We asked how we can advocate for real change. We write letters to government officials and various corporations. We sign petitions.  We encourage local stores, dry cleaners, and restaurants to eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic and straws.  We encourage our friends and family to eliminate the use of single-use plastic.  We work with organizations and friends to create zero waste events and parties.

We became aware of and then partnered with many organizations who are also working to raise awareness and change practices. You can learn more about these organizations in the Products and References section of our website.  Barbara and Frances are actively engaged in environmental work through their Rotary clubs. Barbara has recently become Regional Board Director for Western North America for End Plastic Soup.

Our blog is truly a team effort including the wonderful support and occasional editing from our husbands.  Although, we often find ourselves getting so distressed by the immense amount of plastic waste in our environment, researching solutions, trying out new products, and working together is both fun and rewarding.  We invite you to read our blog and become a subscriber.  Start today to make a difference for all of us.

What can you do?

• Share our blog with friends, family, and co-workers.

• Share www.mcsisters.org on your social media pages to help spread awareness and ideas.

• We love hearing your ideas. Keep in touch.

Today is the one-year anniversary of our McSisters Tackle Plastic blog. Thank you subscribers! Your thoughtful comments tell us that we have increased awareness of the devastating impact of single-use plastic. In creating our blogs each week, we McSisters have learned so much. We found that it is not so difficult to change our old habits.  We are constantly discovering new ways to eliminate and replace single-use plastic in our lives.

We asked why it matters. The answer is that the manufacture, use and disposal of plastic is having a devasting impact on health, environment, climate, and the world. We don’t want to leave this mess to future generations.

We asked how we can make a difference. We looked at our daily use of plastic to see what we could change. We learned that harmful chemicals used in making plastic products used to store and serve food sluff off into our bodies. So, we eliminated cookware and food storage that contains plastic.  We no longer accept straws in restaurants, we carry our water bottles and eschew single-use plastic water bottles, we always take our shopping bags to the market and never get a single-use plastic bag, we never use plastic cutlery and instead carry cutlery in our purse or backpack if we want food on the go.  We are working to eliminate the use of plastic wrap in our kitchen, toiletries packaged in plastic, and even clothing made from plastic chemicals.  We have made it a practice to use the local refill store for many household products and have found many reliable laundry soaps, cleaners, toilet paper, paper towels etc. that don’t include single-use plastic.  We refuse plastic bags for take-out food and at every other opportunity.