Enjoy the video and if you want to learn more, check out the full post below for a lot more information and resources!
I’ve been thinking A LOT about our (specifically my) impact on the planet over the past few years, and I’ve slowly gotten more and more focused on doing what I can to do better. I’ll be honest though, it can sometimes get overwhelming. When I consider how soon they say we’ll be past the point of no return I sometimes wonder if it’s too late to even try and when people I know say individual actions don’t matter much, I sometimes find myself thinking they may be right. However, I’ve come to the conclusion that as cliche as it sounds, change really does start with us, and although the top polluters and drivers of climate change in the world are corporations, we as individuals hold an immense degree of untapped power and potential for creating change.
Those with financial interests in continuing to pollute the planet and emit greenhouse gases can only continue to benefit from these actions as long as we support them. And although there are so many different ways that we can do better for ourselves and the planet, today I’m going to focus on the complexities of recycling and what we really should prioritize.
We are all familiar with this symbol:
Which encourages the idea of reusing, reducing, and recycling. But did you know that most things we think we’re recycling, aren’t actually being recycled? In fact, up until very recently (2019 to be exact), we exported most of our recycling to China until they finally said stop.
That may sound concerning but some cities and several countries have already proven that recycling can be done well and help us reach a zero waste reality. With that in mind, we should be aiming to have as little plastic waste as possible (reducing) while properly recycling what already exists and preventing new waste from contaminating our planet. Pollution, greenhouse gases, and climate change are all connected so by being more responsible about the products we buy and use, we can protect our ecosystems which in turn provide us with a habitable planet. Yay!
One way to do that is to focus on the 6 R’s (or 7 or 5 depending on who you talk to). What I encourage all of you to do moving forward is the following:
Wondering what this means? Let’s talk about it.
- Rethinking…
Seriously take a look at all the choices you’re making. From what kind of items you choose to purchase to how you dispose of your waste. When you are purchasing new products think about what they’re made of. Glass and metal products are able to be recycled indefinitely and better options than plastic. Instead of toothpaste in a plastic tube, consider purchasing toothpaste tablets. Search for companies that are creating products meant to be reused instead of discarded. (I’m actually on a mission right now to find eco-friendly hair products so I’ll report back once I do.) Do you have recycling containers in your home? If not, consider getting them and sorting your items properly to ensure that they do get recycled. Make a conscious effort to do better. You don’t have to do everything at once either, you can start small. Small changes add up.
2. Refuse
Consider saying no. Single-use plastic items are terrible for the planet and you don’t have to use them. Say no to items that will be used once and immediately end up in a landfill for years or longer. Among many other things, you can carry a reusable straw, use reusable grocery bags, and/or find refillable floss options. Don’t get things just because they’re convenient. Try supporting products and companies that have made it part of their mission statement to take care of people and the planet.
3. Reduce
Work towards a more minimalist lifestyle. That does not mean you have to get rid of everything you own but you can work towards only having things that are high quality, bring you joy, and aren’t excessive. Don’t impulse buy. Don’t purchase gifts for others that have no meaning and will only take up space in their lives. Don’t buy a new wardrobe every time you’ve got a new trip to go on. Consider renting your clothes, thrift shopping, or even swapping with friends. Consider homemade options that require fewer purchases on your end. Use what you have before buying anything new and don’t buy things you’ll never use just because it was on sale or convenient. Don’t support companies that are happy to profit off of the destruction of our planet.
4. Reuse
This one involves a lot of options. The first is to simply reuse things the way they were originally meant to be used. If you got containers from takeout, consider washing them and saving them for meal prep later. If you purchased a product that comes in a glass jar, save the jar for storage. And make sure to avoid single-use items and get reusable items. For example, purchase a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water. Another option when it comes to reusing things is to repurpose them. Instead of getting rid of the item, you can turn it into something new. This article has a bunch of suggestions worth checking out. Repairing is another great option when it comes to getting full use out of products you own. Clothing should be repaired, shoes can be fixed, technology can be refurbished, and the list goes on. Here’s a great resource if you want to consider this option. And always remember that if you have good quality items (not trash) that you want to get rid of, there are always those in need and you can consider donating as well.
5. Recycle
As I’ve already mentioned above, recycling is complicated so you should try to avoid having too many things to recycle in the first place however, if you need to, make sure to do it right. Among other things, wash out containers to avoid contamination and don’t recycle anything that’s smaller than a credit card, they’re hard to process
6. Rot
I still have a lot to learn here and I’ll be sharing my composting journey as I figure it out but composting is a great option to avoid food waste ending up in landfills where they create methane. I’ll be exploring different resources to try and figure out the best composting options for myself, if you’ve got suggestions or experience, I’m open to hearing them.
If you’ve engaged with the links you’ll see that several of them came from https://www.earthday.org/. I highly recommend checking them out, donating or becoming a member if you can, exploring their resources, and figuring out how you’d like to get involved and do your part!
Now I hope you’ll enjoy my mini cake and remember your 6 R’s moving forward:
