How do you like to reduce, reuse and recycle?

Working together to eliminate plastic use

This month is Plastic Free July—a global movement encouraging people to be part of a solution to plastic pollution in our world.

While I try to live a plastic-free life as much as possible on a daily basis, I’m happy to support movements like this that educate and encourage action.

I’m not winning, as much as I'd like, at this at all in my family life. I’m proud of Pure Pod and it’s limited plastic use and recycling programs, but when it comes to personal and family use, so much seems to be covered in plastic of some description! We recycle almost all of our plastics from our family food and home, but that’s not enough to reduce the enormous global issue. It seems overwhelming, but every little bit counts. 

Every time we empty our recycling bins, I picture the huge piles of plastic dominating our oceans and land fills and feel terrible for my daughter and future generations. In my life I’ve seen a huge shift in plastic production, imagine what the next generation will see in their life time. Not buying products with plastic packaging must be the answer. Stopping it entering our homes at it’s source! It needs to go further than just not using plastic bags and one use coffee cups! 

The more everyone can do to make a positive step to live more sustainably the bigger the difference we can all make together. I’d love to hear from you, my valued clients, this month about the methods you employ to live more sustainably.

I'm so blessed to have such amazing clients at Pure Pod who understand the importance of sustainable living. In supporting me and my brand know they are also supporting change for a cleaner planet. 

At home I buy as much fresh produce as possible using enviro bags and avoiding products in plastic But we aren’t perfect. We are a busy family like all of yours are and rush around in jobs and getting food on the table too. I understand how much this can be challenging when the supermarkets are covered in plastic! 

We have our own veggie patch as well, which helps provide produce...and of late it has done a great job entertaining our backyard chooks and ducks who've found the offerings tasty! Actually they seemed to tell their friends and they have all had a party in our patch! I’m not sure how much is left! 

I’m confident we’re also raising a daughter who understands the importance of sustainability and the actions needed to ensure we protect our planet, now and in the future. She’s like most kids who love plastic toys! I do tell her ‘Plastic never dies’ when she buys plastic toys, but I don’t want to traumatise her either! She will find her own path and I hope I’ve been a positive influence on her. 

Within my own business I limit as much Plastic or receive plastic items. I’m also conscious of this when packaging garments for delivery to clients—I choose to use compostable bags & recycled paper or paper that our customers can recycle. 

While we’re striving to create a cleaner fashion industry, protect the people working in it and ignite our passion for creative ethical design, there’s more we want to achieve; and it doesn’t have to start and end with the clothing. 

I want my clients to receive a package in the mail that speaks 100% Pure Pod—from the design, to the fabric, to the packaging. While delivery of our designs in compostable bags is a small step in our pursuits, it’s an important one.

These pictures (above) are of one of my long-term valued clients and Newcastle photographer, Brydie Piaf, taking her compostable bag to her compost bin after she received a new delivery from me.

She told me that she was really happy to see her Pure Pod delivery in a compostable bag.

"It makes a lovely change from the regular plastic packages! The use of compostable bags for the delivery of my product is not only in keeping and a continuation of Pure Pod’s vision, but it’s also aligned with all the choices I’ve already consciously made as a consumer.”

Collaboration for a more sustainable future

At Pure Pod we want to educate and encourage all of our customers, stockists and the industry’s future creative designers to really think about the source of their purchases and who has made them, what impact they have had and how they can improve their consumer choices for a cleaner and healthier planet.

This is why I also love collaborating with like-minded sustainable businesses.

One business that has really captured my heart and mind recently is The Plastic Free Shop, owned and operated by fellow Canberran, Loren Howell. Loren sells her plastic free items like beeswax wraps, bamboo toothbrushes and eco-straws online.

    
Loren Howell from The Plastic Free Shop

She, like me, knows there is no simple solution to solving the global plastic problem. However, we both agree, that as consumers we make choices. If everyone tries to reduce their plastic use, one step at a time, together we can make a real difference.

“We all have our own individual roles to play and it can be very difficult to get ahead being a small business," Loren said.

“It’s often about strength in numbers—we’re all propping each other up, we’re all fighting for a common cause—and that’s to make the world a better place.

“Collaboration is important. There is an overlap for me with plastic and Kelli with fashion, two-thirds of clothing is synthetic, which means it has plastic in it.

“For me to be promoting a plastic free lifestyle it also means I’m promoting sustainable fashion as well, which means I then point people in that direction.

“Business owners in these types of industries are incredibly strong—people like Kelli are going up against giants in the fashion industry—we need to support and get behind each other.”

      
Some of the products available from The Plastic Free Shop

Making a conscious decision to use less plastic means changing our habits and it’s easy if you’re willing to try—use enviro shopping bags and produce bags, recycle any soft plastic you do use, use beeswax wraps instead of glad wrap, choose compartmentalised lunch boxes instead of snap lock bags, invest in stainless steel straws for home and your handbag, and choose biodegradable garbage bags.

Feel free to comment below and share how you like to reduce, reuse and recycle at home—by sharing our ideas we create stronger connections and may just learn new and inspiring sustainability options from each other.

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