Hi everyone, welcome back! This week I wanted to do something a little different and put my words into action. This post will be an outline of what I plan to do in the next few weeks as an ecofeminist to try and change my ways of living.
The Idea:
Single-use plastics are a huge issue right now, and it is something that can be so easily avoided if we were just self-aware. Any type of plastic can take up to, if not more than, 1,000 years to decompose, and that is when it is disposed of properly (landfill and not in the ocean). Single-use plastics include items such as water bottles, utensils, plastic bags, carryout containers, and food wrappers. Plastic water bottles can easily be avoided if we each carry around a reusable water bottle, plastic utensils can actually be reused if you wash them after every use, plastic bags can be replaced with reusable fabric bags that are washable (in order to keep them clean), plastic carryout containers are actually reusable as well if you wash them the correct way (styrofoam is not), and lastly, food wrappers such as plastic wrap can be avoided if we use reusable containers to store our food.
The Plan:
With the amount of plastic we all use each and every day, I would like to try and go the rest of the semester (so 2-3 weeks) without obtaining any additional single-use plastics. That being said, I will still keep the plastic containers I have right now such as shampoo, conditioner, and other items like that, but I will make sure they are properly disposed of once finished (in the recycling bin). The plan here is to avoid taking plastic bags if I dare to venture out anywhere right now, use a reusable water bottle to hold my drinks, avoid getting carryout food (which will be difficult during this time of isolation), and use reusable utensils at work for my lunch breaks (and wash them afterward). As many of you know, during this pandemic we are in the midst of most places are closed, except for my work. So, I feel like this plan should be easy enough seeing that I cannot go anywhere besides work and home for the foreseeable future.
Hopes and Dreams:
With this plan to avoid single-use plastics, I hope to lessen my carbon footprint and my plastic consumption to benefit the environment. I also hope that by actively avoiding single-use plastics for the next few weeks, I can get into the habit and avoid these plastics on the long term scale. I also hope that I can convince my manager at work to switch to paper bags. I have tried in the past and she said OK, and ordered the paper bags, but never made the official switch. The amount of plastics bags I have given out to people over the 4 years I have worked for CVS could probably fill a football field 2 times over, and it kills me to think I have contributed to the plastic pollution our world is going through by simply just doing my job. I always ask people if they want a bag, and 9 times out of 10 they say yes and ask for extras for their trash bins at home. I hope I can change this but it definitely won’t be done in the next 2 weeks.
The proper disposal of plastic is definitely a big problem in our world right now. We were on the road to a positive change when many stores had switched from plastic to paper bags, which are much easier to recycle. Yet now with this whole coronavirus thing going on, stores have had to switch back to plastic once again, and who knows how long it will remain this way. Many people are ignorant of how to dispose of plastic bags/bottles and do not think of the consequences and dangers to the Earth. It is obviously a danger to humans and is a big factor in environmental degradation, yet it is a huge problem for nonhuman animals as well, especially for those animals who live in the ocean. It is unfortunate and unfair the amount of damage plastic does to sea animals who are so innocent and do not contribute to the amount of litter that ends up in their homes. So many whales and other sea creatures are found washed up dead on beaches and their stomachs are FILLED with plastics of all kinds. It truly breaks my heart whenever I hear about this, or about sea turtles who get plastic stuck around their shells and make it impossible for them to do certain things. As the ones causing the issues with environmental degradation, it is our responsibility to step and try to stop the improper disposal of plastics and other things, to the best of our ability. Which is why I enjoy your plan for action! It is definitely a positive first step in helping to stop the oppression humans leave on nature. It definitely may take time to make a difference in our very large world. To take it to the next level, you could express to your friends, family and coworkers why you are limiting your use of plastics. Explain stories from our class and discuss the damages plastic does to the Earth, as well as the deeper impacts it has on women and the environment. I know personally I was not aware of the impacts of environmental degradation, so I am sure anyone you talk to would appreciate the new knowledge and be likely to join you in your action! 🙂
We talked about the association with meat and women, and the sorts of sexism that come out of that from an ecofeminist perspective, but what if we applied that framework to your project about single use plastics? Many plastics are advertised to women in a sexist manner that can be overlooked. Plastics like ziplock bags are generally marketed toward moms as a tool to be used when caring for children. This sexist approach enforces the ‘stay at home mom’ gender role, and demeans women in a way that is similar to the way that the meat industry capitalizes on the oppression of women. I think similar veganism, this topic idea does push back against those sexist ideas, as one of the consumer’s most powerful tools is the wallet. You talked about switching to paper bags at work, which is an excellent idea. We had a problem at my work where people would regularly swing by and ask for water multiple times, and we’d have to give them multiple cups, which is obviously just a waste of plastic. I have to encourage each guest to bring back their empty cups, but as I’m sure any customer service rep would understand, the customers get so vicious when you ask them to do anything. I look forward to them seeing the consequence of their actions.
