Emily Tonkin

Just prior to the start of this challenge, I started to convert any remaining personal care products to products or methods that avoid single use plastic. Once the challenge began, I committed to converting them all (except toothpaste...that one is really tough for me). My favorite recent finds so far have been Youth to the People skin care, Badger Protect Land & Sea sunscreen in a tin, and Little Seed Farm deodorant cream. Oldies but goodies include moon cups (I've had mine for more than 10 years and acquired it back when there were only a few on the market), bulk shampoo (I know the bulk bottles are still plastic, but the reduction in plastic is a step in the right direction), Bryn Mawr soap (the wrapper is compostable), Badger hair oil, and a safety razor. Would love to try refillable no-plastic products like Plaine Products shampoo, lotion, etc., but I wonder about the impact of personal shipping. It can be overwhelming to realize all the ways in which plastic is everywhere and develop ways to avoid it. 

The most satisfying plastic-reducing move during this challenge so far is homemade yogurt. My household tried this for the first time over the weekend using milk from a glass jug and a bit of leftover yogurt previously purchased at the store (in the future, we can use leftovers from yogurt we make). It turned out six servings of really tasty yogurt. Now I won't have to purchase yogurt in plastic containers again!