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There’s never been a more important time to think about the future of our planet. In this article, we will discuss how amazing humanity can be, why it’s more essential than ever to look after our environment, and how we can change our habits to promote a more sustainable and zero-waste future, including reducing single-use plastic with products such as SunButter’s zero-waste sunscreen.
As millions of people across the world have been compelled to close their doors and stay at home, many of us have spent the resulting free time ruminating over current events. Undoubtedly, these are unprecedented times and the coronavirus pandemic is a sobering reminder of how fragile humanity can be.
In spite of this, the COVID-19 outbreak has sparked remarkably compassionate responses from across the globe. Neighbours are supporting neighbours, communities are banding together to save small businesses, educational companies are offering free resources during school closures, and fitness instructors are streaming their home bodyweight sessions for free!
What’s more, many people are using their time in isolation to reflect on their lifestyles and incorporating healthy habits. The positivity we have seen demonstrated by Australians and people all over the world has been incredibly inspiring.
But what’s the coronavirus got to do with plastic and zero-waste?
At first glance, it may seem like the COVID-19 outbreak has little to do with the issue of plastic waste, right? Looking deeper, as Inger Andersen, the UN’s environment chief, and leading scientists have said, “Nature is sending us a message” and human behaviour is almost always responsible for the spread of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans.
Regrettably, pandemics are not the only cause for concern. Human behaviour is also the leading cause of air pollution, climate change, overflowing landfills, plastic waste, and mass extinction. We are the reason why there are currently over 5 trillion pieces of plastic waste in our oceans, threatening wildlife and spreading toxins. The coronavirus has acted as a pressing reminder that we should all be taking these matters seriously.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. The coronavirus has shown us just how amazing humanity can be! Sir Michael Marmot, chair of the commission of the social determinants of health at the World Health Organisation, pointed out that governments have demonstrated how they can act both swiftly and decisively in the face of crisis. Moreover, we’ve already discussed how quickly individuals have sprung into positive action!
Let’s keep the positivity going by investing in a sustainable future for Australia and the rest of the planet.
One great place to start building a sustainable future is by going plastic-free (as much as possible) and endeavouring to live a zero-waste lifestyle. Here are our top tips on how to make a genuine difference:
Choosing products that use sustainable packaging is a great way of cutting down on our plastic usage! We’re talking compostable or biodegradable food packaging, refillable household cleaning bottles, products that are designed to be reused or upcycled, or made from recycled material that can be recycled effectively again and again without losing quality.
Read this article to find out more about how ECONYL (sustainable nylon made from recycled plastic waste from the ocean) is helping to create a more sustainable future
At SunButter, our products are plastic-free and zero-waste! We use reusable aluminium tins to package our products, which are perfect for upcycling. And if you decide you can’t reuse them for anything, then the recycling process for aluminium is very efficient and effective.
Ah, coffee...it gets us through the day. It gives us life. Brings us up when we are down. Gives us that extra boost we need to get out of bed. Helps us to beat our deadlines. It’s no surprise then that Australians throw out 2.7 million disposable coffee cups every single day!
Imagine the difference it would make if everyone used a refillable coffee cup. And it doesn’t have to stop at coffee; we can all lead a more zero-waste lifestyle by investing in refillable water bottles, kitchen storage jars, shopping bags, etc.
Homemade hygiene and beauty products are a great sustainable alternative to buying them in single-use plastic bottles. You can make all sorts of stuff at home - shampoo bars, soap, perfumes, even makeup!
We’re not expecting you to turn your kitchen into a cosmetics factory, but there are some fantastic recipes out there for natural and homemade beauty products. We have a great one for restorative lip balm and you can even use your empty SunButter sunscreen tin to store it in!
Click here for Sacha’s DIY restorative lip balm recipe
