Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too

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Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too

by Beth Terry (Goodreads Author)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 159 ratings · 48 reviews

Like many people, Beth Terry didn't think an individual could have much impact on the environment. But while laid up after surgery, she read an article about the staggering amount of plastic polluting the oceans and decided then and there to kick her plastic habit. Now she wants to teach you how you can too. In her quirky and humorous style well known to the readers of her...more

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published June 15th 2012 by Skyhorse Publishing (first published January 1st 2012)

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Jun 26, 2012 Siobhan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, environment

Having been a fan of the blog for some time, I had been eagerly waiting for her book to be published and ordered it directly from the author (signed, and in a plastic-free mailer!) as soon as I found it was available. The most concise review I can come up with is this: There is no point in going through this book with sticky-notes or a highlighter, as it's so chock-full of resources, suggestions, and anecdotes about nearly every topic someone who is new to living a plastic-free life could want t...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Green4u rated it 5 of 5 stars

Before I read Beth’s book, I blamed the “man” and “corporate America” for my inability to go plastic free but Beth’s book really showed me I can reduce my plastic consumption considerably with not as much effort as you are imagining.
Environmentalists get a bad reputation sometimes as being nutty and extreme. Beth book shows she is just like all of us. She recognizes the things that are hard for a person to address in their life when it comes to plastic. She tells the reader that you cannot chang...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Mikhaela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: how-to, nonfiction, environment

I found this book a half-inspiring, half-annoying read--but excellent for what it promises to do.

Beth Terry does a great job of chronicling the way plastic has insinuated itself into every nook and cranny of our lives at massive and unsustainable environmental and health cost via her own journey to live as plastic-free as possible. And she provides exhaustive lists of tips and resources for eliminating or reducing or reusing--and sometimes just recycling--plastics in every aspect of domestic Am...more I found this book a half-inspiring, half-annoying read--but excellent for what it promises to do.

Beth Terry does a great job of chronicling the way plastic has insinuated itself into every nook and cranny of our lives at massive and unsustainable environmental and health cost via her own journey to live as plastic-free as possible. And she provides exhaustive lists of tips and resources for eliminating or reducing or reusing--and sometimes just recycling--plastics in every aspect of domestic American life possible. (Though one of the lessons of the book is, sometimes avoiding plastic means giving up modern conveniences--like frozen foods--that just aren't available in wood or cloth or stainless steel).

And I've already taken her advice to watch the bottled water industry exposé Tapped, and have decided to replace all my toddler's plastic dishes (apparently BPA-free plastics are a dangerous untested crock! crap!) with stainless steel ones from Life Without Plastic... among many other changes. And I like that she encourages reuse and buying second-hand or just NOT buying as much as possible and really thinking about the life-cycle of all our stuff...

BUT! In the end I have fundamental problems with the idea that these kind of changes should be focused on the personal or even community level, or that our power comes from our status as consumers. Not that Terry isn't politically active--and she does briefly delve into the toxic afterlife of American plastics and electronics in the developing world, but ... as I read on I just started to get frustrated with her narrow focus on individual Americans making changes in their own lives...

...because I just can't get all that excited about the Chlorox company deciding to accept plastic Brita filters for recycling. I want to see big, bold dramatic agitation and outrage and change, with corporations and manufacturers and politicians and the military and governments--not just consumers--all held accountable for the massive destruction they wreak worldwide.

But that's probably more than one little book like this can do. Still highly recommended if you're trying to live a less toxic life.(less)

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Aug 06, 2012 Tamara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: green, non-fiction

So much to say.

You can tell the author is used to writing a blog. Many of the sections are probably pulled straight from her existing website. Conversational and personal, she spends a lot of time describing the journey and not just the end result.

