Consumer Influence: RE-Plastic, Zero Waste & SDG12

Customer is king is an oft-heard refrain. Similarly, it's self-evident that consumers shape supply and demand cycles.  As we see the consequences of human impact on our planet the importance of the sustainable development goals in general and SDG12 - Responsible Consumption and Production,  become urgent. 

The green trends of sustainability that are slowly catching on are driven by conscious consumers and active citizens promoting a circular economy, sustainable development, zero waste and RE-Plastic (REplacing, REducing, REcycling & REusing Plastic) movements. This is turn has given way to businesses, industry and shops that cater to the conscious consumer looking to limit their ecological impact. 

In the case of the plastic pollution, an active citizen as a conscious consumer can help reduce use of plastic and ensure 100% plastic recycling not just shipping plastic waste to the developing world. As this nearly a decade old video of the Story of Stuff shows in the case of water bottles from the US landing up in plastic mountains in the landfills outside Chennai (Madras), India. 

A conscious consumer empowered by networks of like-minded active citizens can help  #BeatPlasticPollution and ensure #ZeroWaste by promoting 100% recycling as well as overall reducing, reusing, repairing, replacing and sharing.

As someone recently (May 26, 2019) shared on Facebook, the Jaws movie in 2019 would be Steven Spielberg pulling plastic out of Sharks! Viral videos abound with animals in distress due to our plastic waste and pretty locales destroyed by plastic litter. Our impact on the planet is more gory and devastating than a mass shark attack. Convenience calls to us like blood in the water to sharks triggering gluttony, which I think is the most subtly deadly sin of our times.

As, the Story of Stuff project again shows, the solution to the plastic pollution crisis may be "Hidden in Plain Sight"

A million plastic bottles bought in a minute worldwide. This ubiquitous item is 100% recyclable but sadly recycling is not enabled by interest groups.It is the low-hanging fruit in the plastic crisis. Bottle Deposit Schemes to ensure 💯 recycling. Ensuring robust bottle deposit schemes as long as we are using PET bottles, cans & glass bottles the biggest chunk of #plasticwaste & #packaging #solidwaste by flexing our power as consumers we can ensure 100% #recycling.

The fact that very few big MNCs - corporate titans - cater to the needs of billions - the critical mass of active citizens can affect change by targeting just a few key players.

We are running out of resources - every year the Earth Overshoot Day comes earlier, we are destroying the only home we have as a life form by over-consumption and becoming slaves to convenience. To ensure sustainable development, the customer, consumer and citizen need to stand behind SDG12, RE-Plastic and commit to reduced wastage and if possible zero-waste lifestyles.