Reflections from Plastic-Free July
Hey friends,
As you know, Plastic-Free July has finally come to end. And over the course of this last month, I did my best to completely eliminate plastic from my everyday life. I avoided buying packaged blueberries. Everywhere I went, I carried my own cutlery. I didn’t buy bread because of its plastic wrappings. And I even brought my own containers to restaurants in case I had leftovers.
#stopsingleuseplastics
But with everything I did, I still was nowhere near completely eliminating plastic from my or my family’s everyday lives. Because... plastic is everywhere. I see it more times a day than I can count, from the plastic trash I encounter on my morning skates to a simple grocery store. Plastic is everywhere.
And during the midst of Plastic-Free July, I began to wonder if my actions were even making a difference. I mean, I know that every little bit counts, but even with everything I did, it still seemed like I was barely making a dent in the gargantuan plastic problem.
#plasticfreejuly
Okay, I didn’t buy blueberries for a month, but how many people did? And how many people threw away the plastic container as soon as they finished their blueberries? And then what happened to that container? Did it end up in a landfill where it would eventually break apart and leach microplastics? Or, did it end up floating on Biscayne Bay?
Thoughts like this crossed my mind the entire month, and it made me realize that no matter what we do to limit our own plastic consumption, there will still be plastic. Because even if everyone majorly reduced their plastic consumption, we still have a problem.
A plastic free lifestyle is harder than you think
I mean I didn't think it would be such a big leap for someone who is already eco-conscious like me, but it was, The task of going plastic-free was utterly impossible because plastic is so ingrained in every single thing we do, To be completely plastic-free, you have to make it your full-time job. Think, you cant buy oat milk; you have to make it. You cant buy bread; you have to make it. You cant buy sauce; you have to make it,
So, if we’re going to save our environment and stop plastic pollution, then we need to change the system. Namely, the systems responsible for the production of single-use plastics.
I love markets like Verde where you can fill your own jars with dry goods
A study from the London School of Economics found that only 100 companies are responsible for 90% of the global production of single-use plastics. Think about that: 100 companies are responsible for most of the waste that ends up in our oceans and landfills, and it’s not fair.
Corporations don’t care about the state of our environment. They don’t care that they’re ruining our oceans and killing marine ecosystems at an alarming rate. However, they do care about turning a profit. And if we work together, we may be able to change the way the system works.
If the government were to tax single-use plastics and plastics in general, to the point where it became more profitable for corporations to package items in sustainable wraps and containers, then we would be much closer to actually solving our plastic problem.
Next time bring your own bags!
So, what can we do aside from our own actions to reduce plastic from our lives?
We can call our representatives. We can ask them to release strategies for combatting plastic pollution and a deadline for those strategies to come into place.
We can show up, organize community events like beach cleanups, and raise awareness about our plastic problem.
We can follow up with our representatives and hold them accountable when they don’t follow through on their promises to combat plastic pollution.
We can buy and support businesses that are committed to reducing their plastic consumption and waste.
And, I know it seems like the problem is so large that it will never be solved, but remember every little effort counts for something.
We are a part of nature
