Why should you live plastic-free and prefer the zero waste lifestyle? If you're looking for a clear answer, you've come to the right place! Nothing makes it clearer that we live in a throwaway society than the perceived need to write these lines here.
We celebrated disposable products and became comfortable. Unfortunately, we are now faced with the enormous quantities of Plastic waste in the environment in the situation of having to learn to make less waste in order not to destroy our planet and the life on it. However, this requires not only inspiration, but above all motivation!
In this article, I would therefore like to give you my most important reasons why we should all consciously avoid waste in everyday life should. Let's go!
Why should we live plastic-free and waste-free?
Should? Just a moment! I need to rephrase the question a little: Why WE MUST live plastic-free and live a zero waste lifestyle? After all, we have no other choice.
Either we now live waste- and plastic-free - or there will be there really will be more plastic pieces in the sea than fish in 2050. Life on this earth would no longer be worth living for anyone as we currently know it.
Let's do something about this Scary scenario do. Here I give you my daily motivators the "WHY" to dedicate yourself to the fight against plastic waste.
1. because plastic waste is one of the biggest environmental problems of our time
Plastic is eternal. Waste made from any material that is not biodegradable is eternal. The plastic may slowly degrade over the centuries into Microplastics decompose - but it no longer disappears on its own.
A Plastic bottle, for example, requires almost 450 yearsuntil the decomposition process is even close to complete. And if we continue to use disposable products such as cups, cutlery, juice packs and straws, the amount of waste will continue to increase.
In the meantime, huge Garbage whirlpool in the sea formed. And there are worldwide Hardly a beach left where there is no plastic waste to be found - also because Plastic hidden in many everyday products.
Waste in the natural environment is a massive and exclusively man-made problem. We have thus given ourselves one of the biggest Environmental problems of our time created - and that is why only us do something about it.
Why Zero Waste? Because our plastic waste remains in nature forever and threatens all life on this planet.
2. because our garbage kills animals
Every year, according to NABU up to 135,000 marine mammals and one million seabirds plastic waste in the environment.1 More precisely, the consequences of our Disposable society.
If you only look at your own life, the sentence "Oh, it's just the one plastic straw" quickly pass the lips. But what if all eight billion people on our planet thought this way?
There are so many Alternative reusable drinking straws (e.g. these glass straws*), let's use them. In the end, one straw can cost an animal, such as a sea turtle, its life. The same applies to Six-pack rings, fishing lines, plastic bottles or discarded Cigarette butt.
Why Zero Waste? Because we have to protect and respect nature. And what is more respectful than not littering it in order to protect the animals that live in it with us.
3. because plastic is toxic and mixed materials are difficult to recycle.
In addition to its eternal dwell time, the Toxic load and the Difficult recycling more Plastic disadvantages.
Plastic is poison! When the plastic decomposes from its solid state, it becomes highly hazardous plasticizers such as bisphenol A (BPA) are released. These Plasticizers endanger children in particular in their development.
And if Plastic in the food chain it is highly likely to endanger us all. This is the case, for example, when we eat fish that are Microplastics in the sea have eaten and carry the plastic in their cells.
Products such as chip bags or disposable coffee-to-go cups (here is the alternative*) are also often made of mixed plastics. The The effort involved in separating them is Often (still) too large. This waste is therefore incinerated instead of reusing the valuable material for new products.
Why Zero Waste? Because we are not only endangering ourselves with toxic substances, but also all life on earth. The future must be geared towards the use of reusable, natural materials in order to live and do business sustainably.
4. because zero waste enriches our life (together)
Does it speak for our intelligence if we pollute and eventually destroy the only planet we can live on? If, contrary to expectations, this speaks for us, then we probably deserve it.
But we are not insane and unreasonable, we are just for decades the Plastic advantages enjoyedwithout being aware of the disadvantages. Now we see them. And are intelligent enough to adapt.
Here are only some advantages and reasonswhy the Zero Waste Lifestyle as a standard in our society will sustainably improve our coexistence:
- Healthier meals (without microplastics/pollutants)
- Conscious consumption (see Minimalism and Consume sustainably)
- Greater sense of community (e.g. Reduce food waste through better consultation with the neighborhood)
- Clean environment (e.g. for relaxing time outside in nature)
- Intact ecosystems (e.g. in the fight against climate change, which has serious consequences for all people)
- Satisfaction & happiness (e.g. because you have mastered a major and positive change (or challenge) in your own life)
Why Zero Waste? Because we benefit as individuals and as a society when we free ourselves from waste - and thus also from a significant stress factor.
5. because it needs people who lead the way
We humans are Creatures of habit. Out of convenience, we like to do what seems easiest to us and what others do. The more people behave in a similar way, the more convinced we are that we are doing the right thing.
But unfortunately, something is not automatically "the right thing to do" just because many people are convinced of it. As a result, many people ended up using disposable plastic products without questioning whether there wasn't a more environmentally friendly and even cheaper alternative in the long term.
But Change is often difficult for us humans. To get rid of this waste-producing habit (which, by the way, only benefits the industry, while our wallets, our health and our environment suffer), we therefore need to People who take the first step. And perhaps also the second and third.
As soon as we know that a change will undoubtedly bring about an improvement, we can orient ourselves towards it and behave better. By learning to live as plastic-free as possible yourself, you are a positive role model. After all, you are counteracting environmental pollution and all the other consequences of our throwaway mentality.
Why Zero Waste? Because it is one of the smartest lifestyles there is. And because positive change in a society always needs people who take decisive action.
Why we have to live plastic-free? Because there is no alternative anymore
It's bad that it had to come to this, but it's good that we now have the Understanding the basic problemthat lies within ourselves. We start to question our behavior - and find solutions to produce less waste in our everyday lives.
The zero waste lifestyle is not just a short-term trend, but a lasting movement that is sweeping our global society along with it and ensuring a clean planet that we - and our children and grandchildren - enjoy living on.
"The world changes by your example, not by your opinion."
Paulo Coelho, Brazilian writer
I hope I have been able to motivate you and answer your initial question clearly. If you like, you can now download my Book "Plastic-free for beginners (is available here*) to get a good start on a waste-avoiding lifestyle.
In addition, the blog article will also help you with valuable Tips for a plastic free life.
Do you have any questions, suggestions or other motifs for zero waste? Then please write me a comment under this post.
Stay clean,
PS: In my Zero Waste Blog you will find lots of other useful information. These, for example, are also a special source of motivation and inspiration Docs about plastic waste.
References:
- NABU - Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V.: Plastic waste and its consequences, available at https://t1p.de/tykc. [19.11.2024]. ↩︎