That's partly why I found this so reassuring. Because really, as soon as you realize that you are surrounded by plastic, you start to freak out. Beth Terry understands the whole emotional process you go through when you want to make a change in your l...more

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Jan 19, 2013 April Franklin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I hesitate in a way to mark this book as "read," because it was really more that I skimmed through the whole thing and read what grabbed me; I didn't read every word. But that wasn't because it was uninteresting - it was because it was a lot of information to take in and a bit overwhelming! Instead of reading this cover to cover, it almost would be better to use as a reference. But I have to get my copy back to the library - I may check it out again or purchase it in a few weeks! I would like to...more I hesitate in a way to mark this book as "read," because it was really more that I skimmed through the whole thing and read what grabbed me; I didn't read every word. But that wasn't because it was uninteresting - it was because it was a lot of information to take in and a bit overwhelming! Instead of reading this cover to cover, it almost would be better to use as a reference. But I have to get my copy back to the library - I may check it out again or purchase it in a few weeks! I would like to reduce the disposable plastic I'm using, but I came to the realization while reading this that I will make myself crazy if I try to do it all at once. Given the current hecticness of my life, baby steps are good. So I plan to start by phasing out plastic grocery bags and produce bags - those were actually my inspiration for looking into reducing plastic anyways, because I recently made a big salad with 7 or so different veggies for dinner guests, and was struck by the pile of plastic bags I was left with.

This book is an absolute wealth of ideas for how to reduce your plastic use. My only reason for giving it 4 rather than 5 stars is that I wish the author had addressed people who can't do some of what she does. She lives in an area with access to a lot of natural food stores and great public transit to get there; I live in an area where I can bike to a grocery that uses a lot of plastic packaging, or drive my car 20 minutes to get to whole foods to buy bulk foods that I could put in cloth bags. What's more eco-friendly in this case? If this issue was addressed, I missed it. Also, she doesn't have children. She includes just a few pages on avoiding plastic for kids, and basically says "use cloth diapers and buy wooden toys!" I did those things, but there are SO many other things for babies and preschoolers where you have no plastic-free option; I wish she'd talked to more eco-conscious parents and gotten more tips to include in the book. That said, I really enjoyed a lot of her tips and ideas, and she thinks of plastic things we use (and throw out) that I would never have thought of on my own, and she suggests some pretty clever ways to reduce plastic and even be frugal at the same time, so it was pretty eye opening!(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

My most-anticipated read of the year! Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too documents the journey of Beth Terry from average American consumer to plastic-free Jedi Master.
(I laughed when I found the library had wrapped it in plastic.)

I got it so I could learn from her, but also so I could find out crazy things:
--Does she brush her teeth with a toothbrush? (Do they make toothbrushes from anything but plastic?)
--How does she get prescriptions if they're not in a plastic...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this book more, but the author could not be flakier if she tried.

1. The author(a grown woman) had a panic attack at the gym because she left her special metal water bottle at home. She couldn't buy a plastic bottle of water, after much thought, she realized she could drink out of the water fountain if she got thirsty.

2. The author was shocked to find the glass mason jar she was schlepping all over as a drink container was not allowed into a stadium because of their "no glass" po...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A real eye opener. I've been working my way towards a plastic-reduced life, but didn't think it was possible to fully go plastic free. This book gives some great advice on what alternatives there are to our typical plastic needs. However, I don't think I'm quite ready to go as far as Beth Terry did, this book gave me some great insight. I went to the grocery store today and paid attention to what I purchased. I did have my reusable bags and cloth produce bag, but I was shocked by how much plasti...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Miki rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book will scare you to death. The author decided to remove all possible plastics from her life, and did a lot or research on it. The advice she gives ranges from "Gee, why didn't I think of that!" to "You want me to WHAT?!?". The scary part comes in where she tells you the effects of plastic on the environment, the earth, and all living things, including us. It's pretty awful.

Inspired, I started to go through my house, noticing all the plastics in just one or two rooms, and I was overwhelme...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I won a copy of Plastic-Free on a twitter chat, and I am so glad I did! I'd stumbled upon Terry's blog awhile back, and it was a revelation. Living without plastic! Is it even possible? The answer is "yes!"

As someone who had started to peruse My Plastic-Free Life more and more often, I wondered what more Terry could pack into a book that she didn't have on her website. I was quite impressed; Terry managed to keep the book from being too derivative of her blog, and she included some new and expan...more I won a copy of Plastic-Free on a twitter chat, and I am so glad I did! I'd stumbled upon Terry's blog awhile back, and it was a revelation. Living without plastic! Is it even possible? The answer is "yes!"

