Let’s Save The Planet: Hervana Eco Mastermind On Plastic Waste
Unless you live under a rock you’ve probably heard just how doomed the planet is unless we get our act together and start being more environmentally responsible. I’ve been keen to learn more on how to do this for awhile now so I was excited to hear about the Eco Mastermind event hosted by Hervana and Barnacle Babes. It was a workshop in Vancouver that brought women together to learn and discuss what we can do on a personal level.
The event was great. Not only did I meet a group of like-minded women who want to make a difference, but I learned more about the issue of plastic waste, and what we can do about it.
Here are some scary stats on plastic:
- 220 million tonnes of plastic are created every year, and that number is increasing
- Every plastic toothbrush that’s ever been made is still on this planet
- Microplastics are huge culprits in the sea (Not sure what they are? Watch this video)
- More than 1 million sea birds die every year because of plastic
- The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (which is located in the ocean between Hawaii & California) has the largest accumulation of ocean plastic, measuring 1.6 million km squared (that’s three times the size of France). Check out the video below to understand more.
At the event we discussed how there are safer alternatives to plastic such as hemp and seaweed, but we need to make them more available so that prices will drop. Currently, a lot of environmentally friendly options are still way more expensive than plastic, which is a deterrent for buyers.
Here are a few things you can do to get the ball rolling on making eco alternatives more available:
- Avoid buying food wrapped in plastic (ex. avocados in mesh bags, bananas in plastic bags – why people why? They have their own natural protective linings!)
- Ask the deli to wrap your meat in paper instead of plastic. It may take a bit more time, but as more and more people do this companies will start to take note.
- Instead of using cling wrap, buy beeswax wrap. Or you can make your own! I just found out about this at the event. Watch the video below, it’s so easy:
- You can even make your own sunscreen. This one sounds a bit intense for me at the moment (because you have to be careful not to inhale the zinc oxide), but it is possible. If you’re super keen here’s how to make it.
- Ask your local grocery store to stop carrying plastic bags (and make sure to take your reusable bags to the store!)
- Get a pela phone case, they’re compostable!
If you’re looking to get involved or learn more, Hervana is hosting more upcoming Eco Mastermind events with Barnacle Babes.
Upcoming events:
- July 23rd Eco Fashion and Beauty
- Aug 27th Sustainability and Food
You can find more info on the Facebook event page here.
The events are hosted at Hervana, a women’s coworking space and community in the heart of downtown Vancouver. Check out their website at hervanavancouver.com.
Barnacle Babes is an organization based on conservation, connection, and community. It has a magazine (made out of sugar cane waste, how cool is that?!), a webseries, hosts retreats, and has a community membership you can join. Check out their website at barnaclebabes.com.
Hope to see you at the next event! Good luck with your plastic reduction – if you have any other good tips let us know!