Living Nightmare - My Plastic Footprint in Addis.
Anyone who knows me knows that I hate single use plastic. I can’t stand the idea of plastic that I used once, purely for convenience’s sake, taking 450 - 1,000 years to decompose.
Since I can remember, I’ve cared deeply about the environment. That care was fostered when I was nine, learning about the deforestation of the rainforest. Eight tree-hugging years later, my fight against plastic started. This passion ignited after reading about the Plastic Ocean in 2009 – A massive collection of plastic waste, the size of Texas in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This plastic ocean was formed by from plastic waste dumped and littered into waterways. It continues to grow every day. Plastic waste gathers to this spot from the strength of current like tornados called ocean vortexs. Of course, this plastic island has detrimental consequences to marine life, but that’s not all - We're much more directly affected than the guilt of that reality. These plastics are breaking down into micro-plastics and are getting into the food chain, ending up on our plates. Needless to say, it’s a monumental problem.
Again, I hate plastic, but unfortunately, we all find times where we need to use it. I’m currently living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where I find myself using more plastic than ever before. The guilt is terrible! Unfortunately, my plastic use is necessary while I’m here in Addis. Being a foreigner, as locals say, “foreigee”, I have to stick to bottled water because the tap water is unsafe to drink. I even have to use bottled water to brush my teeth. Again, for those who know me, this is a living nightmare…I’ve started to buy the biggest water bottles they sell to cut back on the number of plastic bottles I use, but even then, it’s a lot.
My current uptake in plastic makes me even more aware of how much America and other developed countries need to step up in reducing their unnecessary plastic use. Below are some simple ways to decrease your plastic intake and a few ideas of how to regulate plastic usage.
Simple things you’re probably already doing:
- Unless the water is unsafe to drink, drink filtered tap water.
- Carry a reusable water bottle with you.
- Bring reusable bags to the grocery store.
- Buy in bulk.
- Make a list of what you need to avoid waste.
Take it a step further:
- When grocery shopping, bring containers and small bags to use for proteins, cheese, produce, etc. to avoid using the plastic bags provided.
- Don't buy ziplock bags. Use Tupperware containers or beeswax wrap!
- 500 million straws are used every day in the US alone! Say “no straw please” at restaurants. Pro tip: When I walk into a restaurant, I scan the room to see if the waiter puts straws in water cups, that way I know to request no straw as soon as possible.
- Bring your own cutlery. Pro tip: I carry a sporf (spoon, fork, knife combined) in my purse.
- Don’t use plastic coffee stirrers. Use a spoon or wooden stirrer before plastic.
- Bring your one coffee cup or at the very least, don’t use a plastic lid.
- Choose non-plastic products.
- Avoid fibers such as polyester and acrylic. Choose wool, silk, organic cotton, and hemp.
- Google is your friend! There are endless ideas to de-plastify your life.
Regulations and movements to fight for:
- Similar to the plastic bag tax at grocery stores, we should tax water bottles, plastic utensils, straws, plastic cups, etc.
- Ban single-use plastic.
- Make your city strawless.
- Reuse and repurpose plastic. For example, turn plastic into fiber for clothing.
- Award environmentally responsible companies with tax breaks.
- Educate our youth on plastic waste.
- Fund a competition for the best way to tackle plastic waste.
- Lead by example! Be a thought leader.
Yes, I'd love to cut out single-use plastic entirely, but as my time in Addis has reminded me, sometimes that's not the reality. I understand that I'm even a walking contradiction, but more than ever I understand that minimizing my footprint comes with privilege. That's exactly why those of us with the means need take on this responsibility.
Are you with me?