frameworks and ideas
to use less plastic
Somehow, humans got along for eons without plastic. But within the past century, we have seen this material emerge from non-existence to achieve environmental threat status, endangering oceans and sea life, for example. We respond to this danger through our recycling efforts, and we can feel good about these purposeful acts. But if we stop for a moment and think (an opportunity this pandemic certainly provides us!), perhaps additional actions we can take will come to mind.
In their book Active Hope, Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone describe a three-step framework we might apply to thinking about plastics in our lives:
Holding actions: stopping unconscious behaviors that contribute to the problem. An example of this might be “aspirational recycling”—I’m not positive this plastic item can be recycled but I’ll toss it into the bin anyway and hope for the best. Reference guides are available to support proper recycling.
Life-sustaining practices: intentionally changing an established routine, such as switching to an environmentally friendly reusable water bottle and no longer buying water in single-use plastic bottles, or consciously buying products packaged in paper, metal or glass instead of plastic.
Consciousness shifts: acting out of a sense of connectedness and responsibility—taking an action that might not be convenient, but one that makes a difference. Examples might include cooking more/buying fewer prepacked meals, shopping more at farmers’ markets (when this option becomes more feasible again), buying foods in bulk/(re)using your own containers, etc.
Earth911.com suggests a “good-better-best” approach for thinking about reducing plastic waste; check it out here.
“Good” actions include actions most of us already take, but here are their examples: https://earth911.com/home-garden/plastic-free-home-5-simple-changes/
“Better” ideas include making use of organizations such as Ridwell (featured last week) that handle more difficult-to-recycle items (Ridwell accepts plastic film). And here are a few additional locator sites along the same lines:
“Best” approaches are more ambitious, like the consciousness shifts noted above. They may involve changing attitudes, even values, to positively impact the environment.
Now August begins, our sixth month of living in a different world. Along with the many negatives we have had to adapt to, might this now be a time to take a positive action? What if each one of us were to change one habit, or start one new practice that would reduce plastic waste from this month forward?