CONSUMPTION COUNTS!

It’s been a while! The one year mark came and went and yes… I made no fanfare (well, not on here but if you’re on my facebook page you would have seen the post). I guess because it has, very much, become a lifelong journey for me. So Jan the 1st 2015 was very much like Dec 31 2014, and all of the days of that year beforehand.

The details?

Well – my average monthly plastic waste production for 2014 was 34gms. So far, this year I’ve been maintaining that. I’d say that the sooner I get a nice big PROPER maara going the better. I’m still loving on my hanging herb garden that my bro built me 🙂
kotahitepirau
But still… can’t wait til I can grow my own cabbage, broccoli, kumara etc.

 

My average waste collection on my daily walk down the beach was 5.4kg.

20mins of plastic collection down our local beach in Gisborne.
20mins of plastic collection down our local beach in Gisborne.

The biggest barrier? Well – for me personally – I found that travel, and sharing your living space, came with plastic. It’s MUCH easier to control your plastic waste when you’re at home, by yourself, with a schedule, rather than out and about. My response to that? Well – preparedness and open communication, really. You have to be clear and open about what is ok to bring into the house.

Airplanes - plastic, inside plastic, wrapped in plastic, in a convenient plastic pouch.
Airplanes – plastic, inside plastic, wrapped in plastic, in a convenient plastic pouch.

My highlight of the year would be…. Plastic free July – and participating in the “Buy one get one tree” campaign that our local cafe’s took part in. That was massive. Getting to go to Nagoya to support the cause of sustainability at the UNESCO Conference for Education on Sustainable Development (ESD) was also incredible – and the many, many marvellous people I’ve met while on my journey to become plastic free – hearing that they have felt inspired to take that path themselves has been a continual source of motivation for me. So for everyone who stopped along the way to say hi, who sent a letter of support or let me know that it’s inspired them to go plastic free, themselves – THANKYOU, thankyou so much.

Let’s soldier on. 😀

Liked it? Take a second to support Tina Ngata on Patreon!
Become a patron at Patreon!

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: