Today we celebrate Earth Day.
As we are all aware, plastic is a huge problem for our environment. Our landfills are full of plastic that take forever to disintegrate. Our oceans are full of plastic that is sometimes choking our sea life… and now we are discovering microplastics in animals, and recently, even in humans.
The personal care and beauty industry is, sadly, having a very negative impact on the environment. Globally, more than 120 billion units of beauty packaging are produced every year, and the worst part is that most of it is not really recyclable.
The way economies work is that as long as there is demand for these products then there will always be a supply, so as consumers, we have the power to shift the dynamics with our choices.
So what can we do?
1- Look for natural or environmentally friendly and ethically sourced ingredients.
2- Qvoid single use products.
3- Buy less. Believe me when I say that your skin does not need a twenty-step skincare routine.
4- Buy from smaller ethical businesses who do not mass produced beauty products to ship and fill shelves in stores all over the world.
5- Look for cosmetics with little or no plastic packaging. If you must buy plastic look for truly recyclable packaging.
6- Buy products with glass, steel, or aluminum packaging. Cardboard and cork are also good options.
7- Look for products with new innovative packaging that are environmentally friendly, like packaging made of seaweed or mushroom.
8- If there is a product that you like but comes in a lot of plastic, you may contact that company and express your interest in a more environmentally friendly option.
So this Earth Day of 2024, let’s take care of ourselves and let’s take care of our planet.
