Yesterday, I saw a license plate that said DOGOODR. You can interpret that to be Do Gooder or Dog Odor. The Do Gooder part got me thinking and the Dog Odor gave me a laugh.
The Do Gooder message collided with Earth Day this week. Since I became a traveler 10+ years ago, I’ve worked towards making the planet a little better in my own little world. My Instagram friend Susanna at CuriositySaves.Travel wrote a great post about “Tourism vs. Plastic.” Check out her feed.
This week I took a look at how my buying habits have changed since starting vehicle dwelling in August. Some no longer align with my values and it frustrates me.
Here’s what I buy now that I swore I never would:
Plastic garbage bags
This one pains me the most. It’s like a dagger to my heart. I totally get it if you buy them especially if you have a household size of larger than one. When I moved into my last apartment right before Covid and stopped full-time traveling, I didn’t find the need to buy plastic garbage bags. Enough food items and products come in packaging that could be repurposed as garbage bags that I never needed to buy any. In fact, by the time I moved out of my apartment, I had to throw away a bag full of “bag-like” items that I never used.
If you are wondering, what the heck is she talking about, take a quick look at your next grocery haul or Amazon delivery. Those new pants on sale on Amazon came in a plastic blue and white bag, most likely, that you can use as a garbage bag. How about that bag or container of nuts you purchased at Costco? Either can be used as garbage containers.
My aversion to plastic bags is not to throw shade at anyone who does buy and/or use any form of plastic bag, ziplock bags included. I get it. They are super convenient. I use them too, especially ziplock bags, and now apparently garbage bags. The ziplock bags I use are not new. I re-use ziplocks that originally came filled with grocery store food - salami from the deli, nut bags, some snacks come in ziplocks. Bread bags are good too although not ziplock. You get the idea.
I was never this adamant about not buying single-use plastic until I visited Viet Nam. One of the hostels I stayed at was right on the beach. Like I literally had climb over rocks and walk on the beach to reach it. It was beautiful. Secluded. Refreshing. I arrived at night during a storm.
The next morning, I pulled open my curtains to discover the storm had pulled the plastic and clothing swirling in the ocean and dumped it onto the beach. It was covered! It looked like an airplane full of stuff exploded over the beach. In talking with the hostel owner, he explained the locals are quite used to this happening as it occurs every typhoon season. They pick up by hand what they can then rent a backhoe or some other vehicle to move the big stuff.
I was disheartened completely. I knew the majority of this waste came from my country. I vowed in that moment to never buy plastic bags again.
I have failed in that vow as of last month. I have tried various ways to avoid buying bags or receiving plastic bags at checkout. Without having the room in my small SUV to have a composting toilet, I have resorted to plastic bag purchase to make disposal easier.
Wipes (flushable and non-flushable)
Buying wipes of any sort (cleaning, bathroom, etc) has never been my thing. I didn’t see the sense in them when you could use a rag and rewash it or use toilet paper.
A long time ago, when I was living in yet a different apartment, our toilet was having problems. It turned into a MAJOR ordeal for the maintenance people. They have to remove our toilet and our neighbors’ toilet as the pipes were connected. They brought in all this equipment. My young adult kids and I were like What the Heck? It went on for days. Luckily, it was a two bathroom apartment. They finally determined that wipes had clogged various nooks and crannies of the plumbing system creating a major backup that no plunging would fix. My neighbors had children. It was an understandable problem. One I said I would never contribute to. Ever.
Vehicle dwelling has convinced me of the convenience of wipes. It has been a letdown for me. I had planned to use wash clothes at night to wash my face, spunge bath, clean my feet, or whatever. What I found myself doing instead is nothing. I was talking to a fellow vehicle dweller and she expounded upon the value of wipes. I caved and bought a pack.
Small sized drinks (in plastic bottles)
Again, the plastic bottles goes back to my single use plastic adversion. Most of the time, I am really good about not buying drinks in plastic bottles. Usually, I buy drinks in cans or in large sized bottles. However, sometimes I have no willpower and I can’t stop the craving for a soda or other fancy drink that only comes in smaller plastic bottles. Also, my last car refrigerator would only hold those smaller bottles.
My new car refrigerator is slightly bigger which is enough to hold the larger bottles. I know, it is still plastic. For whatever false reason, it makes me feel slightly better than buying multiple smaller bottles.
Given all this, will I stop buying these three items? Let’s be real, probably not. At least not while I am vehicle dwelling myself around the United States. They are small things that make my life much easier. I will continue to feel bad about said purchases and limit my consumption of them. They will not go away though until I figure out a better solution.
If you have any suggestions, let me know.
Keep on trying,
Patricia
Currently:
Reading - still reading The Women by Kristin Hannah
Watching - NCIS Hawai’i Season 3
Listening - I’ve Had It podcast
How was “The Women”?