I think your post is really spot on, but I would be mindful of how you also enact your plan. Specifically, what I mean by that is to not only discourage the use of single-use plastics like water bottles, or plastic bags because of the fact that they cause environmental harm but also supply other objects facts and reasons. For instance, most people see buying bottle water as a cleaner alternative to the tap but fail to understand the regulations that go into supply bottled water, or to the tap. Many people do not realize that in many instances that their tap water is more regulated than the bottled water they drink, tap often has to pass more regulatory commissions. Often times people who have bad tap water is more because of internal plumbing issues. Bottled water companies have little incentive in allowing consumers to know exactly where the water comes from. Another fact about bottled water I find often appeals to people is a simple economic comparison between the two products; bottled water priced on average at $1.21 while on average tap water is priced at $.0015 dents. That comparison is leaves bottled water over 800 times more expensive, given the general regulation factors, simply asking people if they would pay 800 times the given price of anything. I think by appealing to people on multiple levels of engagement, through sound logical ideas and facts that are more obtainable to grasp people are more willing to make adjustments in their own life. Also with plastic bags, reminding people that the initial design was not for single-use at all. The original designer of the plastic bag intended for people to be able to use them over and over again; people are right they last thousands of years why not use them multiple times over by the same user?
AHHHH! This is an amazing idea!!!! The world has so much pollution in it and I think it is wonderful that you want to do your part. I did not know that plastic takes that long to decompose and the world is FILLED with it. I always have wondered about this issue myself. I know when most people think of plastic pollution, they always look at the consumer BUT I have always thought about the bigger picture first; the source. Do you think there could/should be a law that could be passed that would force companies and suppliers to be more conscious? I am talking that companies would need to find different materials, packaging, and/or rebrand their products so that they are healthy for the environment IF someone decided to, for example; throw them on the road. Or could plastic companies be forced to invent a plastic that would be biodegradable. I am in control of my disposing of plastic but I, as a consumer, am not in control of how the product has to be bought. I think that consumers AND suppliers are at fault for this problem we have WORLDWIDE.
As for your goals, I think they are amazing and I commend you because they are not easy given the pandemic we are going through! The Earth thanks you!!
Hey! I’d imagine that if I ever worked as a cashier at a CVS I’d have similar regrets! Looking back at all those times that my family was asked for paper or plastic at a Price-Rite, I wish they would have made the right decision. My family in particular is awful when it comes to our plastic usage, and a single glance at our trashcan makes that abundantly obvious. So I think it’s a great idea that you’re deciding to go plastic free! I think a good idea would be to spread this notion to your family. One person can only do so much but imagine what an entire family can do! That may be difficult since it has become so easy to use plastic nowadays, but I’m sure with some reasoning perhaps they’d be open to the idea. We’ve all got a lot of free time on our hands now anyways so maybe they’d look forward to trying something new. I’d imagine it would be difficult to change the minds of complete strangers trying to take home groceries and such from a CVS, but taking the extra second to ask people if they want a bag could potentially prevent one more trash bag from being tossed into another landfill, and I think it’s important to celebrate small successes; especially in this turbulent time. Great post and good luck!