Disposability verses Regeneration
“Disposable” is a term that we use often. We live in a plastic era right now. Everything is plastic. Disposable is synonymously used with convenience. But it’s not convenient at all. The long-term effects of disposable items, that are generally plastic, are having a devastating effect on the environment. This is why we need to start repurposing trash. Not only the plastics but everything we possibly can.
One of the first benefits of repurposing the items that we are throwing away is it can save us money. Whether you are reusing your plastic grocery bags or items for packaging like bubble wrap or peanuts, you can save money by using them in a different way or reusing them as often as you can with their same intended purpose.
When you get in the habit of repurposing, your whole mindset changes. You go to the store you will find that when you are deciding which products to buy, you will automatically start considering the garbage that you’re going to be throwing away and how else to use it. People that do not care about repurposing the disposable items, or packaging materials, will usually have the mentality to buy cheap products that will need to be replaced often. This is not wise shopping. A shopper that is active in repurposing will usually tend to buy quality items that are either made to last or can be easily reused.
Repurposing will hold the shoppers accountable. It’s important that we don’t get stuck into the recycling mentality. By this, I mean, we get used to allowing ourselves to use recycling as an excuse to buy more disposable items. The trick is, we have to get used to not using disposable items anymore. With all of the waste on this planet, all of the plastics and disposable items can easily be collected and reused. That is where we need to be as a culture. Instead of excusing ourselves with the idea of recycling. We should be upcycling what is already on the planet that we can’t get rid of and then not creating any more of these dangerous, non-biodegradable products.
Recycling is not a bad thing by any means. In fact, it was a great stepping stone for mankind. We just need to move forward from it. We can’t just be using recycling to create a clear conscience for continually creating more environmentally damaging things. Repurposing and upcycling is the only way to move past the recycling era and step into a more environmentally friendly period.
Recycling has served its purpose, it’s time to move on to a better way. There are so many ways that we can reuse or repurpose the things that we throw away each day. There really is no good excuse for continuing an environmentally destructive and dangerous pattern. After learning more about repurposing, what are your plans for buying products in the future? Do you have any goals for upcycling? Have you thought about any ways to limit what you buy that are disposable?
If so, I’d love to hear them in the comments! Sharing your ideas with others can make a huge impact.