Ocean Cleanup: Count Down to Launch

by Nicole C. Fitz | Oct 22, 2018 | Environmental Blog, Recycle, Reduce Plastic Waste, Save the Planet | 0 comments

Ocean Cleanup: Count Down to Launch

Written a week before the Ocean Cleanup launch from San Francisco, California, in response to the negative comments on the Ocean Cleanup Facebook page.

How do we solve the plastic problem?

Ask anyone how to solve the plastic problem and their answer is going to be, “avoid using plastic whenever you can.” But that is only one part of the problem.

We tend to feel like taking our reusable bags to the grocery store instead of bringing home a dozen plastic bags is enough. Refilling our stainless-steel water bottles is enough. Not using plastic straws anymore is enough.

But is it enough?

The Ocean Cleanup

Boyan Slat went scuba diving, saw more plastic than fish in the ocean, and decided – enough.

Boyan was very young when he started The Ocean Cleanup, his ambitious plan to clean up the Great Garbage Patch. He should be championed and imitated and, more importantly, assisted. We should all support him in whatever way we can because he has the courage and strength to try to undo the mess we made while we were completely unaware of the damage our convenience-based lifestyle was causing to the environment.

I often advocate for recycling or avoiding single-use plastics when possible. I am very excited about the new advancements that bio-based material makers are contributing to the plastics industry.

However, I am also aware that the plastic problem affecting the environment cannot be fixed by any one institution, government, company, brand, or group of people.

I understand that not using single-use plastic today may have a positive effect tomorrow. But, using a refillable bottle instead of buying a case of individual water bottles will not remove a single piece of the plastic floating in the ocean today.

An Impressive Solution

We should be impressed by Boyan’s willingness to go out and make a solution rather than wait for someone else to do it. He didn’t point fingers. He didn’t lobby to get someone else to clean it up. He didn’t need anyone’s permission to develop his idea. He didn’t wait for someone to tell him what to do. He saw a problem and designed a solution for it. It is not just any problem but one that significantly affects the entire world.

It would be amazing if his system works flawlessly on September 8, when it launches. If it doesn’t, Boyan is not afraid to alter his plan until he gets it right. He’s already been through several prototypes of his clean-up system. If the System 001 doesn’t work as he intends, he will try repeatedly until it does.

Boyan is an inspiration for people to stop waiting for someone else to do something about the environmental problems that exist today.

The Ocean Cleanup’s 300k+ followers on Facebook and I are behind him. I wish him and the entire crew of The Ocean Cleanup good luck next Saturday.

#oceancleanup

Plastic Water Bottles? Boxed Water Is Better

by Nicole C. Fitz | Jul 1, 2018 | Environmental Blog, Reduce Plastic Waste, Save the Planet, Sustainability | 0 comments

Plastic Water Bottles? Boxed Water Is Better

How will we ever get out of the environmental mess we’re in if all we do is nitpick about the solutions?

We know that too much single-use, non-decomposable plastic is produced every day. Are plastic water bottles recyclable? Some are, but only about a quarter of recyclable plastic bottles are actually recycled.

Here’s the real issue

Carrying water around all day is a convenience, not a necessity.

Water for sale was an absurd notion when it was first introduced, and it still is. Yet, we’ve reached a point where we can’t remember a time when we couldn’t buy water everywhere in plastic bottles, which now contribute significantly to our environmental problems.

Enter Boxed Water Is Better

Boxed Water Is Better is a 100% recyclable option made from a renewable resource. The company partners with the National Forest Foundation to plant trees for every purchase. They also ship the boxes flat and fill them at their filling stations, reducing the number of trucks needed for shipment and the pollution caused by transporting goods.

No major plastic production, no additional plastic water bottles in landfills or the ocean, a delivery system that generates less carbon footprint, and more trees. How is this not better?

Addressing the Criticism

Critics claim the water quality is not better, the box contains more than just paper, and it’s all greenwashing. Some even argue that plastic water bottles are better in comparison. Really?

Since we like to take our water with us, isn’t it better to do so in a way that has less of a negative environmental impact? Zero impact would be ideal, but less is still better than what we’ve been doing.

A refillable bottle is the best option. But if you forget your refillable at home, and you live in South Florida in the middle of summer, you’re probably going to buy some water. In this case, which is a better choice—paper or plastic?

Special Circumstances

There are of course, emergency situations where a hurricane floods the city, and people are trapped in shelters with limited supplies and need water. Or, an earthquake levels a country, and emergency supplies need to be flown in for the survivors.

In such cases, plastic water bottles are necessary. The plastic water bottle has its uses, but convenience shouldn’t be one of them.

Water that we carry around with us all day is a convenience.
Let’s do it the right way.

Doing Better Than Plastic Water Bottles

Is Boxed Water Is Better the definitive solution to the problem of plastic water bottles? No. Is it trying to do something better? Absolutely.

There are other options, but people won’t change overnight. So, in the meantime, if you can’t do what’s right, do what’s better.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are my own. The link provided is for informational purposes only and is not an affiliate link to Boxed Water Is Better LLC. The photo is a personal photo taken at a vegan café in Miami.