Food For Thought: Shedding Plastic

A Bracelet Reminder

In January of this year, our Soiree Du Film group celebrated Epiphany, replete with a homemade galette Des  Rois from the French Division  (we are three couples who have watched over 150 films and cooked the same number of dinners together for 15 years).  Bob gave each of us an Epiphany gift of a glass bead bracelet as a memento from his donation to 4Ocean.  I still wear mine and it serves as a reminder to strengthen my faulty intentions in removing plastic from my food purchases as well as numerous other things that I buy.  So this post is really not a rant but more a reminder for all of us to lessen the plastic we put into our waste systems. My epiphany from Bob’s Epihany gift has been to make 2019 the year that I discipline myself (and my husband, who does not want to wear a bracelet of recycled beads) to reduce the amount of plastic we use every day.  

A visit to 4Ocean is an excellent place to start. As you will see from their site and video, the organization has a compelling story and a very imaginative business plan. While the company formed by two Floridian surfers, Andrew Cooper and Alex Schulze, is not a non-profit organization, it does accomplish a lot.  Their business (which is basically the sales from these symbolic bracelets, reusable bags and bottles) has its main offices in Florida, but maintains a center in Bali and an affiliate post in Haiti.  4Ocean’s team works to increase their global partnerships and using local workers to remove plastic debris from the ocean. The bracelets are made by a group of paid workers in Bali.  On a small humorous note, I read the complaints of people who apparently thought their $20.00 donation should merit a piece of fine jewelry.  Really, people, get a grip. This is a symbolic gesture to further a necessary solution to a man-made disaster in our waters.  

How To Kick The Plastic Habit

 A search in your browser will reveal numerous anti-plastic websites for you to visit when you need distraction from your keyboard or phone. One of my favorites is www.myplasticfreelife.com. Its creator, Beth Terry, has provided me with more alarming visuals than I could hope to absorb in a year.  Despite its shocking content, the website offers a  safe haven where you can watch terrifying to satirical videos about a problem that all of us have created.  I love Terry’s honesty and over-the-top humor. For those of you who still like to feel the printed page, she also has a book that has gone into its second printing.  Plastic Free offers you, your friends, and your children  many different ways to combat plastic superfluity. Don’t underestimate your potential influence. After all, it was groups of consumers who got Brita to offer a recycling program for their filters. 

The Dude Gives You The Big Picture

The Plastic Pollution Coalition is a decade-old alliance of more than 700 organizations and businesses in over 60 countries. Its purpose is to provide multiple platforms to encourage change in our everyday use of plastic, which, since its introduction in the first half of the 20th century has had a toxic impact on animals, all sources of water, our environment, present-day humans, and future generations.  It uses social media messaging to reduce plastic consumption in our schools, restaurant chains, and catered events, among other venues.  The coalition also works globally to effect change in both domestic policies and international regulation. One of its more interesting programs is in the field of product design, or really product redesign, addressing the mountains of plastic we use in hospitals, eateries, stores, and online resources.

And, after watching these videos, hopefully, you are in a Save-The-Planet mood, so please revisit our post on the film Wasted and on Composting. for more thoughts about reducing our impact on the Earth.