If you do just two things...

[Krista Harris / Edible Santa Barbara]

Everyone is free to choose their own level of participation in this
Plastic Challenge. Some people will gladly give up all plastic for a
month. Others will have to make some compromises. But if you are on
fence about whether to participate at all, try doing just two things:

1. Give up plastic grocery bags.
You can carry reusable shopping bags to the grocery store and other
markets. You know you can. If you have a hard time remembering to
bring your bags, there are a number of things you can do. Try keeping
them in your car. Or try the compact foldable variety that are so
small that you can keep a few in your purse at all times. If you find
yourself in line at the checkout without any bags, you still have a
couple of options: buy some of the store's reusable bags or just load
your purchases back in your basket or cart and wheel them out to your
car and put them in the car.

2. Give up plastic bottled water.
It is time to give up the plastic bottles. At home, use tap water.
Since most of us have terrible tasting tap water, simply invest in a
water purifier, like the inexpensive carafe models, the type that
attach to your faucet, or an under the counter model. Then if you want
some portable water, pour it into a reusable stainless steel water
bottle and take it with you. And there are many places you can refill
your bottle while you are out and about. If someone offers you bottled
water, you might want to politely refuse and tell them that you are
trying to cut back on plastic.

These two things alone are a wonderful way to reduce the plastic in
our environment and our lives. And if you've already been doing these
two things, then you are definitely ready to take the Plastic
Challenge and step it up a notch.

-Krista