Happy New Year to all readers!

It may be unusual, but January is one of my favourite months.  My birthday falls at the end, I met my husband on a cold winter night and one year later, we got engaged.  Personal milestones aside, I enjoy welcoming in the New Year and making plans.

My resolution this year is to stop using disposable items, in particular plastic bags, take away cups and bottles. The terrifying scale of the plastic material gathering in our oceans was unveiled for the first time last year. (www.theguardian.com/…/full-scale-plastic-worlds-oceans-revealed-first-time- pollution) Over five trillion pieces of plastic float in our oceans and they have merged to form five huge garbage areas: defacing vast expanses of water, strangling sea creatures and ending up as particles in our food.

This news is profoundly depressing. I grew up by the sea and envisage many happy family  holidays beside the beach.  Although I recycle or reuse plastic bags and bottles, facing the true scale of the problem convinces me that I need to do a lot more.

Considering my options, I am inspired by Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson – Bea has banned all disposables at home!  To achieve this goal, she suggests the simple practice of vowing never to take a particular item again.   At first I planned a complete ban and then I realised how prevalent disposables are, particularly in a busy capital like London.  So I will start with disposable plastics: plastic bags, coffee cups and bottles of mineral water and phase out items such as disposable nappies, wet wipes and kitchen towels.

My resolution provokes many questions, why didn’t I commit to this earlier? All it has taken so far, is a a bit of organisation and remembering to fill up my water bottle and take a couple of cloth bags when I head out. It is no inconvenience, more a relief, creating less clutter and waste at home.  And let’s face it, carrying plastic bags is never a good look!