Why I’m Launching This Site (and Where It’s Headed)

I’m launching PlasticFreeLiving.com, and I wanted to share the inspiration behind it, what I’m building, and where I hope it goes next.

Over the last few years, I’ve watched the evidence stack up around something that’s hard to ignore. Plastic is accumulating in our environment, and it’s also showing up more and more inside our bodies. Microplastics and nanoplastics seem to be everywhere, and what stands out is not only how widespread they are, but the growing conversation about potential health and wellness implications as exposure continues.

This site is my response to that. It’s a way to turn concern into action, one decision at a time, with better information and fewer blind guesses.

Why I Started This

The basic motivation is simple: I want to reduce plastic exposure in my own life, and reduce the plastic contamination I contribute to in the world around me.

But once I tried to make changes, I ran into a problem that I think a lot of people face.

It’s hard to know what the “right” choice is.

Even when you want to do better, there are tradeoffs, and the implications of those tradeoffs are not always clear.

The Tradeoff Problem, Through One Example

One of the first things I focused on was drinking water. Water is the most common thing I drink, so the question seemed straightforward.

How do you drink water with the lowest possible microplastic and nanoplastic contamination?

That question gets complicated fast. Here are just a few of the things that came up for me:

1. If you drink from the tap, what role does plastic piping in the home play

2. If you use a filter, does it address microplastics and nanoplastics equally

3. Some evidence suggests Reverse Osmosis filtration can reduce microplastics dramatically, but there are also concerns it may increase nanoplastics

Even something as everyday as water can be surprisingly difficult to “solve” confidently.

The Community Is There, but the Information Is Scattered

At the same time, I found a great community on Reddit called Plastic Free Living, where people share ideas and support each other as they try to reduce plastic in practical ways.

It’s a valuable resource. But I still wanted a platform that brings more pieces together in one place, and helps make decisions easier to navigate.

That’s the gap PlasticFreeLiving.com is meant to fill.

What PlasticFreeLiving.com Is Meant to Become

My vision is to build this site into a portal that combines practical experimentation with solid information. Over time, it may include:

Content and education

• Videos, vlogs, and blog posts documenting what we try and what we learn

• Guides that help people make changes without getting overwhelmed

Research and clarity

• Summaries of what current research suggests

• Plain-language breakdowns of common tradeoffs and claims

Product testing

• Comparisons of alternatives that people actually use in daily life

• Reviews that focus on what holds up, what doesn’t, and what feels worth it

Potential lab testing and validation

• Testing certain products when claims are unclear

• Exploring cases where “plastic-free” turns out to be more complicated than it sounds

A helpful shopping portal

• Only if it genuinely helps people make better choices

• Only if it aligns with the mission and doesn’t turn into noise

A Family Project with My Son, Robert

This has also become a project I’m doing with my son Robert. He’s interested, and I have a strong feeling he’s going to be a great content creator and a big part of what makes this site engaging.

Right now, we’re focused on launching the website, while also having fun with research and early content creation.

Our First Project: Cutting Boards

Our first deep dive is on something that seems simple, but isn’t once you start looking closely: cutting boards.

We’ve been researching a wide range of alternatives, including:

• Titanium

• Glass

• Silicone

• Resin-based boards

• Wood options, including butcher block styles and glued formats

Solid wood kept coming up as the most natural and appealing direction, with some clear advantages:

• Beautiful and natural

• Easy on knives

• A solid, proven option in many kitchens

But there’s also a real downside that comes up repeatedly: maintenance.

People talk about handwashing, oiling, and extra care. It’s not as convenient as tossing a plastic board in the dishwasher.

So instead of debating it endlessly, we decided to test it in a realistic way.

What we’re going to do

1. Try several solid wood cutting boards

2. Use them in daily life without obsessing over perfect maintenance

3. Track how they hold up over time

4. Share what we learn through videos and blog posts

The goal is not perfection. The goal is practical insight you can actually use.

Where This Could Go Next

Cutting boards are just the start. There are thousands of choices people are trying to make, and a lot of them are harder than they look.

One area I’m especially interested in is validation, because some products sound plastic-free until you dig in. Textiles are a good example. People may switch to materials like bamboo, only to realize later that the final product can still involve plastics in ways they weren’t expecting.

That’s where I’d love to go over time: bringing more verification into the conversation, so people can make choices with more confidence.

Thanks for Being Here

PlasticFreeLiving.com is meant to be a catalyst for my own journey and a resource for anyone trying to reduce plastic exposure without getting lost in the complexity.

We’re just getting started, and I’m excited to see where this heads.

Thanks for joining us at PlasticFreeLiving.com.