In this day and age, it is crucial to start living a zero-waste life in order to lessen the impact of pollution on the environment. But this transition doesn’t come easily since we are already used to plastics. Reducing the use of single-use plastics like cutlery and straws is a good start, as made popular by the video of Christine Figenner, marine biologist at Texas A&M University, who removed a straw from the nostril of a sea turtle. This shocking video struck the hearts of millions and many now buy metal, glass or bamboo straws as an alternative. This is a nice initiative but just because you bought a reusable straw doesn’t mean that you solved the problem with plastics. The ultimate goal is to go zero-waste. But not many can do this, why?
Because living the zero-waste life requires discipline, and not many people are willing to change their habits to try out alternatives.
This isn’t to say it’s pointless to buy the straws. As mentioned earlier, it’s a good start. But besides discipline, what are the other factors that prevent other people from switching? Let’s list down the possible reasons.
- It’s expensive.
- It’s not available in my area.
- I’m not sure of the quality.
- It might not be safe to use.
How might we change this sort of mentality when it comes to alternatives? Here are some positive statements to counter said reasons.
- It might be expensive, but it will last you a much longer time than if you used plastics.
- It might not be available in my area, but soon eco-startups will expand their reach and make their products and services more available.
- I might not be sure of the quality, but I can check out reviews of the product online and even watch videos of their experience.
- It might not be safe to use, but maybe I can do a little research or ask the creators how their process is done.
Thanks for reading! Watch out for my next blog post–about an app that helps you be productive WHILE planting trees.