As someone who had started to peruse My Plastic-Free Life more and more often, I wondered what more Terry could pack into a book that she didn't have on her website. I was quite impressed; Terry managed to keep the book from being too derivative of her blog, and she included some new and expanded ideas for readers of the book.

Let's start with the book itself: "The jacket is uncoated, the thread is made of cotton, and the boards and spine are exposed." Even the glue is plastic-free! And, even more amazing is that the book itself is compostable (though you won't want to get rid of it; it's such a helpful aid!) As a girl going green and a serious book lover, all I can say is: major swoon!

Terry's book doesn't just tell you ways in which to reduce your plastic consumption by not buying things: she actively suggests ways to improve your life overall. For example, there's a whole section on how to store fresh produce. Score! I can't keep track of which veggies need to go in brown bags on my counter and which go in airtight containers in my fridge (and everything in between). There are recipes for homemade goodies like mustard, chocolate syrup, and yogurt. There are recipes for practical goodies, like shampoo, face scrubs, and bath soap. Not only do you reduce plastic waste by making things at home, but you feel self-sufficient, and save a lot of money. Take that, The Man!

What I liked most about Terry's book is that she is in no way condescending or preachy. Just when you're starting to feel panicked that there are way too many things you will have to cut out of your life, or overwhelmed at the perceived hopelessness of it all, Terry tells you to stop and breathe. And not to worry. Whoa! The author of a book about going plastic-free tells you not to stress about going plastic-free! She reminds the reader that she's been at this for years, learning what works for her and what doesn't, and which companies are good for recycling their products, and which companies aren't. She wants you to take this book as a guide, and try to do what you can. Start off small (get rid of those one-use plastic bags, folks, I beg you!) and take baby steps forward.

At the very least, Plastic-Free will make you more aware of just how much of our lives are encased in clear sheets of plastic. It's fascinating, and devastating. But if you are intrigued at all at the prospect of living a greener life, this is a good book to start with. Terry will help you start small, and you'll feel like you're on your way to being a green warrior. For a quick plastic-free lifestyle guide, check out this link from Terry's blog: http://plasticfreeguide.com/(less)

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Aug 04, 2012 Cristie rated it 4 of 5 stars

For someone who is just starting out on a plastic-reduction journey, or who just wants to learn more about plastics, I think this book would be excellent. I found a lot of it to be talking about things I already know about or do, but I wasn't surprised, since I've been working away from many plastics for a while now. That said, I still found several useful resources in this book (which really is densely packed with helpful information), and have been re-inspired to look for some of the plastic a...more

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Jul 26, 2012 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: environment-etc, non-fiction

This little book was on the new reads shelf at the library. First of all, because of the plastic thing, it's bound differently (although of course the library put a layer of plastic over it). Because the author is really a blogger, the writing is informal and pretty easy to read. It's chock full of information and references (websites). It also has little stories about people who made a difference. The nice thing about this book is that, although full of answers and whatnot, she is not about gui...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Jamie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book has super helpful information on getting rid of the excessive amounts of plastic we use. I really liked how the author did not use an overly preaching kind of tone - she admitted that it is difficult to stop using plastic and offered a list of ideas at the end of each chapter about how to cut back on plastic use. I also appreciated the numerous resources in this book for eliminating plastic use in all areas of life. Some of the resources even offered helpful information for not only ge...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Laura Harrington rated it 3 of 5 stars

Want to reduce your impact on the environment? This is a great guide to how and why we should all use less plastic. Her first challenge: Collect all the plastic you use in one week for one heck of a shock. And then see what you can do about reducing your consumption. Plastic recycling does not completely close the loop and in fact produces its own problems. What's the answer? Use less plastic to begin with.

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Apr 20, 2013 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved it. This book gave me the ideas and tools to continue going plastic free and zero waste. Filled with useful tips, ideas and practical solutions without necessarily just having to buy all new (non-plastic) stuff. The book left me inspired and excited to go plastic free. I'd forgotten that ice cream cones have always been plastic free and zero waste and definitely worth the extra calories.

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Jan 20, 2013 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am totally into this book.....wow!

We know that plastics present enormous health risks for our bodies, our babies and our planet, but it is so ubiquitous that it's easier not to think about it. I mean....where do we begin? This book is factual, fun, and best of all, gives practical advice on living with less plastic.

