#plasticfreejuly Should Make You Feel Empowered, Not Guilty
It’s #plasticfreejuly! Let’s skim right over the fact that it’s JULY already (what?! how?!) and focus on the opportunities at hand. Your social media feed has probably already been taken over by #plasticfree posts and challenges. It’s awesome how much information and encouragement is out there about this topic, and it can also be super overwhelming and guilt-inspiring.
For me reducing my waste, and specifically my plastic waste, is like speaking up when someone tells a racist joke. Does it fix racism? No (if only). Is it my responsibility as someone with power and privilege in my society? Hell to the yes. Might it influence the person, and others in the room to reflect on themselves and potentially change their behavior in the future? Hopefully. But whether or not I directly or immediately shift that person’s thinking and behavior through my small action, in that moment I am contributing to creating a society in which it is less and less acceptable to speak in racist ways, in which we live with awareness and responsibility for our impact and lead by example towards a better way of living for everyone.
Similarly, my reduction, and hopefully eventual eradication, of plastic waste in my life does not fix the climate crisis. But it shifts my lifestyle, my choices, my conversations, and my priorities in ways that contribute to the shift towards a better way of living. I am contributing to a society where it is less and less acceptable to treat the precious and limited resources of this planet with such blatant disregard and disrespect.
And you know what? I gain way more than I lose - here are a few benefits that have stood out to me.
A #plasticfree Energy Boost
We talk a lot in Joyality about the positive psychological effects of aligning your actions with your values. Going #plasticfree is a perfect example of this. Actively engaging your choices and behaviors in actions that align with and support your core values is deeply energizing. Do you feel low-level, maybe even subconscious, guilt every time you toss that plastic packaging in the trash? Even these small experiences of misalignment can sap our energy and motivation. By the time you take out the plastic-filled trash you may have convinced yourself it’s no use to even try and resign yourself (disconnect) as you send that bag off to the elusive “away” place that you know deep down doesn’t exist.
Taking control of your choices around plastic and leveraging that control to align your life more closely with your values will decrease those experiences of guilt, cognitive dissonance and disconnection and free up all that energy for more creative and fulfilling purposes. When I’m engaged with aligning my actions with my values in this way, I feel more present and engaged with my life, more energized and excited, and more connected to what I care about and the world I want to build. I think plastic free can also be a gateway drug to positive activism on a bigger scale. If I can go plastic free what else can I do? I feel less disempowered and more ready to take on bigger challenges in my life and in the world. I think the world needs more of that energy.
Your Body Is A (Non-Toxic) Wonderland
One of the most profound impacts for me from going plastic free was the deepened connection with my body. Taking responsibility for what I had been putting in and on my body increased my sense of self-esteem and gave me a sense of sovereignty over my body. It feels like radical resistance to a system that wants me (and you) to be unwell, insecure, and brainwashed so we’ll buy their products. Going plastic free automatically translates into not putting as many toxins and harmful chemicals into my body, and I don’t even have to learn how to pronounce their 16 syllable names.
It also means just fewer products in general. As someone who’s eyes used to glaze over with pleasure in the hair product aisle of Target this was a challenge. But it’s given me the chance to connect with the deeper truth that the part of me that wanted all those sweet-smelling products so badly was also the part of me that didn’t believe I was beautiful, worthy or okay. Slowly, the brightly colored bottles lost their pull on me as I read their ingredients and thought about tossing the container in a month, and then again in another month, and the month after that. When I connect to my body as an expression and a microcosm of the planet, and align my choices with my knowledge that the wellbeing of my body is intertwined with the wellbeing of the planet, I don’t actually need another hair mask. I got excited about the prospect of making my own hair mask out of the incredible medicines nature provides. I’m a sucker for anything that feels like a “fuck you” to racist cisheteropatriarchial capitalism and this really seems to hit the spot.
Never Not Community Organizing
I believe plastic free living should connect you with people, not alienate you from them. I remember the withering evil eye I’d get sometimes by the head of the vegan club in my college cafeteria as I walked by with something inevitably smothered in cheese. It made me avoid her at all costs and roll my eyes whenever I saw fliers for the club meetings. I was a little worried about this when I started plastic free, because I knew that conviction about something can sometimes express itself as super uninviting. It turns out it’s actually pretty easy to not be an asshole about this stuff though. When I spoke to people about why I wasn’t using plastic from the joy that choice was bringing to my life rather than judgement about their choices, people leaned in. They wanted to know more, they allowed themselves to be curious rather than guilty or defensive. And I know that I carry a lot of privilege that supports me to embrace plastic free living - I have race and class privilege, I’ve been well educated and have access to the time and knowledge to make my own products. I have more options than a lot of people, and keeping that awareness reminded me that compassion is key, because we’re fighting a truly insidious system and the damage is far from equal.
I was able to have the most wonderful conversations with strangers about what I was doing and how and why. Some were mildly interested, some were totally inspired, but all were new human connections that taught and engaged me. I had conversations I wouldn’t have otherwise had and it created a sense of connection with people. I also had the most wonderful conversations with my friends and family and oh boy, this is where the real magic happens. Several of my friends and family members have significantly reduced their plastic waste and, more than that, have talked to me about how engaging with me about my choices inspired them, taught them new things and brought new joys into their lives. The awareness, intention and responsibility around plastic seems to ripple out into other areas of our lives. I count that as a win right there.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to look cute on IG with your linen produce bags and mason jars, but plastic free living is about so much more than that. The world is full of chaos, collapse, and big, scary things that we feel - rightly or not - we have absolutely no control over. In times like this I think it’s extra important to come back to what we do have choice around. And not because we’re giving up on the big picture - but as we regain intention and empowerment around the small choices we make, the bigger choices and actions start to come into clearer view. We feel able to step more fully into our role as a strand in the web of life. Tug on that strand and it reverberates throughout the whole system. I encourage you to take the opportunity this month to go deeper with what #plasticfree means to you, to find small (or big) ways to align your everyday choices with your deeper values. All big things grow from small seeds.
Let us know your actions and experiences with #plasticefreejuly in the comments! And snag our free #placticfree joyality guide below!