Terra Reruns… (Revisiting themes from last year.)
Last week we talked about how there are really six R’s in working toward a zero-waste lifestyle.
The first R is Rethinking how we consume and discard resources. Did anything jump out at you or encourage you to look for a new solution to an old habit? Are you slipping back into disposables like plastic coated paper plates and bottled water, etc. Are you rethinking ways you can find alternatives? Terra loves to hear from you if you are!
Today we are looking at the next step- Refuse. What can we say no to, before it even comes into our homes? We live in such a consumer driven society, we forget that we can politely say no to things like birthday party swag bags, plastic bags, free hotel shampoo, disposable products of all kinds, cheap mass-produced novelty items that will break and/or be discarded soon. Become aware and refuse to bring into your life anything that you don’t need, that doesn’t improve your life in a meaningful way, and hurts the planet we love. It can be as simple as saying “No bag, please” or “No straw or lid, thanks”.
Refusing up front means we don’t have to figure out how to Reuse or Recycle later! Here’s a real-life example; going to the dentist always ended with a plastic bag filled with goodies. I started asking only for the samples I knew I’d use (the toothpaste and brushes for Blessing Bags) and declined the plastic bag and floss, since I have no use for the bag and the tiny amount of floss isn’t worth the excess plastic packaging. Now my dentist uses paper bags for all his patients and asks first which products I’d like. A win-win for me and creation! So just say “no” to unnecessary items, disposables, and excess packaging.
Terra