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

Beth Terry (Goodreads Author)

4.05 · Rating details · 1,148 ratings · 181 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

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Hardcover, 352 pages

Published June 15th 2012 by Skyhorse

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Aug 06, 2012 Tamara rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, green

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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Sep 22, 2016 Suzie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: health, memoir-biography, non-fiction, lifestyle

Ok, so this book was long and hard to get through.... But one of the most inspiring and motivating at the same time! Ha. Heavy on information but also a ton of practical suggestions.

I kind of feel like someone who just watched a fast-food documentary: part disgusted, part in shock, as well as part "so what do I do with that information?"

Notes to self:

-Receipts cannot be recycled
-"BPA free" has proved as bad or worse than regular BPA plastic
-Antibacterial cleaners are not good because they also ...more

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Jul 15, 2017 Lauren rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: i-own, 2017-reads, favorites, minimalism-organization, non-fiction, sustainability

A very positive and non-preachy guide on how to get rid of your plastic addiction. It talks about what plastic actually is, how it's made, and what it does to the environment. Most of the book is a practical guide, though, which was actually great and very realistic and doable.

I would recommend this to anyone who still buys single-use plastic bottles (whether for water or anything else), or still uses disposable plastic bags like it's nothing. I promise you, this book will make you feel like it ...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Mikhaela rated it really liked it

Shelves: how-to, environment, nonfiction

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 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. ...more

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May 20, 2012 Siobhan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: environment, 2012

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 12, 2012 Helena rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

I usually mark pages that contain information I want to follow up on later (like websites I want to check out) or a good idea I'd like to try. Had I done that with Plastic-Free the whole thing would have been bristling with Post-it flags. I checked this out of the library to see if it was worth buying a copy, and the answer is yes. I'd love to have it around as a reference and to re-read, since I have to give it back to the library now. And hey, if I have my own copy then I won't have the oddity ...more

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Aug 21, 2018 Chris rated it really liked it

Four “recyclable” stars for this particular environmental / ecology book.

The author is also a blogger and this book is written in a style that is casual, personable and knowledgeable and not overly scientific, yet educational. It is very user and reader friendly, which made me breeze through it in a short amount of time. This is a very practical guidebook.

The intro section by Beth Terry tells us how she first came upon truly questioning plastics (while being invalid after a surgery). The more ...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Pam rated it really liked it

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 02, 2015 Johanna rated it it was amazing

A book entirely about eliminating plastic from your life could be boring, or it could be really guilt inducing. I found this book to be neither. The author was honest about her own struggles, which helped me feel less guilty about my own, but also straightforward about the problems with plastic - for our world and for our own health. I found the book at once distressing, infuriating, enlightening, and empowering. I wish my brain were able to hold all of the information I got from it, and all the A book entirely about eliminating plastic from your life could be boring, or it could be really guilt inducing. I found this book to be neither. The author was honest about her own struggles, which helped me feel less guilty about my own, but also straightforward about the problems with plastic - for our world and for our own health. I found the book at once distressing, infuriating, enlightening, and empowering. I wish my brain were able to hold all of the information I got from it, and all the ideas and action plans. Every time I put it down, I thought, "I'm gonna do that. I can totally do that," but then the next chapter had so many more ideas I wanted to try, so I couldn't hold everything in! Luckily, Ms. Terry also includes a list of action steps at the end of each chapter to help organize all the thoughts you have while you read, and the information and ideas and resources (and there are TONS) that she gives are really well organized. I pretty much wanted to highlight the whole thing, but since it is so well organized, I didn't have to.

I read this book in preparation for my church's Lenten series on simplicity. At first I was doubtful that it would be very helpful, that it would mostly be a gratifying read for this NorCal hippie and fuel what efforts I already make at living lightly in the world. But I found plenty of material. My big take-away (which she actually covers in the final chapter) is that as soon as you start to notice and then eliminate plastic in your life, you realize that most things that come in plastic are unnecessary or downright unhealthy. The author had to learn how to cook real food, for example, because she could no longer rely on frozen and processed food. She had to learn how to make her own cleaning supplies, and buy whole foods in bulk. She learned how to make and fix things herself, which not only saved money and waste, but also gave her a sense of pride, ownership, and joy for her things, rather than being totally detached from them and thus willing to throw them in the garbage. These are exactly the goals of simply living: to appreciate more what you have (and not view it as disposable and worthless), to avoid waste, to go back to basics (why is there is a different cleaner for every part of your bathroom, when all you really need is water, vinegar, and baking soda?) Consumer society has convinced us we need more stuff, and more complex stuff, but we just don't. Support the economy, but support your local economy, your local community, or small businesses that are committed to ethical practices, and that will respond to your requests (like asking for plastic-free packaging when something is shipped to you!). It is good for the environment, good for your community, good for your physical and emotional health, good for your relationships... Why not go for it? ...more

