Plastic, it’s everywhere. I’ve seen many articles online on how plastic is crippling our marine life but nobody seems to do much about it. Having grown up visiting Thailand and truly appreciating the beauty of the sea and the coastlines, the whole idea of ‘single use plastic’ really grates on me, especially after seeing David Attenborurgh’s Blue Planet which was broadcasted for the whole of the UK to see. I recently saw a post on Facebook earlier this year which was a beach littered in plastic and rubbish which not only made me feel angry but also made me feel as though I needed to pass my passion for changing on to others.
Ok, so here I am pictured with a milkshake and a straw, if it was by choice I’d have never of had it but it seemed that every single drink I bought on holiday had a straw plonked in to it, so was I to use it or throw it away, I mean it’s already been put in my drink so do I just use it and pretend like it never happened? I didn’t even want to share this picture on any social media channel because it goes against what I try to preach to my friends and colleagues but I thought that perhaps writing a post on how we can all make a small difference would benefit us all (especially me because lately I’ve got a bee in my bonnet and everything is sending me raging, haha!).
So, what can we all do to help? I’ve made a few small changes in my every day-to-day life and I think we can all try to do the same, even if you can do just one of those today. I started by buying one large bottle of water and refilling it every single day, carrying it with me to and from work and for the gym. This means I no longer have to buy a bottle of water or use a plastic cup at work (they have got rid of them now though, which I’m happy about, as well as plastic knives and forks!).
Straws.. Do not get me started on straws. Ok, I totally get it, some people really do need them. I didn’t understand the importance of straws to some people until I was introduced to a lady from Milnthorpe to do a bra fitting, who had unfortunately suffered with a stroke. It was frustrating for her not get her words out properly as the muscles that controlled her mouth had almost stopped working. She asked for some water with a straw and I could see how much of a struggle it was for her. People like this do need straws but for anyone else, please, please, please stop using them! They take up to 200 years to disintegrate – that’s not even in your lifetime! I saw this video which pops in to my mind every time I’m offered a plastic straw, maybe it will help you understand the severity of using them.
I’ve also started using shampoo and conditioner bars from Lush, I can’t believe how long it’s taken for me to discover this brand! I know they’re popular already but I’ve never set foot in one of their stores before. When I visited the Lancaster store, I was so overwhelmed with all the scents and the colours. The lady who I spoke to was so helpful and told me which would be best suited for my hair and I ended up leaving with the 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner jasmine scented bar which you can find here and I absolutely love it! I will never go back to using ordinary shampoo and conditioner again, you have to give it a go! Plus, you won’t be using 100’s of plastic bottles a year.
And finally, my biggest pet peeve… plastic bags. I’m not going to pretend that I remember my shopping bags every single time I go shopping but I do make an effort to try. The only time when you’ll catch me without a bag is when I’ve had to pick up some last minute bits on the way home from work and I still begrudge buying a bag, not for having to spend the 5p but for encouraging single use plastic. We can all try harder to fill our cars with a bag full of bags or carry some of those fabric ones around in our handbag. This is something I need to try harder with for this year and by next year I’m going to make it my aim to not buy a single carrier bag.
These are all such small changes which we can all introduce into our lives without so much effort. I’d love to influence at least someone in to making a difference to our world by helping other’s understand what’s going on. I’m not all as clued up as I’d like to be but I have a genuine care, especially for our marine life. If you want to learn more, there’s a lot of information on this website, with facts and figures, where you can donate to a worthwhile cause. Let me know if you make any changes and how it goes, I’m interested to see how many people care as much as I do. Love, L.