sustainablelifestyle

Life in plastic?

Why recycling plastic is a dead-end street

In the search for a sustainable lifestyle, great discussions revolve around recycling plastic to limit waste. Even though we pay attention to separate our waste at home, unfortunately, that is not a solution. So a new report on plastic pollution says.

The plastic report by Greenpeace

A new Greenpeace USA report – the source of this post – states that “plastic recycling is a dead-end street. Year after year, plastic recycling declines even as plastic waste increases.”

The good news is that paper, cardboard and metals are effectively recycled. But the bad news is that most plastic is not recyclable.

According to this report, U.S. households generated 51 million tons of plastic waste in 2021, but only 2.4 million tons were recycled.

Furthermore, once the U.S. exported plastic to China, they counted it as recycled, even though much of it was burned or dumped.

Plastic recycling: why doesn’t it work?

1- plastic waste is extremely difficult to collect
2- impossible to sort for recycling
3- it is environmentally harmful to reprocess
4- it’s often made of and contaminated by toxic materials (therefore unusable for food)
5- too expensive to recycle

In the end, the study points out that a circular economy based on recycling plastic is pure fiction.

“Corporations like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Unilever have worked with industry front groups to promote plastic recycling as the solution to plastic waste for decades. But the data is clear: practically speaking, most plastic is just not recyclable. The real solution is to switch to systems of reuse and refill.”

Greenpeace

Of course, refilling and reusing make sense. We refill and reuse plastic containers as much as possible. But plastic is everywhere! And there’s too much of it! Every single item we buy comes with a plastic container and plastic wrap: food, beauty products, cleaning products, and tech stuff… Everything! In fact, the world is submerged by plastic. And researchers found plastic in human blood, too!
Therefore, recycling is not sufficient to solve the plastic waste issue. It’s clear!

The solution? Governments should put an end to plastic production.

Life in plastic? Read More »

Activism: why do we need it?

Although frequently not understood, activism is a powerful communication tool when trying to make a change.

Why activism?

Our brains are so anaesthetized by comfort and habits that we have an altered perception. We stare like passive viewers, unable to react to the appalling occurrences flowing around us. And even if we have an idea of what is going on, perhaps we do not care. That is why we need activism: to awaken our sleepy consciences.

“The house is burning! Save the paintings!”

That seemed to be the reaction most people had when two girls, activists of the Just Stop Oil group, threw tomato soup over the “Sunflowers” – the famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh at the National Gallery in London.

The painting had glass screen protection, so it was in no danger. But the act of protest spread huge reactions and strong criticism everywhere. Comments went from anger to derision, shock or big concern. For the painting, of course. Not for our planet, not for climate change. Not even for the oil crisis and the costs people cannot afford.


These are the words the activists from Just Stop Oil said:

“What is worth more, art or life?”

“Is it worth more than food? More than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?

“We are not trying to make friends here. We are trying to make change. And unfortunately, this is how change happens!”

Perhaps raising awareness and trying to make a change when no one sees the emergency or no one wants to move a finger requires strong actions. Oil crises and climate crises are connected. People cannot afford oil, and the planet cannot afford it too.

If you find yourself upset about a painting that wasn’t even damaged rather than about the ongoing destruction of the biosphere, you are part of the problem.

Dear folks, the house is burning. Are you ok with it?

Activism: why do we need it? Read More »

A sustainable summer!

What are we missing?

It seems summer 2022 has been a sustainable summer.

From sustainable food, to sustainable fashion, and now sustainable events. Of course, not only fashion events. In fact, the news is even music festivals are marketed as sustainable.
Did you notice?

By the way, we wonder if reusable cups or collecting garbage after big parties are enough to define an event as sustainable. Indeed we are afraid a crucial point is missing from those who plan the events. Either for ignorance or for intentional marketing purposes, that is another story.

How do you feel about it?
Is everything fine for you? Or do you have any doubts?

Drop us an email! And please, tell us what you think about this sustainable summer and the new music events trend.

We value your views, so we’d love to hear from you!

A sustainable summer! Read More »

Consume less!

How to reduce our impact on the planet

In order to reduce our impact on the planet, the solution proposed is to purchase sustainable products. So the industries believe, or so they want to make us believe.

But the truth is different. If we don’t start from the assumption that consuming less is at the base of a sustainable lifestyle, we will not make any progress.

Indeed, there’s no sustainable product, recycled or upcycled, green or bio. Or add whatever label marketing will launch to convince consumers that those products are better than others. Not one of these products or all of these labels together will come to our aid.

Even if they really are better, sustainable products will not change anything. Why? They will not solve the issue simply because that is not enough.

Our lifestyle has an impact on the environment, and in order to sustain it, we are exploiting the planet.
Given that, will our impact on the planet be reduced if people consume tons of sustainable goods? It seems very unlikely.

Consume less: this is how to reduce our impact on the planet

A sharp reduction in consumption is the way to bring about systemic change. If we want to reduce our daily devastation, only one thing will be beneficial: consume less.

Of course, this is about all aspects of our lifestyle. So, reducing the energy and water we use, oil consumption, heating systems, planes, cars, etc. Then, of course, we will need the rest. Meaning sustainable, recycled, upcycled, green or bio.

This also means that we have the power in our hands. Indeed, consuming less requires action on our part.

No brands will ever tell us so, even if this is the only possibility that makes sense. They will continue making sustainable products, filling the world with new sustainable garbage while depleting natural resources!

Sustainability for a dead planet is meaningless!

Consume less! Read More »

World Ocean Day

Voices worth listening to

Today is “World Ocean Day”, and it’s nice to see that we celebrate the earth or the ocean without really understanding what it means. Indeed, we discard garbage in the oceans, too.

Mario Tozzi, a geologist and absolutely great scientific communicator, recently wrote a critical article: in regards to climate change as scientists were not pushing enough to make people understand the urgency.

In his tv show, “Sapiens”, he said that our robbery of the planet’s resources has severe consequences. Every year, we deplete the resources available until December 31st – the overshoot day – much earlier.

Then, he added:
If the climate emergency is so dramatic, why do we not worry?
First, we do not see the climate, and we cannot give it a precise connotation. Therefore, we do not relate the consequences to the causes such as migrations and drought. We don’t see the connections.

Second, we are an overbearing species based on the accumulation of resources. A behaviour that will leave someone with resources, and many others without resources.

World Ocean Day


Moreover, to mitigate climate change, we should renounce something, but we – the sapiens – don’t like giving things up!

He also shared a documentary by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who said that if we do not act now, by 2070, 1/3 of humanity could live in desertic areas like the Sahara. And 3 billion people could not live in their homes.

We wonder, if we complain about migration now, what will happen then?

However, the two most polluting elements, which need immediate action, are heating systems and intensive farming. In the end, it is clear that our lifestyle – entirely – is not sustainable. So we find it depressing to see people who clean their conscience by purchasing sustainable labelled clothing. It looks like you can buy sustainability, and fashion is the only problem when the issue is way bigger.

These are just two strong statements Arthus-Bertrand pronounced:

“We cannot have infinite growth in a finite world.”

“We live in a world of garbage.”

Yes, even the oceans are full of plastic, so we celebrate “World Ocean Day!”

What else are we waiting for?

World Ocean Day Read More »