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Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too
by
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
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Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
June 15th 2012
by Skyhorse
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Start your review of Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too

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
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

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
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

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
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

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
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

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
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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
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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
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

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
(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

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
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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 ...more
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 ...more

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
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

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

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!
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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
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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
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

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
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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
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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
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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
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

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
Highly recommended. ...more

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.

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

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.
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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
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