I'm through Day 4. My cell phone works. The sound is a little tinny, but I'm not complaining. This is its second time through the laundry in two years. It recovered much more quickly this time. Maybe it's getting used to it. Yesterday was a low-stress day on the no plastic front. I took a Glad container to work (one I'd bought as a permanent to-go container months ago). I brought it with me to La Rockita, the Mexican restaurant near my work. They were very sweet about putting my two veggie tacos in the sandwich section of the container, and pouring some salsa in one of the smaller wells. I put on the lid and carried it to work. This experiment has been fun. Yesterday, I was thinking, why would I stop after one week of this? I'm finding teamwork, creativity, laughter and thoughtfulness from everyone I interact with on this journey. Well, everyone but my daughter. I can see the "oh goodness, please don't let my mom get even more eccentric" look on her face. But, as my friend Shelly says, I should be pretty used to people thinking I'm odd by now.

Today, however, as I embark on Day 5, I'm waxing philosophical. My refrigerator is nearly empty. I need to go to the store. I want to use the containers I have already to go to the co-op and have them filled with fresh or bulk items. I want to ride my bike there and save gas and reduce my plastic usage, but I still live far from the co-op in Corvallis, and I need to work at home all day, so I can take my daughter to her really far horse lesson. The mindfulness aspect is kicking in. My intention needs to be strong today. I read several articles about the plastic garbage dumps collecting in the ocean, and that certainly gave me the willpower. It's no wonder oceanographers tend to be vegans who use only biodegradable plastics. Check out: http://ecology.com/ecology-today/2008/08/14/pacific-plastic-waste-dump/ for more information about the massive collections of plastic in slow-moving ocean gyres. Another article I read on Discovery network (http://news.discovery.com/earth/how-much-plastic-is-in-the-ocean.html) said that a scientist has estimated that there are at least 315 billion pounds of plastic in the ocean right now. That's too much to even clean up. It's not only giving me a passion for not consuming plastic and continuing to recycle what I do use, but also for keeping and using the heck out of every plastic item I already own. Who ever though I'd end up loving and cherishing my plastic objects through this experience? It's not that they're so great, but that I don't want them turned loose in the world. So, goals for Day 5 - buy enough food for my family to make it through the day, and plan Day 6 so I can ride my bike from work to the co-op with my reusable containers to buy things in bulk. I can see this growing into a month-long vow. Wouldn't it be great, if it could grow into a lifestyle?