Life Is Better Now: How Dr. Plastic Picker is #breakingfreeofplastic – Dr. Plastic Picker
 

Life Is Better Now: How Dr. Plastic Picker is #breakingfreeofplastic

| Posted in Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

Isn’t that a beautiful bird? It’s from somewhere in our house. I never noticed it before.

July 24, 2020

by drplasticpicker

I have been busy this week completing the on-line virtual Climate Reality Training. It’s been a big committment especially since I am working full time. Every evening I have had 1-2 hours of additional lecture or on-line work. But I have done it with joy. This is the last weekend and I feel accomplished that I will fulfill the requirements.

This morning I awoke at 4am refreshed. I went to sleep early. I have always been a natural early riser. I was working on some climate emails and some work emails, and I sat and started typing out a blog post “The Road to Fise: Homemade French Fries.” I had posted a Instagram picture of our dinner last night. It still amazes me that people comment or care, but my litter picking Instagram community is very supportive. The Homemade French Fries were a big hit, but then I realized that I had already written a post about the Homemade French Fries! https://drplasticpicker.com/the-road-to-fise-making-my-own-french-fries/

Yesterday’s french fries were the last of the batch I had prepared two weeks ago, and they were delicious. I seasoned them with onion salt, paprika and curry and they were gone. They really weren’t Instagram worthy, but if they disappear off the serving plate quick and Mr. Plastic Picker asked for me to whip up a second serving which I did really quick – I know I’m on to something. Looking back at my previous post, I realize now how much money we save. It’s only $0.15 a serving for those delicious home made fries. I saved a bag of plastic that is definitely not recyclable, savd $2 dollars, and got to reuse our plastic bread bags. I’m sure there is less sodium in my fries.

I also made overnight Cold Brew Coffee for Nurse L and myself. My main goal was to reduce those single use instant coffee packets and single-use coffee cups. We both really like the cold brew and I sometimes get to make my hard-working nurse a nice cup of coffee in the morning. https://drplasticpicker.com/coldbrew-coffee-a-nice-cup-for-a-nice-nurse/ I’m just using up our Folgers coffee, but it probably costs me about $1.85 a cup of ground coffee which comes out to about $0.50 a cup of coffee the strength that we are both drinking it. The Cold Brew coffee is more mild, and Nurse L and I don’t need to put as much sugar in it. Isn’t that interesting? We are using our ceramic mugs, get a good cup of coffee that we like, and using less sugar which is better for our health. And then most importantly less plastic.

And I bring my reusabe water bottle that has our son’s precollege Summer Session sticker on it. Our son completed a summer video programming course and really loved it. We got a clear water bottle sticker and I put it on an old aluminum water bottle I already had, and it looks cool now. I just bring it around with me and mostly just drink it while I’m driving to and from work. It has become a habit now. Its filtered tap water from our fridge. No more plastic water bottles for me. I haven’t bought any single-use plastic water bottles for almost 9 months.

Figuring out how to #breakfreefromplastic through Home Made French Fries, Cold Brew Coffee and just filling my Reusable Alumnium Water bottle has been so fun. These are hard-wired changes. Next week, instead of paying $150 like I did every year to feed the new Family Practice interns, I told Dr. AF I would contribute chia seeds, flax seeds, and bulk bin granola. He is making a yogurt station for them. I’m bringing them all in reusable glass containers. I also made for the first time Vegan Carrot Muffins that were divine! I used to pay $3 a muffin at Sprouts and would pay over $20 for half a dozen for clinic. Isn’t that crazy? I made some and I had all the ingredients already in the house. I didn’t have time to take a picture and put it on Instagram, but the kids had it for dessert one night and again the next morning for breakfast. This Sunday I’ll make a double batch as we already had the coconut flakes. The carrots were tired looking ones in the fridge, but they taste great grated in the muffins and the left over bits I gave to our two bunnies.

And that is it. I was going to write a post on Homemade French Fries, but I already did. I realize I am saving a lot of money by breaking free of plastic. $0.15 for homemade french fries a serving. $0.50 for a cup of Cold Brew Coffee for Nurse L and myself at work. Filtered tap water for free and saved multiple plastic water bottles. And contributing to the yogurt station and making vegan carrot muffins is essentially free and all ingredients I have at home already, where I used to drop easly $150-200 for breakfast for the residents. Wow. Life is better now.

Old French Press have used at least 4 times now. It was sitting up in a cupboard for 20 years before. Isn’t that crazy?
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