We Live in the Throwaway Age

The ‘plastic explosion’ of the 50s and 60s has produced a very plastic dependent society.

WE LOVE PLASTIC.

I mean, I’m not afraid to admit that plastics have modernized our lives in profound ways. A miracle invention!  It’s convenient, presumably very hygienic, extremely durable, and best of all – it’s dirt cheap.

The History of Plastic and Today’s Reuse Revolution

Plus, the world’s largest corporations and single-use plastic producers spent billions of dollars and decades convincing all of us that:
#1 it’s perfectly normal to never consider how these single-use choices (aka ‘throwaway culture’) impacts not just the current world around us, but also the future of our planet.
And #2 that the responsibility is solely on you and I, the consumers, to properly dispose of all of this garbage. The worst part?

IT WORKED! REALLY, REALLY WELL!
And generationally speaking, the behavior has become so ingrained and normalized, it seems impossible to reverse. Or crazy to even try. 

Plastic Wars (video)

But I’m afraid we have forgotten (and largely choose to ignore) that for better or worse, our choices have an impact. And as a society, we simply have taken it too far.

Production, consumption and pollution of single use disposables are at an all time high and on track to increase exponentially over the next 20 years. Plastics are already plaguing our oceans, our food chain, and ourselves.

And the waste we can see is only a fraction of what we don’t see. The Waste-berg

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So that’s why I decided to join the Zero Waste movement and ultimately open this store.

As I slowly incorporated low waste practices in my life, I found I was running all over town for half solutions and depending more on online purchases that left me with a carbon footprint regret.

I wished for a local store where I could refill the bottles and containers I was currently using, support local makers, find low waste personal care and grocery solutions all in one place, and most importantly – not feel so darn guilty about the waste I was producing every. single. time. I went to the store.

While we are all busy living our lives, we are also sick and tired of having to choose between convenience and needless packaging.

However, depending on your current routine, it may feel extremely overwhelming to think about “going zero waste” … questions arise:

Where do I start?
Will it be expensive?
What even IS zero waste?
How will I live without my favorite (insert any number of things here)?

It’s important to take it one purchase at a time, think before you buy.

Shopping at Life Unplastic facilitates new choices.

And my job is to curate an evolving menu of normal, everyday products that can help lessen our negative impact on the environment.

I primarily look for products that check the single-use plastic free box, but they all check some other boxes too! Like palm oil free, fair trade, cruelty free, and/or organic.

Products like these should not be hidden behind multinational corporations – help us lift them up and let them know we support their efforts.

 

Above all, know this: striving for zero waste is an imperfect process, but an opportunity to be a part of the solution and end this vicious age of overconsumption.

Once you “quit plastic” (however that takes shape for you) other things start to happen.

You may find yourself saving money, feeling free from materialism, becoming more connected to nature / what you’re eating, or joining (and eagerly) participating in a community with a common bond.

I know because that’s what happened to me.  

Thank you for reading and your support, I hope to see you in the shop soon, beginning your journey to plastic independence.

Vive la révolution!

With gratitude, 

Joy Hughes
Owner, Life Unplastic