In the first post we had for this semester, I had mentioned my online activism for the ocean and specifically sharks. This is something I’ve worked on since 2019. Life has gotten in the way and that’s prohibited me from posting as often. I even created a website but it hasn’t been active for a few months because I haven’t had the time to keep up with it. One of the major issues that people often think of in regard to the upkeep of our oceans is the elimination of plastic. I try to use smaller amounts of plastic but truthfully, it’s difficult. It’s in everything. I also try to avoid anything from plastic bottles or any single-use products. My plan for a while has been to make the transition to more bamboo based products. Bamboo grows twenty times faster than regular trees so it’s more sustainable and ecofriendly.
Here’s an article that explains the importance of using bamboo products, including the benefits and how it’s more eco-friendly.
https://www.ecotradecompany.com/blogs/news/are-bamboo-products-eco-friendly
My goal over the coming weeks is to consciously be aware of the products I use that contain plastic, are single-use, or anything that isn’t eco friendly. If there is something that I absolutely have to use, I plan to do research on if it’s recyclable and local facilities that will accept the material. In addition to this, I want to set aside time again for my shark page. It’s something I am deeply passionate about and it’s been neglected for too long. I think this plan has the potential to work very well. It will be difficult at first, but if I can create strict guidelines for myself I should be able to keep to it further into the future.
As I wrote in my first post, everything is in same way connected. It may seem small, limiting my plastic usage and switching to more sustainable products, but in the long run it matters. What I do changes what my boyfriend does, and has the potential to impact our coworkers and friends. Something that started with one then changes into a whole group of people. Our imprint on the Earth is something that will last forever and we are responsible for taking care of it.
I know my goals do not directly describe the feminist aspect of “ecofeminism”, but this semester we’ve looked at many examples of environmentalism and how feminism fits into that conversation. I feel comfortable in my choices for this project, as I believe fighting for our oceans also directly fights for women’s rights, even if not directly. In protecting the planet, nurturing her, and keeping her clean, I am finding my place and establishing my role in this conversation.
For anyone interested in learning more about sharks, our oceans, and recent conversations about both, check out my page on Instagram. I’ll be working on it soon and will be more active in the conversation.
https://www.instagram.com/all.shark.no.bite/
Hey Lizzy!
I remember reading your blog post in the beginning of the semester which was about ocean conservation. I can feel through your writing how passionate you are about the topic as well as through the Instagram page that I scrolled through. I am glad that the page is something that you will be working on again!
During my internship with MassPIRG we held an online seminar about ocean conservation. One of the topics was the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The amount of plastic and waste in the ocean is astronomical; the garbage patch alone is twice the size of Texas. Single use plastics are also something I try to avoid, and bamboo is definitely a great alternative. After doing a little bit of research I came across a company founded by a woman named Virginia P’an called Yumi Eco Solutions. The company uses bamboo and starches as an alternative to plastic for dinnerware. I linked the website below if you’re interested!
I also love the book called Drawdown, as it discusses a multitude of different ways we can create a more sustainable future. They have a website that I will also link below called Project Drawdown which discusses how bamboo can help sequester carbon from both soil and biomass. On the website it also states that bamboo has over 1,500 uses that we can put towards a plastic free, sustainable future.
Here are the links!
Yumi Eco Solutions
https://www.yumieco.com/#home
Project Drawdown Bamboo
https://drawdown.org/solutions/bamboo-production?gclid=CjwKCAjwitShBhA6EiwAq3RqA5SFmj_7tKo_jchPFFAwG5O3HXvp3rm89kCGR5IUvIhQ3X-hTaVTphoC5foQAvD_BwE
Lizzy,
Being 100% plastic free is definitely an admirable feat. I started using bamboo toothbrushes right before the pandemic myself. In a small way I knew then that plastics and landfill were going to be a huge piece of the problem for landfills and oceans. It took some time to get used to them but I’m definitely a fan now. I have planned to incorporate elements of using less plastic and more reusable containers and such into my own praxis because I’m hoping that my small actions for my food shops from now till the end of the class will have really tangible results for all the ecosystems I am attached to. When you said, “Our imprint on the Earth is something that will last forever and we are responsible for taking care of it”. I really resonated with that because under ecofeminism we know that women’s lives are more inherently linked to nature thus the caring for earth is something that may fell more closely to women. Not saying that it is my belief that women are solely in charge, but inherently if women are settled with this responsibility history will remember that women acted on the need for a better earth. I will be sure to check out your IG page for the sharks and oceans. Keep up the great work.