I can fully endorse Emma Beddington’s experience (My no-plastic life: I tried to cut out single-use items for a month – and it almost broke me, 12 February). Two years ago, I tried to give up using single-use plastic for Lent. I managed reasonably well for about a week while I used up fresh and frozen food in my fridge and freezer. But as soon as I started having to purchase fresh food, I ran into trouble.
I learned quickly that the convenience of plastic has lulled us into accepting the status quo in shops and supermarkets. Almost everything, food and non-food, has plastic in its packaging. Even jars of food often have a ring of plastic around the metal top, which itself may well have a plastic lining. At one stage, when in desperation to be able to have tea with milk, I drove 15 miles especially to buy said milk in a glass bottle. I wondered if I was doing more harm than good to the planet.
The trauma of that time has receded and so, inspired by Emma’s article, I am going to commit myself to another plastic-free Lent. This year it starts on 5 March and lasts for 40 long days.
I urge Guardian readers to try going plastic-free. You will probably fail on a number of occasions, but I can confirm that it is a salutary and eye-opening lesson as to the prevalence of plastic in our everyday shop. We have to change our habits, but also use consumer pressure to get the suppliers to improve their practices. Now I always respond to supermarket surveys and complain about their use of plastic wrapping. It may not be much, but I am trying.
Gwen Harris
Burton in Lonsdale, North Yorkshire
