#low plastic

September Anti-Haul!

For those of you who don’t know, an anti-haul is a list of items and practices not to partake in. My goal is to do one anti-haul each month!

Free t-shirts. So many events, non-profit organizations, and festivals have free t-shirts with their logo or a slogan on them. They are cheaply and unethically made; they are often supposed to be single use, as in only for that single event; and finally, they are often covered in advertising. Not. Great.

Free samples. Many grocery stores in the US have free sample bins scattered around the aisles. The samples are individually wrapped in plastic. You eat the little bit of food and INSTANTLY throw the plastic away. Single, 5-second use, and that plastic cup is on the earth for👏🏻ever👏🏻

This one should be obvious, but vending machine food. Not only is it disgustingly unhealthy and overpriced, but it is all individually wrapped in plastic wrappers. No thank you.

In a similar vein from number 1, free flyers. While paper is recycleable and compostable, paper is made from trees, takes massive amounts of energy to produce, takes energy to print, etc. etc. If you need the information on the flyer, snap a photo. I know you have your phones on you.

BOGO. Do you really need two?

You are presented with a choice.

You have the choice, every day, to be sustainable or not.

You have the choice to throw something away or recycle it properly.

You have the choice to make your own product or simply rebuy what you used up.

You have the choice to go with what the world tells you, or to break out against is easy and what is right.

Zero waste is hard. It goes against what society around us is telling us. It forces us to look past the billboards and the ads and the infinite voices screaming at us and telling us what to do.

It’s so important that we build each other up, ask questions and be kind.

Here, we are working to literally save the world. It doesn’t help if we are pitted against each other or go with the flow.

We are all figuring it out. Ask questions. Be concerned, confused, and stand up for what you believe in.

1. Blu-ray case. Despite the digital opportunities that exist in the world, I am a person who insists on owning a physical copy of movies. I own so many that I can no longer keep them in their original cases. Yes, I’m terrible. But, I do buy second hand when at all possible!

2. Tag I forgot to put in a previous post. I bought a buff for an upcoming trip to Iceland. And for hiking in general, I suppose. 

I’m addicted to Amazon. For sure. Most parcels distributed by amazon come in bubble envelopes that can be recycled wherever plastic shopping bags are recycled, but some distributers don’t use these. 

This photo is kind of a mash up of items that didn’t really have a category. For the most part, it’s the bathroom. The bathroom is an area we tend to forget when considering plastic reduction. There are options out there, and I’m slowly incorporating things like a stainless razor, looking for more eco friendly makeup, and trying to make some of my own things at home.