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Local ladies creating waves for a plastic-free Parry Sound

Walker uses beeswax-coated fabric as an alternative to plastic wrap.

A local woman has created an initiative to encourage businesses and residents to participate in the plastic-free movement.

Ellen Walker and four other concerned residents gather weekly to discuss different strategies to avoid using single-use plastics in their homes and lifestyles.

Walker, the creator of Plastic-free Parry Sound, says she was inspired to participate in the movement after reading the book Zero-Waste Home. 

Since then, she has made small adjustments in her lifestyle that she says have saved her money. She says the public could consider a movement like this to do their part in environmental sustainability at a local level.

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“My family keeps a budget and we’ve actually decreased our overall household budget by about 45 per cent and while some things do cost more, we are able to find savings in other ways,” Walker said.

“When I go grocery shopping, I bring containers and jars and use them to eliminate sources of plastic coming from stores. I also use bees-wax strips as plastic wrap, and my kitchen is completely plastic-free. It takes about two weeks of really trying to avoid plastic in grocery stores to build a habit. It really does not take long,” she said.

Walker has created a Facebook group to encourage a discussion about tips and small lifestyle changes that can be made for a more environmentally sustainable Parry Sound.

“What we’re hoping to achieve is to reach out to the public who are thinking about their plastic consumption and thinking about ways to change. We are hoping to have an exchange of ideas though we are in the preliminary phase as these discussions begin around the kitchen table to begin a real movement,” she added.

While the discussion is in its early phases, Walker says she’s considering approaching businesses in town to consider pledging against single-use plastics such as bags, condiment packets or straws.  She’s encouraging the use of non-plastic alternatives, such as stainless steel straws.

You can learn more about the group at Plastic-Free Parry Sound’s Facebook page.

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