Climate change is a terrifying prospect. But what can I do?
More than you think is the answer to that question. Over 99% of plastic is made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels. Manufacturers would have to change their plastic packaging if enough people stopped buying their products and switched to alternative brands that use sustainable, biodegradable materials.
Take a look as you wander up and down the shower, bath and hair care aisles in every supermarket and see just how much plastic is on those shelves.
Small changes can make a huge difference. To start with, we can all stop buying liquid soap, shower gel and bath foam and instead use a bar of soap. Even bars of shampoo and conditioner are already available at modest prices and big brands such as Garnier have started to produce and advertise a shampoo bar: “because you’re worth it.” Think about how much less plastic would end up in landfill or in the oceans if we all change from liquid products packed in plastic to bars wrapped in card and paper.
Get rid of brand loyalty
If you are not a shareholder or an employee then you owe the ‘brand’ absolutely nothing at all.
Ignore their marketing claims and the enticing, seductive slogans: they are meaningless. If you examine the contents of your favourite branded product with another well-known brand you will discover that they all contain the same or similar ingredients. Don’t be fooled by the use of ‘aqua’, it’s just another word for water!
The condition of your hair and skin is more dependent on your diet rather than any product you use. Drink plenty of plain tap water and your skin will better hydrated.
I recycle all my plastic
Not all plastic is recyclable. Perhaps the main part of the container is but more often than not the cap or trigger unit are not. Some end up in landfill where they linger ad infinitum! Others end up in the seas around our coast; wash up on our beaches and do untold damage to the environment and marine life.
Stop buying single use plastic products
The amount of bottled water we consume is alarming, unnecessary and even dangerous to health. The scientific evidence is irrefutable: minute particles of toxins from the plastic leach into the water we drink from plastic-bottled water. Buy a glass bottle and refill it from the tap!
Yes, an individual can make a difference
David Attenborough warned us in his documentary, ‘Climate Change the Facts’, that we are fast approaching the ‘Tipping Point’. Once that point is reached there is nothing on earth that we can do to reverse the situation. We must stop using plastic packaging that uses derivatives of fossil fuel before it is too late: there are sustainable alternatives.
It is within our power as individuals to drive change. If enough of us make a concerted effort and make even small changes to what we buy or consume, the corporate world will have to sit up and take notice if they want to remain competitive.
