first i loved the sea. next i learned how trashed it is. then...
I Quit Plastics
now health is tops & life is rich with nature
DOWN WITH
Single-Use Plastics
Plastic does not decompose.
It is a material meant to last, not designed for disposable items. The purpose of #IQuitPlastics is the reduce our dependence on single-use plastics. Such as one-time use thin plastic grocery bags that fly around the city, into the ocean, choking a dolphin, and breaking into micro bits absorbing other pollutants in the sea, and threatening the rest of the creatures out there with their toxic microscopic selves for eons. Or a straw you suck a beverage from in five minutes that lasts 1000 years all the while getting lodged in turtle noses and committing other horrendous acts.
We are highly intelligent, innovative, and also dependent on the health of our planet; I believe we can do better than disposable plastics.
This is how I quit plastics.
how could I possibly quit plastics?
It is Everywhere!
This is precisely why we need to take a deep breath and give it a go.
Fortunately, the step before quitting completely, is building awareness.
Taking an audit of the plastic we use in our daily life will help identify common sources and areas for improvement. Keep your plastic trash. Remembering to keep the trash can be hard, so it helps to designate a jar, box, or area in the house to store and monitor all trash created. This holds us accountable, from the stickers on fruit to the lid on a coconut water to the tea bag packaging.
Reflect
What do I really need?
Sifting through the trash created over a two-week period reveals much about our lifestyle. Make a list of the rubbish and reflect on what could be skipped, planned ahead for, or done differently. Perhaps there are healthier choices to be made, both for the planet and our physical body. Success relies on our ability to get creative and plan ahead. It may take a while to build new habits and routines, but the benefits of cutting out plastic waste are tenfold.
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”
start
How can you help?
WHY DO YOU CARE?
Check in with why quitting plastics interests you. Deep down do you care for the earth and know change begins with the individual? Are you keen to detox your life? Are you grossed out by the mass amounts of trash on the streets and in your house? Do you want to save money? Do you want to lose weight or eat healthier? Do you want a more poetic life and relationship with food and nature? Do you want to impress your peers with your eco-greenness? I don't care the "why," I’m psyched you’re after the how; but keeping it real, keeps it sustainable.
ACTION
There are plenty of ways to get involved beyond tweaking your personal life. In fact, once our life transforms it is probably best if we try to recruit the rest of the humans on board. I have tried my lcuk petitioning the government, persuading corporations, and feeding the media clever mermaid activist stories--I believe most in the people.
Let your conservation begin first with you. Be an example for your community and the rest of the world. Only then is it fair to preach or recruit..
SAVE THE MERMAIDS
We all love the majestic ocean. Scuba diving revealed intricate, interdependent marine eco-systems, which led to volunteering with Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society. Here I learned that plastic does not decompose, it gathers in the oceans where all currents converge such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and it acts as tiny sponges absorbing other toxins throughout it's practically infinite lifespan. Shocked and horrified, I assessed what I could offer to the movement. With a bunch of baben, ocean-loving friends, a knack for social media marketing, and absolutely no shame, we formed a non-profit organization with the hopes of educating our community--from the kids to the City Council members. We were successful in banning single-use plastic bags March 2013.
Upcoming Retreats
SAIL THE WHITSUNDAYS
WHITSUNDAYS • 7 DAY SAILING RETREAT DATES TBC
Join me on a sailing adventure around the beautiful Whitsundays islands where we will explore the wondrous blue sea, enjoy the sweet benefits of a plastic free lifestyle, and melt into a juicy yoga practice to keep us limber on this trip of a lifetime.
Join the Waitlist
Don’t miss another retreat - join the waitlist to be first to know when the next retreat dates are released. Our retreats sell out every time so if you want in, make sure you put your deets on the waitlist!
Follow my journey
@plasticfreemermaid
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