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Dec 01, 2017 Daisy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, read-in-2017, 5-star, books-i-own, author-north-american, non-fiction, favs-of-2017

I'm a teenager who loves nature living in an era of devastating habitat loss and animal species decline, disgusting pollution and apocolyptically terrifying changes in the world's climate. But I'm optimistic about the future, because of people like Beth Terry.

This book is the ultimate guide to the problems of plastic and how to reduce it in your life. Not only is there an unbeatable collection of well-researched information, resources and tips, but this book is chock-full of inspiring personal s I'm a teenager who loves nature living in an era of devastating habitat loss and animal species decline, disgusting pollution and apocolyptically terrifying changes in the world's climate. But I'm optimistic about the future, because of people like Beth Terry.

This book is the ultimate guide to the problems of plastic and how to reduce it in your life. Not only is there an unbeatable collection of well-researched information, resources and tips, but this book is chock-full of inspiring personal stories and emotional advice for anyone trying to be more eco-friendly. Terry really understands how overwhelming it can be to realise you're drowning in a sea of plastic, and you're taking the ocean's beautiful marine life down with you - or the difficulty of trying to face any environmental problem in the world today. So she gives her advice in a friendly and often humourous way, and weaves in stories of amazing activists and real changes that have been made. She also includes handy lists of how to deal with feeling hopeless or insignificant in the face of massive global issues. But the biggest reason why this book makes change feel not only possible, but exciting, is the author herself. She takes the time to show you her journey, right from living off single-serving freezer convenience meals (all packaged in plastic) to the place she's at now. She is so vibrantly human - chasing her passion, forgiving herself and others for damage we've already caused, and still making mistakes - that it jumps off the page.

This is such an approachable and informative book, and I definitely think you should read it. Making changes in your life that you know will benefit the world, actually becoming connected to your actions, is such a positive thing, and this book provides you with such a wide breadth of tools to do that. The one drawback of this book might be that it's kind of USA-focused, but I think that's unavoidable really and I still feel like I have so much accessible resources at my fingertips, even though I live in England. So whoever and wherever you are, go pick this up! ...more

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Sep 01, 2020 Petrucha rated it it was amazing

A lot of 5-star reads lately :)

Look, there are many things that inspired me to go with that rating. Number one being that at a point where I thought to myself that it’s all too much, plastic is in fucking (sorry) everything and I will never get rid of it, there came a chapter called ‘when it’s overwhelming’ and what to do when it all starts feeling like too much. Very much appreciated.

I loved the insertion od everyday heroes - people who changed things and proved that one person CAN in fact mak ...more

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Jul 01, 2019 Debbie Boucher rated it it was amazing

This book is about as comprehensive as it gets on this subject. The author also blogs at myplasticfreelife.com. The problem of plastic in our environment is huge, and it's not an easy one to solve. But like Terry, I am doing what I can to make changes. I like her approach, and I appreciate her research and dedication to this subject. I also believe, as the author does, that even small changes can make a difference. If you're looking for information and inspiration on this subject, this book is f ...more

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Aug 23, 2019 sophia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, best-of-2019, minimalism

Very insightful read. Definitely something I'd recommend for anyone looking to *throw out* plastic culture. It's a quick read—I finished it pretty quickly while sitting at the library, though I did take a lot of notes on it. I wish I had my own copy! ...more

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May 23, 2017 Rachel Ayers rated it it was amazing

Solid research. Lots of solutions and alternatives for anyone at any level of concern or commitment.

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Jan 16, 2013 April Franklin rated it really liked it

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 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! ...more

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May 01, 2014 Danielle rated it it was amazing

I LOVE this book simply because Beth puts everything we need to know about the "problems with plastic and what we can do about those problems" into one easy to read book.

