I can’t pull my mind away from the truth about plastic pollution. I always thought that it was enough that I recycled, that I always carry reusable shopping bags. But it’s not, especially when it comes to plastic. Here’s why …
The amount of plastic produced in just one year weighs almost the same as humanity. Nearly all the plastic ever created still exists in some form today. There are more microplastics (pieces of plastic smaller than 5mm) in our oceans than there are stars in our galaxy.
It doesn’t take much of an online search to find facts that will leave you dazed. And maybe a little terrified.
Just recycling isn’t enough anymore
After little more than an hour’s dedicated research, I found myself completely haunted by plastic. Haunted by all the plastic in my bathroom. The shampoo bottles, the toothbrushes, the razorblades, the cotton buds, the plastic lids on everything.
Haunted by all the plastic in my kitchen, on the shelves in the shopping malls, in our clothes. Haunted by the plastic in chewing gum. What?! In chewing gum? Truth. We’ve basically been chewing on what is essentially a ‘lump of malleable plastic’.
We don’t all have to be viral-worthy environmental activists
You know, like those who can fit four years’ worth of trash into one little glass jar. But we do actually need to be environmental activists in our own lives. In our own homes. All of us. We can’t carry on so blindly anymore.
I love the Plastic Free July movement and how they remind us that this is a challenge, not a competition. They tell us that ‘the challenge is intended to make you think about all the single-use plastic you consume every day. Whatever you can cut out is a job well done!’
So here’s to us, to change, to a job well done!
These were some of my quick and easy life changes:
- I put triggers in place so that I never ever again forget to take my reusable shopping bags.
- I switched stores. Now I go to places where I can buy my nuts, fruit, and veggies loose.
- I started using liquid soap during a water shortage because I used less water to wash it off. But now that I’m rethinking plastic, I’m switching back to soap bars and changing the way I use running water instead.
- I finally decided to try a shampoo soap bar. And you know what? I totally love it. So much more than any bottled shampoo I’ve ever used.
- And instead of bottled conditioner, I use natural oils that come in glass containers.
- Even my eye drops were switched out for colloidal silver that I buy in glass.
- My lip ice of choice now comes in a tin.
- What else? Straws. Even though we never really use straws, we’ve now put a conscious ban on them.
- And more than ever before, I refuse to buy bottled water.
- If I need a quick snack out and about, I reject choices that come wrapped in plastic as often as I can.
- We also try to avoid buying gifts that contain plastic.
I don’t always get it right, but I’m working on it. And there are loads of plastic-free ideas on The Plastic Free July site that I’m looking forward to trying out … go take a look and give our planet a little love.
