Plastic-Free

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 popular blog, My Plastic-Free Life—Terry provides personal anecdotes, stats about the environmental and health problems related to plastic, and personal solutions and tips on how to limit your plastic footprint. Terry includes handy lists and charts for easy reference, ways to get involved in larger community actions, and profiles of individuals— Plastic-Free Heroes—who have gone beyond personal solutions to create a change on a larger scale. Plastic-Free also includes chapters on letting go of eco-guilt, strategies for coping with overwhelming problems, and ways to relate to other people who aren’t as far along on the plastic-free path. Both a practical guide and the story of a personal journey from helplessness to empowerment, Plastic-Free is a must-read for anyone concerned about the ongoing health and happiness of themselves, their children, and the planet.

Beth is the most knowledgeable person on plastic, particularly disposable plastic, that I know. Her journey to getting rid of disposable plastic is inspiring and amazing, but she also makes it doable for the rest of us. When I first met her, I lived my life pretty nontoxic, but I still used a lot of disposable plastic. Her efforts inspired me to eliminate disposable plastic too, and faced with choices, I always ask myself WWBD (or What Would Beth Do)? She is the standard by which I measure my greenness. --Jennifer Taggart, www.thesmartmama.com, author of Smart Mama s Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child s Toxic Chemical Exposure, Beth Terry is one of the most inspiring people on the planet. Her wisdom about plastic-free living is a beacon of hope for what s possible. Everyone should read this book! --Stacy Malkan, cofounder, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and author of Not Just a Pretty Face, Inspiring. Empowering. And most of all, liberating! Finally, here s everything you need to know to live a healthy, safe, plastic-free life. Kudos to Beth Terry! She s definitely my plastic-free guru! --Diane MacEachern, author, Big Green Purse, The use of plastic is enmeshed in our American way of life. Kicking any habit is tough, but kicking a habit that is invisible in its ubiquity is even more difficult. In this important and enjoyable book, Beth Terry walks the reader through her trials and travails and shows what the average person can do to rid themselves of plastic. Along the way, she creatively demonstrates that ridding one s life of plastic is not only good for the planet but also good for the health and the pocketbook of the American consumer. This book is inspirational and has helped me kick my plastic habit not only when shopping but throughout my daily life. --Congressman Steve Cohen, Tennessee, The problem or the solution starts with each one of us. We can choose to live a life of mindless consumption, becoming consumed by our possessions, or we can choose to live an inspired life, always working to create harmony with our environment. In Plastic-Free, Beth Terry shares the story of her path to a life filled with less plastic and more harmony. Anyone who reads this book will be motivated to follow her lead. --Jack Johnson, musician, cofounder of the Ko-kua Hawai i Foundation

Beth Terry started her crusade against plastic overconsumption three years ago when she started her blog, My Plastic-free Life (formerly called Fake Plastic Fish), which is now the number one blog on plastic-free living in the world. By day, she does accounting for a local Bay Area home care agency. By night, she blogs. She lives with her husband in Oakland, California.