When I first considered going plastic free one of the questions that came up was how much is my ‘fair share’ of the plastic reduction and earth saving load.
I appreciate it’s hard to judge the details of my recycling and purchasing habits to an overview of someone else’s but there’s a few key points at which I feel I’m already doing my fair share.
The plastic bags in the produce aisle of the supermarket. When I see people put bananas into a plastic bag I wonder if they know that plastic exists forever! Or a single piece of fruit or vegetable, really a bag for one apple?
The use of a carrier bag for your rubbish. We were guilty of this for a while but then revamped our waste into worm farm, bokashi, recyclables and dry waste removing the need to line the rubbish bin. When Australia outlawed the single use plastic bag at supermarkets they introduced reusesable plastic bags which now seem to be making their ways into rubbish bins everywhere! At 15c a bag I can’t even see this is cost effective.
Is it really that hard to take your own bags with you?
Though I noticed that one supermarket has changed to paper bags which is a change I would welcome!
These two things really are unnecessary and people can’t even make those small changes? They don’t even cost anything!
Mr SW and I were discussing if the individual action movement is worthwhile with a tour guide on the Overland Track in Tasmania. The guide was very much of the opinion that larger action is necessary, government intervention particularly on the largest polluters.
But most companies in some way respond to consumer demand. If we all created the issue, surely we all need to be part of the solution? And the two things don’t need to be exclusive. The more we show we care about the environment the more likely bigger action becomes.
Even the removal of single use plastic bags in the supermarket caused significant public upset. How would significant change on what we’re ‘allowed’ to do be met? We hate being told what to do, so I can hardly see this being a positive political move.
Sometime last year I tried the CNN climate change quiz based on this research and a staggering difference is based on eating a healthier diet. Imagine the response to the government trying to restrict the consumption of your favourite diet!
I’ll do me, you do you, but could we both at least make an effort? That’s my request.
Bags borrowed from a friend, cat is photographer's own
