Earlier this semester The Echo published an article called “How to go from Crimson to Green at SNU” by Alex Graham. This story introduced shocking facts about the environment and served to inspire SNU students to make a change. Now, The Echo wants to make it even easier on YOU to do your part in helping to reduce the waste piling on our planet.
Surprisingly, doing your part to help the environment does not require an obscene amount of effort and can be done by changing something as little as your shopping habits.
Before continuing, take the time to watch this short video in order to better understand the plastic pollution afflicting our planet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDiA5HgBI1M&feature=youtu.be&t
Unfortunately, the tragedies seen in that video cannot be undone, but there are ways you can prevent future ones from happening.
Here is a list of products that you should be buying to help stop contributing to events like this one. The links to purchase these all of these products can be found at the end of this article.
The first item on our list is a toothbrush. A terrifying fact I heard in my chapel small group, Creation Care, was that every plastic toothbrush we have ever owned is still on the planet somewhere. That is because the plastic used to make them is nonrecyclable and can even release harmful toxins into the air when burned. As a result, toothbrushes and other plastic products like them end up in landfills or our oceans, where they harm living creatures.
A solution to this problem is using an eco-friendly alternative, like bamboo toothbrushes.
They also sell bamboo hairbrushes, combs, dish scrubbers and silverware to replace even more of your plastic products. These items are not expensive and even have a really cool look to them.
Ziploc bags and plastic wrap are other items that wreak havoc on wildlife, especially in our oceans. A great alternative to these is organic beeswax wraps.
These all-natural wraps can be reused as many times you want and are 100% compostable. This means you do not have to waste money rebuying your plastic Ziplocs, and when you are ready to get rid of them, they will cause zero harm to the planet. Fun fact: these beeswax wraps also do a better job of preserving your food!
Many people have the misconception that helping the environment takes a lot of work, and it can not be done while you are a college student. However, changing something as small as your shopping habits is truly so easy and does help to prevent further damage.
An all too common response to this subject is, “I’m just one person and nothing I do is going to really matter.” Maybe you have thought this– I will admit to thinking it too, sometimes. If we were to gather all of the people who think that way and have them change together, there would be an unquestionable impact.
Will you be the person who continues to make excuses and contribute to the harming of our world, or will you be part of the necessary change?
Bamboo Toothbrushes:
Bamboo Hairbrush and combs:
Bamboo Dish Scrubber:
Bamboo silverware and reusable straw
Organic Beeswax Wraps:
(Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash)
(Video by Chris Jordan)