what a waste!

I gave up using plastic wrap (gladwrap) a long time ago. In the microwave I use paper towels. In the fridge I used Tupperware containers.  It wasn’t a hard thing to do. The only thing I hate is having a draw full of plastic containers that never stack properly and always looks a mess. And then you have to find the matching lid!  I’m positively sure I’m not alone in this frustration!

Plastic is a wonderful invention which has meant huge advances for industries like medicine, electronics, construction and transport.  It has its place but we do need to shift our mind set and look for other solutions to keep it from polluting our earth.
​
We are now seeing the effects that plastic has on our planet. Every day there is an article highlighting the plight of polluted rivers, the oceans full of plastic, and the effect this has on our wildlife – fish and birds in particular. It’s heartbreaking when you see animals that have died because their stomachs are full of plastic.  This is a human fault. No other animal pollutes like we do.
​
Every year, approximately 252,000 tonnes of plastic end up in our landfills in New Zealand, and over 8 percent of waste in our waterways is plastic. Worldwide, an estimated eight million metric tonnes ends up in the oceans each year – a rubbish truck's worth a minute, 50 per cent of consumer plastics are single use.   There has now been plastic debris found in every one of our oceans, even the Antarctic, and by 2050, our seas are forecast to contain more plastic than fish.  These facts make me really sad.
​
Recycling is not the solution – it only defers the problem, it is still rubbish that has to be got rid of.

The problem is immense, and we asked ourselves, how could we make a difference? We developed our Beeswax Cloths with plastic pollution in mind. If we can encourage people to reach for the Beeswax cloth rather than plastic wrap, then we are making a difference. It’s only a small difference, a tiny drop in the ocean, but we had to start somewhere.

I’ve been using our Beeswax cloths now for a while. I find they keep food really fresh. Cheese stays as fresh as the day you bought it.  Avocado, bread, sandwiches, I’ve not been disappointed yet with anything I’ve tried it with.
​
And it beats trying to find those matching lids in my Tupperware drawer!

​Liz Wyllie

---