
Another challenge I'm committing to is no disposable plates, cups, or cutlery. I don't usually use these anyways, but if I go to restaurants, I will want to be especially careful to avoid straws and any take-home containers.  I can do this by planning ahead.

Looking forward to a chance to be more conscious about my choices.  It feels cool to know that hundreds of people are doing this across the country right now.