Look at this. Do you know what it is? It is an ACTUAL wave of garbage off the coast of the Dominican Republic.
Did you know that every single piece of plastic ever made STILL EXISTS TODAY.
Doesn’t that horrify you? It completely freaks me out. I mean, just look at that video, we – humans – are turning the ocean into a moving mass of plastic monster. That coffee cup you picked up at your local this morning? The plastic packet you accept at the grocery store, your shampoo bottles, plastic water and juice bottles, they will still exist long after you’ve shuffled off this mortal coil.
Those single use discarded items are likely to be the largest legacy you leave on the planet.
What I’m doing
I’m no saint, really. I use plastic too, all the time. But I’m making a conscientious effort to cut down on my consumption in the largest way I can. I’m slowly replacing all the products I buy with glass or non-packaging. I refuse grocery bags whenever I go shopping, and if I’ve forgotten to take my own, I punish myself by carrying all the groceries out. I buy loose fruit and make the tellers put the price on one of them (why on earth do we even bother packaging vegetables?)
When it comes to household cleaning products, this is a little more challenging. Fortunately, in my neighbourhood there’s a no-packaging store (which delivers) that opened up recently. While they don’t do fresh goods yet, they have placed a lot of focus on household items like dishwashing liquid, washing powder, Handy Andy surface cleaner, domestos and a range of other items. You can either take your own containers or buy them there in beautiful glass bottles.
If you think you don’t have a similar package-free shop in your area, you’d be wrong. Do a quick Google search and you’ll see there are plenty of options, and the shop I use (The Refillery) is also opening two branches in Cape Town and one in Nelspruit in the next few months. As a side note- do a quick Google search and you’ll discover a range of dairies in your area that deliver fresh milk in glass bottles daily or weekly. It’s such a simple change to make (and more convenient actually) while saving the planet.
Beauty with an impact
I’m no makeup queen. It takes me about 5 minutes to “do my face”, but I am highly concerned with both the packaging used by makeup manufacturers, and the cruel testing they still do on animals (bear in mind that those massive brands like L’Oreal are required by Chinese law to test on animals in order to import into that country, which of course is a massive market for their products). If you’re not sure whether your beloved brand is testing on animals, find a fairly comprehensive list here. I’ve opted for Nyx, which I know is both clean and cruelty-free.
When it comes to my shampoo, conditioner, face wash and moisturiser, I’ve opted for Lush products. Not only are they cruelty-free, but they are also packaging free, and they smell like heaven and a planet that is no longer burdened with our single-use-plastic-addiction. I’ll level with you, Lush products are shitballs expensive in South Africa. But they last for a fairly long time, and I can’t justify chucking another empty shampoo bottle in the bin to live out eternity in our ocean, or worse, in the belly of some sea creature.
One other thing – disposable plastic razor blades. Just buy a metal one or get waxed. It’s that easy.
There is one other thing I need to talk about on this subject, and I know I’m a hypocrite because honestly I’ve found the adjustment really difficult. But let’s talk for a second, ladies, about Mooncups. All I’ll say is, they’re better for your body, better for the environment. You and I both know how much waste we dispose of during that time of month.
A note on palm oil
A while ago I wrote this emotional Facebook post about palm oil. The reality is that palm oil is not bad, in fact, it can help poor communities lift themselves out of poverty and it is less harmful than farming alternatives like soy and coconut – but only when it’s farmed ethically.
So (as with Lush, which only uses ethically-sourced when they have to) you can check the back of products to see which use good palm oil. Bear in mind that any product that lists “vegetable oil” as an ingredient likely uses palm oil. The guys at Medium have composed a working- list of products in SA that you can buy with a guilt-free conscience. You can also download apps like Buycott, which allows you to pick causes that you care about, and then scan product barcodes to see if the conglomerate that produced is breached any ethics while doing so.
I’ll get off my soapbox now
My mood as I’m writing this post is both dejected and hopeful at the same time, if that’s possible. I’m hopeful that I’ve given you some practical tools to help you change your lifestyle, and I’ve also managed to remind myself that it’s small, simple steps that help you make these changes.
I’m dejected because something’s got to give, and it’s got to be us. We made this mess, we have to fix it.
Blogger in the big city 