This month’s meeting of the Environmentalism Book Club covered Will McCollum’s book & extremely helpful guide to working towards a plastic-free life, “How to Give Up Plastic”. This book is a valuable resource for making little changes here and there that can add up and make an impact on how much plastic is being dumped into our oceans, waterways, and landscapes. It is also a guide to encouraging others to ditch plastic and starting a campaign – big or small – to influence your local businesses and communities to do the same.
I know I will personally be making what changes I can to impact my dependence on single-use plastics, and I encourage anyone that’s curious to pick up this book and see what changes you can make, too!
Next month, we’ll be reading “The Story of More” by Hope Jahren. There are copies of the book available at the Circulation Desk, if you’re interested – click the button below to learn more and register.
Throughout “How to Give Up Plastic”, the author provides numerous resources & recommendations for businesses that are making sustainable options for everyday things, from toothpaste to bedding to even glitter! Below are a collection of those resources for your perusal, along with resources recommended by members of the Book Club. I hope you find them useful – I know I have!
Articles, Blogs & Challenges
Reducing Laundry Microfibers by the National Park Service
Offers Washing & Drying solutions to reduce the amount of plastic microfibers released from your clothes during washing that end up in our oceans and waterways.
How To Avoid Microplastics When Washing Your Clothes by Wendy Graham
8 top tips to avoid and reduce shedding microplastics when washing your clothes
Zero-Waste Chef: Anne-Marie Bonneau
“Less waste, more creativity, tastier food”. An excellent blog (also a cookbook now!) full of recipes, gardening tips, crafts and challenges aimed at cutting the waste created in the kitchen and the home.
My Plastic-Free Life: Beth Terry
A comprehensive resource on plastic-free living, including blog posts, “100 Steps to Get Started“, challenges, book recommendations, and more.
Plastic Free July by Plastic Free Foundation
A global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution. Provides resources & ideas to help you reduce single-use plastic waste everyday at home, work, school, and even at your local café.
#BreakFreeFromPlastic
A global movement launched in 2016, demanding reductions in single-use plastics and pushing for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis. Over 13,000 organizations and supporters around the world have posted on social media using the movement’s hashtag and pledged support for the movement!
Kids Against Plastic
A youth-led charity based in the UK, aiming to “help young people (and not so young people) to learn about environmental issues such as plastic pollution and the Climate Crisis.” Lots of free resources, initiatives and a KAP Club for kids to join.
Beat the Microbead
A site (also an app!) where you can find out if a product you use or are thinking to purchase contains microbeads or other plastics. They also have a comprehensive list of over 150 brands that have been certified as having “Zero Plastic Inside”
Ocean Conservancy Cleanup Map
Find a beach cleanup near you!
Going Zero Waste by Kathryn Kellog
“Breaking eco-friendly living down into a simple step-by-step process with lots of positivity and love.” This site is full of guides, lists, DIYs, and recipes to help you move towards zero-waste living.
Products
Throughout the book, the author also gave suggestions for products that we as consumers can swap in our daily lives to, baby step by baby step, rid our lives of plastic. Some of these had never even crossed my mind, but I’m glad I now know of sustainable options to help my eco-impact.
Swaps in the House
Marley’s Monsters
With adorable products for Kitchen, Home, Bath, and Baby, as well as Eco-Friendly Tips, they “empower sustainable living, one simple swap at a time. From your kitchen, to your bathroom, and beyond the walls of your home, we provide sustainable reusables that replace every-day, single use products.”
Package Free Shop
“A lifestyle goods brand providing clean, low-waste products that are better for you and for the planet.” Their shop is full of simple, high-quality products for Cleaning & Home, Beauty & Body, and On the Go travel items.
Weaver Green
“Hand-woven, recycled rugs & textiles for homes and gardens.” All their products are made with recycled plastic yarn, which makes them soft yet durable, machine washable and UV stable. According to their website, in the last 3 years they have recycled over 260 million plastic bottles into their textiles!
EarthHero
“Offer[s] thousands of sustainable products assessed by our 5-Pillar Sourcing Methodology, and share[s] hundreds of articles on sustainability education.”
Swaps in the Bathroom
Fat and the Moon
A sustainable makeup, bath product, and fragrance brand founded by an herbalist, using eco-conscious ingredients and low-waste packaging. Their mission is to “create a thriving culture of Self Care which taps the true source of wellbeing: social and ecosystemic harmony.”
Truthpaste
Did you know even your toothpaste has plastic in it? I didn’t! Enter Truthpaste, making botanical toothpaste, bamboo toothbrushes, and other products to give you a healthy smile with “real ingredients for a healthier you”.
BioGlitz
This company makes biodegradable glitter, so you can “Shine Responsibly”
Ethique Beauty
A New Zealand-based beauty brand known for its plastic-free, sustainable, and cruelty-free solid shampoo & conditioner bars, aiming to reduce waste and promote ethical practices in the beauty industry.
Swaps in the Kitchen
Azure Standard
“A family owned and independent company dedicated to providing affordable organic, natural and non-GMO groceries, health, household and garden products.” With over 12,000 options to choose from on their site, you’re sure to find something – and if not, they also have a host of recipes, how-to’s, homesteading tips, and more!
