Plastic waste is choking our planet. It’s killing marine species, polluting the air we breathe, and putting stress on our oceans and rivers. Plastic is everywhere in part because it has a lot of advantages over more traditional materials. For instance, plastic is essential in preventing food waste, keeping medical equipment sanitary, and as a lightweight packaging alternative that reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
But as useful as it may be, plastic doesn’t belong in nature.
(read more about plastic initiative on WWF)
We at oddEVEN want to help raise awareness of the plastic problem. Recognizing danger is the first step in change. The global problem of plastic pollution in oceans doesn’t only affect us during summer holidays. The poisoning of the food chain is also a hazardous danger to us. It’s not only up to government, businesses, and the policies to put things right, but also us – citizens.
The starting signal has already fallen with the support of Matthias Eigenmann and his project “The Race of my Life”.
… but how did it all start?
oddEVEN has supported the project “The Race of my Life” by the Swiss Matthias Eigenmann as main sponsor. The business analyst and passionate sailor from Lake Constance has sailed all over the world with our financial support as a crew member at the “Clipper Round the World Yacht Race” last year. He has used international attention to point out the pollution of the oceans – as an ambassador against plastic waste.
… and what’s next?
Our next step was to gain everybody’s attention with the website, brochure and giving out glass bottles to raise awareness of the plastic waste problem in everyday life. After all, not everybody should sail around the world to fight against plastic pollution in the sea 😉 Instead everybody could implement small steps on a daily basis to improve the situation. We would like to share with you some tips and tricks for plastic avoidance.
How to be eco every day – the “Five R” rule
The “Five R” rule is very simple and consists of the following activities:
- REFUSE: wherever you can, refuse the use of plastic packaging and products.
If you have the option to choose a product that does not contain plastic packaging, select it. When someone puts food in plastic, ask for a different packaging. Try to use reusable packaging if you can, e.g. multi-use bags for fruits and vegetables instead of one-use plastic bags. And also, does one apple need packaging - REDUCE: try to minimize the impact of your consumption on the natural environment.
In many cases, we buy things that we do not really need. If you do not really need something, don’t buy it. The same applies to food as well. - REUSE: use only reusable packaging wherever possible.
Replace plastic with glass, stainless steel, bamboo, wood or ceramics. If you buy plastic, try to buy those that are recycled. Also try to find a second life for plastic products that you already have. - RECYCLE: if you have plastic packaging that you cannot give a second life, try to dispose of it responsibly and in accordance with the rules for waste disposal.
- ROT: Let us think of composting the peels of fruits and vegetables, the rests of meals, and any other organic waste. They decompose naturally and return their nutriments to earth.
The Five R rule was brought to life by Zero Waste International Alliance as a set of principles called Zero Waste.
In 2008, Zero Waste was a term used to describe manufacturing and municipal waste management practices. Bea Johnson, a French American woman living in California, decided to apply it to her household of 4. In 2009, she started sharing her journey through the popular blog, Zero Waste Home, and in 2010, was featured in the New York Times. In 2013, Johnson published “Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying your Life by Reducing your Waste” and it provides a simple to follow methodology of 5R’s with in depth practical tips on how to eliminate waste in a household.
Watch the bellow TED Talk by Bea Johnson and learn more about this person and her incredible zero waste lifestyle:
And what do you think? Do you find those tips usable or maybe you have your own? Share with us in comments!
