Let’s talk facts
300 million tons of plastic are produced each and every year. That was hard for us to hear, but here's the thing, approximately 150 million of those tons are made for wasteful single-use plastics which will be used for as long as a month or less than a day. Once it leaves our hands the burden is passed on to our planet for hundreds of years to come. As a consumer, I was surprised that single-use plastics even last as long as a month. When I think of single-use plastics I think of plastic bags, cups, cigarette filters, and plastic wrap - all of which are often discarded within hours.
Being overwhelmed by these facts is natural, but challenging yourself to confront these issues head-on is where real progress comes from! Confronting global issues with plastic usage was one of my biggest motivators for creating Nature Bee Wraps. I wanted to challenge myself to provide an option that was an easy alternative to plastic-wrap, but also more convenient and effective.
Its time to push the bar!
Big changes can happen as long as you have the courage to identify your opportunities - and celebrate your strengths! Nature Bee was grown with sustainability as the founding principle, we don’t claim to be perfect, but we are always looking to push our personal bar on environmental and social issues. You can too! As a business, some of these changes included using paper tape instead of plastic, making our whole shipping process recyclable. Additionally, I was also able to influence a supplier of ours to send us more products in one bulk shipment to reduce our footprint and recycling waste. There are many other examples like our priority for carpooling and encouraging employees to be stocked up on reusables. The big point is that each of these actions alone can seem small and insignificant, but when you look at the year-over-year impact of these actions, both alone and together, you can start to see the difference.
What about you?
So that’s what we want to challenge our community to focus on. Small actions that will make a big difference in your overall waste. As a consumer, it is good to take a look at your average day and evaluate what you are throwing out. Take a look through your garbage can for insight! There is a good chance that are several small changes you can make which will leave you with more money in the bank and less guilt in the heart. Looking at the obvious is always a good starting point. Are you throwing out cups while getting coffee? Tossing plastic-wrap after your lunch at work? Throwing shaving cartridges away? What about your shampoo and conditioner containers? These are all common plastic-based products that don’t spend a lot of time working for us and spend a lot of time impacting our oceans and wildlife.
If you aren’t guilty of using any of these products we applaud you! You are further on your sustainability journey than most - keep going! Shoot us an email and tell us the different ways you are reducing your waste.
What are some of these alternatives - more than just beeswax wraps
Nature Bee’s Beeswax Wraps are just one sustainable alternative that we are asking you to use in your day-to-day life. A Statista survey showed that in America, 54 million people are using between 3 and 10 roles of plastic wrap every 6 months. We know that we aren’t the whole picture in tackling single-use plastics, but as we said - one small action goes a long way!
Another great way to reduce your plastic waste is by using shampoo and conditioner bars like the ones provided by Green Room Body! Who doesn’t want to smell and feel great showering in a plastic-free bathroom? It also doesn't hurt that you are supporting another local female business owner while you’re at it 💪
Perhaps you are more into refilling a reusable container for your bathroom and kitchen goods. Check out what our friends Frankly Tofino and other refill focused stores like Zero Waste Emporium, West Coast Refill, and Victoria Soap Exchange
We want to hear your thoughts on kicking single-use plastics! Do you have thoughts on extra steps or about what you just read? Shoot us an email, we would be happy to hear from you!