It's a book that shows us possibilities... and it's so freaking inspiring.

My favorite theme of Plastic-Free is: By letting others see our personal changes, we set an example of a different way to be.

Beth empowers her readers with the knowledge and know how to go out into the world and do something-- whether it's picking up lit ...more

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Apr 05, 2012 krista. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2012, green

I bought this book because I decided to really get serious about cutting my plastic consumption, and I wanted some textual support on my journey. This book has way more information than I could absorb in one go, but I feel like it's both a great resource for information and for a supportive voice when trying to do the right thing becomes overwhelming. Beth Terry is a great cheerleader in this book, and I very much appreciate that tone because the subject matter can seem quite overwhelming and gr ...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Stephanie Coldiron rated it liked it

Great info on how plastic is ruining our world. Hard to live by completely, but lots of great ideas on helping the environment.

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Mar 01, 2018 Justin rated it liked it

If you are a dirty hippy this might be old hat

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May 07, 2019 Kate rated it really liked it

I liked this book a lot but I feel it would help to have a revamp and restructured, especially for the audiobook. It had really good info but I felt spent a lot of time on subjects I didn't need to go so deep into and then rushed to get other items in before finishing. References to companies and places to get plastic free options is great, but the websites could have been placed in an index and instead of reading out the addresses in each section. I found myself skipping that a lot. But I feel ...more

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Mar 23, 2020 Barb Nelson rated it really liked it

Beth Terry is friendly, enthusiastic, and thankfully not particularly judgmental. She does an excellent job of describing her own journey to a plastic-free life. I don’t think I’ll ever take it as far as she has, but still I learned a lot of helpful strategies, and just seeing how she did it gave me a clearer vision of what to do. My only complaint is that if you’re already onboard with the need to cut down on plastic, the first third or so of the book is tedious. She doesn’t really get down to ...more

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Sep 18, 2017 Marth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A Great Way to Start Thinking

This book is a great way to open your eyes to the dangers of plastics and how you can do your best to avoid them. The only reason I'm subtracting a star is because a lot of the solutions seem money-based. I'd appreciate some pointers for the folks who can't afford the special eco friendly stuff.
All in all, though, a good way to get started! ...more

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Feb 21, 2019 Abby rated it liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, home

Helpful; mostly made me feel extra-paranoid. But she writes in a nonjudgmental way, which is refreshing, particularly in this zero-waste arena, which tends to be very self-righteous.

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Apr 06, 2019 Angélique (MapleBooks) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2019

Brilliant book, probably the best I've read about living waste-free so far. It's very practical with a lot of links to references, shops and further information.
Highly recommended. ...more

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Jul 10, 2019 Chloe H. rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction, based-on-a-blog, how-to, environmentalism

A lot more homegrown and down to earth than other guides for waste reduction that I have read. Surprisingly though, things have changed a lot since 2012 and some advice is already out of date.

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Jan 16, 2021 Arroma Assada rated it it was amazing

It is an eye opening book which represents the negative impact of plastic on our earth. The writer mentions all the plastic items we use in our daily life and the alternatives that we can use to avoid polluting the planet.

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May 24, 2018 Marcela rated it it was amazing

Potentially life changing book. Not only tells you why you should reduce your use of plastic but gives you many ways on how you can make an impact. Recommended highly!!

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May 20, 2018 Cori rated it it was amazing

Great story! I like the idea of making small changes, and appreciated the links.

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Aug 17, 2019 Inger-Johanne rated it really liked it

I thought I wouldn't find too many new ideas here that I had not already thought of, but it did move me further along in the right direction. I think it's a great idea for everybody to become more aware of how we can cut back on unnecessary use of plastic and how many small changes can make a difference. And I had to laugh when, at the point in the reading when I was starting to feel overwhelmed, there was a chapter called "What to do when you feel overwhelmed" (quoting from memory). That was ju ...more

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Mar 03, 2017 Kim Dicso rated it it was amazing

I started reading this book at my partner's behest to understand why she was giving away all of our plastic and not buying any new plastic. This book was easy to read and is pretty much a manual on how to live plastic-free or at least plastic-less. Truly life changing! Reading this book changed how I view the world and my own consumption. ...more

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About Beth Terry

Beth Terry

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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