A Low Carbon Life | Post 2 2019 | Clinging to Convenience
We’re about to use the last of our roll of cling wrap; it’s so convenient – I love it but I ration it. We have survived with one short roll for over 18 months but THS said the other day that he was putting it on the shopping list for later this week. I don’t think we should buy another roll and, if others read this post, I’m sure the unspoken view will be that, one roll of cling wrap won’t make any difference because the problem of climate change is so huge.
I know the problem of climate change is huge and I know our single roll of cling wrap won’t change anything but what if no-one bought another roll of cling wrap as of tomorrow? Here’s what I think might happen.
Precisely nothing would happen for the first few weeks, then the shops would find that they didn’t need to re-order it, then the suppliers would find their inventory stockpiling, then conversations would be had and there would be a realisation that no-one was buying it, then there would be initiatives to encourage people to purchase it again (discounting, advertisements), then the whole question of cling wrap might become a media thing, then production would slow if it hadn’t already done so, while demand for replacement products such as beeswax wrap and paper food wrap and lidded storage containers rose, then suppliers of similar single use plastic products would get nervous, then our leaders might realise that here is yet another way that ordinary people are expressing their deep, deep concern about climate change. So you see I think small, individual actions could make a difference. The tipping point of a social movement is generally thought to be 10% of the population but others think it might be as low as 3.5%. Could it be?
For those of you who might reduce, or cease to use cling wrap (along with other single use plastics), my preferred solutions are beeswax wrap and square, lidded glass jars (you can see what’s in the jars and they stack nicely on a shelf or in the fridge – note that I hear you JPD).
‘Caring & Doing‘. Until next time, Jane