Waste free journey- small scale
I can talk about large lofty ideals, an upheaval of the current unsustainable systems. But this massive change cannot happen independantly.
It needs to be made up of the efforts of dedicated individuals who take matters into their own hands.
The consumer has more sway than most believe. If we are prepared, proactive and consciencious of our impacts, we can make the right decisions to start removing single use waste from our lives.
Some steps are easier than others, and the best ones to start with include bringing reusable items with you to eliminate the need for disposable single use objects of convenience. If you bring a mug with you everywhere you'll never need to buy coffee in a cup. Sames goes for plastic bags, reusable utensils, water bottle. I even bring a reusable tupperware so I don't need to ask for a to-go container (which are sadly most often still styrofoam!)
Living in a consumerist society it is difficult to escape the entrapments of convenience. Nearly everything is prepackaged and processsed for your consuming pleasure. We live in a time where time seems a limiting factor, everyone is too busy working to afford the luxuries of personal preparation. So we rely on the ready-to-eat section of the grocery store, thinking it's affording us more freedom.
But for me, true freedom involves having a say in what I consume, both edibly and topically.
Ive begun making my own personal care products. I wasn't happy with the choice of carcinogenic anti-perspirants so I make my own probiotic deoderant. I don't believe in plastic microbeads so I make my own exfoliants out of coconut oil and old coffee grounds. Sodium Laureth Sulfates make me nervous so I make my own shampoo.
The list goes on, and it becomes more an act of self reliance more than anything.
I can't wait for extended producer responsibility to be a thing, so I place the responsibility upon my self, the consumer. And if more people do this, we may just be able to send a message to the producers of the world, that more is needed from them than selling us convenience without a conscience.
It needs to be made up of the efforts of dedicated individuals who take matters into their own hands.
The consumer has more sway than most believe. If we are prepared, proactive and consciencious of our impacts, we can make the right decisions to start removing single use waste from our lives.
Some steps are easier than others, and the best ones to start with include bringing reusable items with you to eliminate the need for disposable single use objects of convenience. If you bring a mug with you everywhere you'll never need to buy coffee in a cup. Sames goes for plastic bags, reusable utensils, water bottle. I even bring a reusable tupperware so I don't need to ask for a to-go container (which are sadly most often still styrofoam!)
Living in a consumerist society it is difficult to escape the entrapments of convenience. Nearly everything is prepackaged and processsed for your consuming pleasure. We live in a time where time seems a limiting factor, everyone is too busy working to afford the luxuries of personal preparation. So we rely on the ready-to-eat section of the grocery store, thinking it's affording us more freedom.
But for me, true freedom involves having a say in what I consume, both edibly and topically.
Ive begun making my own personal care products. I wasn't happy with the choice of carcinogenic anti-perspirants so I make my own probiotic deoderant. I don't believe in plastic microbeads so I make my own exfoliants out of coconut oil and old coffee grounds. Sodium Laureth Sulfates make me nervous so I make my own shampoo.
The list goes on, and it becomes more an act of self reliance more than anything.
I can't wait for extended producer responsibility to be a thing, so I place the responsibility upon my self, the consumer. And if more people do this, we may just be able to send a message to the producers of the world, that more is needed from them than selling us convenience without a conscience.
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