Palm Beach Heirlooms: Reducing Plastic Waste and Supporting the Current Trend
It was just 2 years ago when I switched over to a reverse osmosis water system trying to eliminate my household plastic use. My only real regret is not doing it sooner. Not only does my water taste crisper than ever, but I also feel good about my choice. Slowly, I started incorporating the practice into my whole life, like grocery bags, grocery nets, and donating used garments to a woman's shelter.
When opening the company, I decided to go the same route when choosing packaging (If the company does have to use plastics, we only use recycled plastics). The plastic free movement has been around for a while, but it's only in the last few years that it's really taken off. I think this is because plastic pollution has gotten so bad that people are starting to really take notice. The average American produces about three times the amount of waste as people in other countries, for a total of 1,704 pounds of plastic a year. That's a lot of waste, and much more than in other countries.
Being from Florida, I've really seen change in the quality of the beaches in the last 40 years. You can find everything in the sand, from cigarettes to raincoats after a strong storm. It can get quite adventurous. In the 80's plastic wasn't really an issue, but now it really is. I think as a grandmother what most concerns me is plastic killing important wildlife. There have already been 2000 marine life species that have been identified to ingest plastics. Lately, I've seen some pretty shocking photos of wildlife with bellies full of plastic. You've got to think about it; if it's getting in fish, it's got to be getting everything.
What is the plastic doing to marine life when it’s ingested? According to scientists, nano plastics have the ability to enter the brain of a fish. It’s shocking to think that's a possibility, but it’s been observed that these fish exhibit hyper behavioral changes. Bioaccumulation is also another very scary factor. It’s when plastic in the body of an animal complies and binds to other toxins, sometimes even flame retardants, mostly by the fatty tissue.
I think the plastic free movement is great, and I'm happy to see more and more people getting on board. Not only does it start with the consumer, but companies also have to be more mindful. They too have to consider what they are creating and offering to the markets. Big change always starts with small, good choices to make a long-term impact. It's important for the future for everyone to do their part to reduce waste and pollution, and I think the plastic free movement is a great way to do that.