Swaps in the Laundry Room
Cora Ball
A company that started with their innovative Cora Ball – a new kind of laundry ball that collects microfibers and plastics that shed from your clothing in the dryer and prevents them from ending up in the ocean – but has since expanded into additional sustainable laundry products (and a few kitchen products – check them out!)
Guppyfriend
“Your solutions to stop microplastics!” Guppyfriend makes products that stop microplastic pollution and are easy to integrate into your daily routines. Most famously: their Guppyfriend Washing Bag, which reduces fibre shredding during washing and filters microplastics out before they pollute our waterways.
Other Swaps
Bella Luna Toys
Have you ever noticed how much plastic is in kids’ toys? You will now! Luckily we have places like Bella Luna, which sources high-quality, wooden, educational toys, “powered by imagination, promoting open-ended play, and encouraging children to explore their world.” The best part is how beautiful these toys are!
EchoJazz
EchoJazz creates acoustic panels fabricated with long-lasting high-tech felt made of 100% PET (polyethylene terephthalate, which is 100% recyclable and contains plastics already recycled, a very eco-friendly choice).
Pact Clothing
A fashion and bedding brand focused on creating stylish, affordable, & accessible clothing using 100% organic cotton, with a mission to be “Earth’s Favorite Clothing Company” through sustainable practices and ethical sourcing.
Local Resources
Our book club participants had a lot of excellent resources to share, too – below are their recommendations for local organizations and shops contributing to “turning off the tap” of plastic production, as well as efforts to clean up and recycle the plastics already produced. Also included here are links to virtual classes to learn about all things plastic pollution.
Organizations
Drink Local Drink Tap
An international non-profit focused on solving water equity and quality issues. They “do this through education, advocacy, and creating affordable, clean water sources and sanitation facilities.” Their headquarters is right here in Cleveland, and locally they conduct beach cleanups, an annual “4 Miles 4 Water” run, and host an annual “Giving Splash Party”, raising money to support clean water in Northeast Ohio and abroad in Uganda.
Alliance for the Great Lakes
“A nonpartisan nonprofit working across the region to protect our most precious resource: the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes.”
Classes & Events
Beyond Plastic Pollution Virtual Class: Spring 2025
A 7-week online course offered by Bennington College’s Center for the Advancement of Public Action, taught by Judith Enck. This course meets virtually on Wednesday evenings from 7-9 PM, February 19 – April 2. Open to anyone, the course costs $100 to audit. The class may be almost over but registration is still open, and Beyond Plastics has many other fantastic events coming up, including their next course: Plastics, Microplastics, and Human Health (details below). Take a browse!
Bennington College Virtual Class: Plastics, Microplastics and Human Health
An in-depth class on what is known – and what is being researched – on the impact of plastics on human health. Another 7-week online course through Bennington College, this time taught by Megan Wolff, PhD, MPH. This course meets virtually on Wednesday evenings from 7-8:50 PM, April 16 – May 28. Also open to everyone, $100 to audit.
Beyond Plastics Virtual Group
Meeting on the 1st or 2nd Thursday of each month at 7 PM EST, this group educates, connects, and inspires their community of volunteers to combat single-use plastics and the plastic pollution crisis.
Alliance for the Great Lakes
“The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a nonpartisan nonprofit working across the region to protect our most precious resource: the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes.”
Edgewater Environmental Coalition
“We are a coalition of community members and environmental stewards, rooted in Edgewater, empowering people to build and maintain a more sustainable future through action, organizing, education, and advocacy.” Some Featured Projects: Edgewater Community Garden, Edgewater Parks Improvement Coalition, Parkways for Pollinators, Beach Natural Area Stewardship
Library Resources
WPPL has a host of materials available to our patrons to explore topics of environmentalism, including the crisis of plastic pollution and how to take steps towards being plastic-free or zero-waste. See below for a short list of relevant books, as well as a link to a whole Book List about Climate Change, Sustainability, and Environmental Responsibility.
“Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking” by Margaret Li
Written by the chef-sisters behind Boston’s acclaimed Mei Mei Dumplings, this cookbook/field guide is a crucial resource for the thrifty chef, the environmentally mindful cook, and anyone looking to make the most of their ingredients
“Year of No Garbage: Recycling Lies, Plastic Problems, and One Woman’s Trashy Journey to Zero Waste: A Memoir” by Eve O. Schaub
In this book Eve O. Schaub, humorist and stunt memoirist extraordinaire, tackles her most difficult challenge to date: garbage. Convincing her husband & 2 daughters to go along with her, Schaub attempts the seemingly impossible: living in the modern world without creating any trash at all. For an entire year. And- as it turns out- during a pandemic.
Book List: Climate Change, Sustainability, Environmental Responsibility
Below are just some of the titles featured on this curated list of books focusing on environmental themes. Click the link above to check out the full list!
There’s no “right” way to give up plastic, and it will certainly not happen all at once, but taking small baby steps towards being plastic-free is a meaningful, measurable way to be more friendly to the planet and create a more sustainable world for us all. As for me and myself, I’ll keep carrying my giant reusable water bottle every day, saying “no thanks” to plastic cutlery and straws, and will keep exploring new creative ways to – slowly but surely – give up plastic.
Thanks for browsing!
I hope we’ll see you next time — Wednesday, April 9, 7-8:30 p.m. — to discuss “The Story of More” by Hope Jahren.
