It’s easy to get frustrated. A lot of us are slowly but surely working hard to make our homes and lives plastic free, sometimes at the expense of convenience. And while we’re putting in a lot of effort, we still see factories across the globe continuing to pump out more than 380 million tonnes of plastic every year.
Across our homes and businesses, it is easy to get caught up in the convenience plastic products bring to our lives. Look around at your general vicinity, how many plastic products are you using currently? From our laptops, water bottles, phones, stationary, lunch boxes and even clothes, plastics have ingrained themselves in our society without us even realising.
The plastic crisis has been an ongoing one, and as consumers it’s easy to get discouraged because the problem seems to be never ending - It’s especially disheartening when you realise that plastic breakdown estimates are from 50 to 500 years.Sadly, the ambiguity of this timeframe is down to the fact that none of us have been alive long enough to see plastic actually breakdown. And when they do eventually breakdown, the issue of microplastics
is another force to combat.
However when it comes to plastic reduction, the people responsible are not only the big businesses, but also the consumers, all of us.
The simple reason factories are producing 380 million tonnes of plastic a year is because people are buying 380 million tonnes of plastic a year - These companies would not be sinking time and money into product products that no one wants, nor would they be making new products for a shrinking market. It’s the simple rule of supply and demand.
Plastic itself isn’t a renewable resource either. And although some plastic is recycled into new products, it’s estimated that only 9% of the world's plastic is recycled each year. Leaving the other 91% to clog our landfills and fill our oceans. Whilst there have been huge efforts to improve awareness for recycling in the last 10 year, sadly the production of plastic has continued to rise exponentially year on year.
So, why is stopping this 60 year old problem our responsibility?
These plastic businesses are for profit, and while there is demand, there will be supply. By reducing your own personal demand for plastic, you are telling these businesses that you don’t want their plastic products, nor do you need them anymore with so many better alternatives available.
Sure, you alone may not have the power of persuasion over an industry set to be worth 750 billion by 2027, but by reducing your plastic consumption you are strengthening a growing cause, one that can only be heard through the voice of numbers.
So when you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito. Even small changes can make an effect, and by inspiring those around you to make a change, you’re strengthening the cause and making your efforts worth it.
Take a look at our customers, by buying compostable cling film and resealable bags, they are personally taking responsibility for reducing how much plastic they send to landfills. It’s a small change, but one that has a big impact.
Since we started, we have made a significant environmental impact. This is only possible because our customers and communities have taken it on themselves to make a difference.We’ve sold more than 400,000 square meters of Compostic Cling Wrap and more than 26,000 square meters of Compostic Resealable Bags. Combined, this could cover the entire area of Vatican City, 81 football fields or two-thirds of Disneyland’s park.
However we’ve only been able to make this impact through our customers, as they are the people behind us putting in the effort to minimise their plastic waste. Without them, we would not have been able to continue trying to make a difference, and only through them can we continue to battle against the plastic revolution.
Even the smallest changes to your plastic consumption in your home and business will make a difference. No one’s asking you to throw out your phone or completely purge the plastic in your life, but by a few baby steps you’ll feel confident to make those bigger changes when you’re ready.
In the meantime, making changes such as moving to a compostable alternative to plastic will facilitate that journey time. Our mission is to make your efforts to ditch the plastic as easy as possible.
But if you’re waiting to make the move till the timing is right, or alternatives are cheaper - Maybe in 5 or 10 years you’ll consider cutting down your plastic consumption? Just know by then at least another 25 million tons of plastic will have flowed into our seas.
