What started as an experiment to go plastic free for an entire month has become a way of life for Alba Fernandez.

The environmentalist knew that eradicating plastic from her life completely was a near impossible task given the packaging that comes with most produce from shipping to store. However, she was able to go the full month with only a few minor “sins”.

While she understands that most will never go completely plastic free, she is confident that collectively we can make a big difference by making a few small changes in our everyday lives.

Whether it be carrying a reusable drinks container and refusing disposable cutlery and straws or creating a demand by asking businesses if they stock biodegradable packed produce, she has found simple ways to avoid our disposable culture. She will share some of the wisdom she gained at a free PechaKucha talk on June 22.

Ms Fernandez said that while her motivation for eliminating plastic from her life was to reflect her values and beliefs, she also hopes that her actions will inspire others.

Speaking to The Royal Gazette at the end of her Plastic-Free Challenge, she said: “The reasons I am doing this is I want to have a lifestyle that is more in harmony with my beliefs. It is very hypocritical of me to criticise somebody for using plastic bottles when I have plastic in my fridge.

“People know that plastic is no good but this is a plastic society. I wanted to bring a little bit of awareness to people about what happens when they throw away the straw or the takeaway container. Plastic never goes away — it breaks into smaller bits. You can burn it but it transforms into toxic gasses.

“It is important to be informed and question how we are living our lives and find out how we can do things better. The more I know, the more empowered I feel and the more I can change.”

Ms Fernandez kept an online diary on Facebook that her friends could follow and she was surprised how deeply her challenge impacted them. Her timeline and inbox became full of well-wishing messages and friends sending her links to articles and videos about plastic.

She also set out on a mission to research everything she could about the damage plastics are doing to the environment and which products have the least impact. Finally, she put her challenge to the test and approached businesses with requests to fill her reusable containers with food and drink and to pack her meat in waxed paper rather than packaging it in styrofoam and cling film. When she visited Generosa’s she discovered that the food truck business grows some of its own food, composts waste and uses biodegradable packaging.

“When you are having this experience you quickly understand what is a necessity and what is a commodity,” Ms Fernandez explained. “To me this is at the core of our lives. We don’t think about it because it is so accessible. By doing this challenge I was able to identify which were my needs and which I could live without for at least for a month. I identified my basic needs and then tried to work out if there was an alternative.

“Fruit and vegetables were the first things I went to buy directly from the farms and farmers’ markets — you bring your own bag to those markets. We [my husband and I] also grow our own food as well and compost our waste. I also eat meat so I went to SuperMart and pre-ordered my meat instead of going and conveniently buying it in the trays it gets packed in. They wrap it in waxed paper for me instead, which is biodegradable.

“One thing you can do immediately to change in your life is buying toilet paper that is wrapped in paper rather than plastic wrap.”

There were some plastic items along the way that she could not avoid.

“Nuts!” she said with an air of frustration. “I think nuts are very important to have in your diet especially if you are not eating much meat, but there is nowhere on the island to get them in bulk. That was one of my sins.

“Olive oil for frying and coconut oil — they have a plastic seal and the top was plastic on the olive oil.”

Ms Fernandez said that plastic-free toiletries were hard to come by but, determined not to be defeated, she researched different formulas to make her own. For shampoo she ended up using a combination of baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

“It worked really well so I am going to carry it forward. Most of these things are staying with me — I am not just ditching them because the month is over.

“The more we know as customers, the more that we can demand accountability from organisations and industries.

With one strong, informed and respectful voice we can all make a difference. Everybody has been supportive. Everybody has allowed me to use my own container. Many people are surprised and ask me to explain what I am doing and why. Then they say it makes sense.”

At the end of the challenge, Ms Fernandez ended up with just a few small items of plastic that she had used throughout the month.

“BPA is absorbed by the body — DDT and PCB are extremely toxic chemicals. By refusing disposable plastic we can improve the health of the ocean and environment around us including our own health. Plastic pollution is something we have caused and only we can stop it. It makes me think more creatively about the way I live and I connect with people more and these connections are really meaningful. It has had a huge impact on my life and wellbeing.

Ms Fernandez will be sharing more about her plastic-free experience at PechaKucha on Thursday, June 22 at Warwick Workmen’s Club in Warwick from 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

Alba’s top ten easy tips for reducing plastic consumption

1. Carry a refillable water bottle with you. There are many refillable stations that Greenrock sponsors.

2. Take your own reusable bag when you go shopping.

3. Say no to straws – sip your drink or get a non-plastic straw.

4. Refuse plastic cutlery – embrace reusable cutlery – just carry it. This is a big, big thing.

5. Don’t use take away coffee cups - buy a reusable cup instead.

6. Plastic toothbrush you can use bamboo instead - they sell them at Rock On.

7. Use produce bags for things like lemons. You don’t have to use them at all have them loose.

8. Don’t buy plastic wrap toilet paper – buy paper wrapped in paper.

9. Use hand soap – use a bar soap instead instead of a plastic soap dispenser. It is a major thing.

10. Forget takeaway containers. You know that you are going to eat out - take one.