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Oct 14, 2012 Tracey Howe-koch rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is great. I appreciate the science and loved the helpful ideas and solutions. It is crazy how fast plastic has permeated our lives. While we will probably never get rid of it completely, everyone can dramatically reduce their consumption, thus helping our oceans and the larger environment.

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Apr 09, 2013 Deb Escobar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very informative, I learned a lot. Though I'm not sure I'll ever be as adamant as Terry is, I have reduced my plastic usage quite a bit and in the process I'm saving money as well. Highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in reducing their plastic or carbon footprint.

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Jan 27, 2013 Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A great resource for anyone who is looking to reduce their use of plastics. This book is not a comfortable read, but it is compelling, and provides great information for people looking for practical alternatives to existing consumer choices. Don't expect to walk away without taking a hard look at your relationship to plastic!

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Nov 27, 2012 Brit B rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: environment

Great book on how plastic can affect you and the environment! Kept me interested from start to finish, unlike a lot of other books about it's kind, and is filled with great references. One I borrowed from the library, but wish I had purchased and probably will in the future.

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Sep 20, 2012 jennbunny Byrkit rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-reads-2012, environment-non-fiction

I read this book in two days. The book is easy to hold and actually is pretty nice as well.

Overall I learned a lot from this book.....about the environment and how we as a society need to make better choices for not only our own health but the health of the planet.

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Apr 09, 2013 Latasha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-the-home, instructional-how-to, library-reads, popular-non-fiction, social-commentary

Good book, lots of ideas for functioning in normal society without plastic. It's so embarrassing to refuse plastic and try to change the general public use of plastic, but she had a lot of good ideas.

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Jan 27, 2013 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

After reading Chapter 1, I decided to make "Decrease the amount of plastic I use" my New Year's Resolution! Eliminating plastic completely is more than I'm willing to attempt, but I will certainly try to do more. Beth suggests setting a goal of 1 item per week, so that is my goal. First week I cut plastic soda containers. We bought cans which helped me cut my soda consumption as well. The second week we bought eggs in cardboard container rather than plastic. Also bought brown sugar in box, but d...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Cyndi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've read a number of books in this vein. This one is good because it is full of encouragement and concrete examples. I finished it feeling empowered rather than only discouraged.

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Feb 01, 2013 Rhonda Greiser rated it 4 of 5 stars

I saw the documentary Bag It and they recommended this book. If you really want to see the impact of plastic to your body and how to free yourself from the addiction, try this book out.

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Jan 04, 2013 Libby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-non-fiction, nonfiction

This book offered a wide variety of solutions to apply green principles of reducing and reusing plastic materials rather than relying on recycling as a crutch. It debunks the common perception that it's okay to use plastic as long we remember to recycle after using it. Beth Terry wins us over by telling how she lived before she became an "eco chick" and discusses the questions she asked to lead her to a healthier lifestyle.

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Feb 10, 2013 Keely rated it 4 of 5 stars

A topic of overwhelming importance but that has instilled in me the desire to "do something". There are so many great references to use to help any person feeling lost in the journey to reduce plastic consumption from personal use to encouraging companies to reduce theirs! (I think my first mission is to write a letter
to Seventh Generation about their plastic scoop in their powdered laundry detergent. Hey, I want to do more to help out and encourage others to do the same, bit by bit and little b...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Shauna rated it 5 of 5 stars

I expected this book to be informative but really boring. It was actually very interesting and kind of scary. Lots of good information to help you avoid plastic and a real eye-opener to how dependent on it we are.

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Aug 20, 2012 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

Very good book if you are interested in decreasing your environmental footprint and are ready to tackle the vexed issue of plastic. Full of links, references and inspiring tales.

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Aug 03, 2012 Abbey rated it 5 of 5 stars

So good!! Can be read all the way through or simply used as a reference. Terry offers practical solutions that everyone can accomplish with patience and determination.

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About Beth Terry

Beth Terry began her crusade against plastic overconsumption in 2007 when she started her popular blog, My Plastic-Free Life (the blog formerly known as Fake Plastic Fish), combining useful information about plastic-free alternatives with personal stories and the occasional rant. A founding member of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, Terry spearheaded the successful Take Back the Filter citizen act...more

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