Lessening my plastic waste

 Hi Thinking out loud here xx :D

I think this might be a bit long so please do find a comfy seat, get a drink and take in everything I have to write, take this time for you to be present and let any worries for now go, this time is for you, let thoughts go and let your breath guide you as you read this blog post.

These past few days, possibly even months, I’ve been thinking about my impact on the earth, from things I buy to how I use those products even down to what I do when I’ve finished using those products. A lot of things we buy are either recyclable or not, but I’ve been thinking a lot recently about where does it all go, the plastics the paper, bottles of any kind, packaging, containers, where does it all go? Do the things that we get told are recyclable do they get recycled as in reused for other products, or do they go to landfills adding to the mass of rubbish already there that we get told will break down but never does.

If it does eventually break down, it takes hundreds of years because of the masses of waste that gets pilled up every day. A lot of it also makes its way into waterways that ultimately end up in our beautiful oceans, rivers, lakes and small particles even some of the water we drink, not to mention inside animals that mistake our rubbish for being food. It’s heartbreaking, but we have caused this, we have made this happen, so I am making an effort to change my ways, and I hope you join me in making these small but life-changing changes for not only ourselves but for the greater good of our planet and all of its inhabitants. 

I have already made changes where I can at the moment, I along time ago now changed to using metal bottles when out and about, something I did way back when I was in school. I at the beginning of this year switched to reusable pads. I’ve mentioned them multiple times on this blog throughout this year. They are over five years more cost-effective but more than that with every period they help safe the planet. They help lessen plastic waste and rubbish build-up, help save our wildlife, help keep our oceans and waterways clean, reduce our carbon footprint, are better for our bodies and healthier for our bodies and have no chemicals near sensitive parts of bodies or being leaked into our planet. They are one thing that has drastically changed my life this year and my future going forwards. This though is only the start. I hope that by next year I have less plastic products that I use daily. 

I just looked around the bathroom, and my bedroom and all of the products, ALL the products I use are made out of plastic 100% of all the moisturisers, hand creams, body lotion, shampoo, body wash face wash are in plastic packaging all of them, I’m sad that I’m saying that, but it’s true. I realise how bad that is, and here I am talking about the impact these have on our planet yet everything that I put on my body comes out of plastic. So here today once I have used up all the products they will not be being rebought. I will find other options; I will make an effort to better my footprint on this earth, for not only me but every inhabitant. I don’t want my actions today to cause devastation in fifty years if that, I don’t want what I do how I live to affect the future of our planet if it does then I want it to impact it in a way that helps it, that allows the world thrive. 

This new way of thinking hasn’t just happened overnight; I have been watching documentaries and realising that we as humans are far too greedy, we have enough we don’t need to take and not replenish the earth after we have taken, we take more than we could ever give back. We aren’t only harming what we need to survive but what other species need to thrive. We over fish, kill animals just for fun that we aren’t ever going to eat, clear habitats because the land we have previously cutaway is now no good, or we have massively overpopulated an area.

We use oil that we don’t need to use, I know this isn’t new news, but we now have the knowledge, and we now know what it is doing to the planet, to animals who are rapidly losing their place on this earth, to animals who are losing their source of food. We are the ones who are taking all these things away, humans. We don’t need it; we don’t need massive fishing nets for fish to get caught in that we wouldn’t possibly dare to eat. If we all changed one thing that would make a significant difference if we change five things, think of the even more substantial difference it would make.

I don’t want to preach this isn’t what my blog is about, nor do I want to keep on seeing facts and figures without choosing to change. I don’t expect anyone reading this to make a change. I don’t expect anyone reading this to even think about making the change form what I’ve said. I’m not an expert, I’m not a scientist who sees every day the changes that are happening, and I am in no way qualified to talk about this topic. Still, I am human, I am apart of the problem and I can and will be apart of the solution. I care about this planet; I care about the oceans and waterways, I care about other animals we live alongside, even the ones I’m not so keen on they still have a part to play. And I care about the future of every bit of wildlife; I don’t want us to get too smart for our own good.

As I see it we are becoming pretty dumb, yes we have found ways of using money, building sturdy houses, buildings, vehicles, devices that help us keep in touch with loved ones. But on the other hand, we have lost touch with nature, we have become a species who rely on so much that if we lost it all tomorrow, we wouldn’t cope. We wouldn’t survive, you can give a dog a stick and its happy, give a human a stick, and they’d look at you as if you’ve just put shit in their hand.

We continuously want more are asking for more, but we don’t have anymore. I’m not trying to compare us to dogs, but what I am trying to do is to show that it doesn’t take much for a dog to be happy. Yet, they are one of the smartest animals to walk this planet, you teach them to do something, and within a few weeks, they do it on command, ok maybe it takes a little incentive of a treat, but they still learn, and in most cases help us along the way.

If you who is reading this knows of any businesses that sell products that aren’t in plastic or have anything to do with plastic, please leave them in the comments below. I realise that they may be expensive, but if the cost of it helps clean the planet a little more, then that is good enough for me. If you have any suggestions also of cost-effective products that also help in keeping the earth that bit greener then they are also greatly taken on board likewise if you have anything that can be made at home from soap to anything that can be used around the house or even used for our bodies, anything that helps in less use of plastic.

I know plastic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, if enough of us use less of it I hope it will send a message to businesses that we don’t need or want it anymore, feel free to join me. If you do happen to do a clear out, seek out places where you can take your old used plastic, see if any businesses in your area are taking them to reuse them. It is a lot better than putting them in a bin and hoping they go for being reused and not to landfills all over the world.

Remember this isn’t only our planet; there are animals we don’t always see that are suffering from what we use daily. Once plastics are in a bin and out of sight, it shouldn’t be out of mind. Again please leave all suggestions of products that aren’t in plastic that is all kinds of plastic from hard to soft to anything that is coated in plastic.

Thank you so much for reading this blog post, this one I feel could get criticised I know I’m not perfect, but I am learning every day about how to be a better kinder person, as I’ve said before I don’t want to preach. These are just my views and my thoughts, and what I’m telling myself to do within the next year. I would love it if you make these changes with me, but I do understand if you can’t, won’t, or don’t want to. We all make choices, and we all have to live with those choices at the end of the day. Thank you again for reading I know this was a bit of a long one, I hope you have a lovely day wherever you are, remember to be kind, be safe and spread a little bit of positive where you can I’m sure we can still all do with a little positivity right now.

Kia Kaha, Kia Maia, Kia Manawanui, Me Te Aroha. Be strong, Be brave, Be steadfast with love.

Love always Thinking out loud xx :D

Mental Health Monday week 6

Before we get into this weeks post this is somewhat long so please get comfy, get a drink, relax and take this time for you. Let your mind be free, and put your feet up, this is your time, this is for you and this is our fortnightly catch-up.

First of just need to say I know its Tuesday but this is better late than never right, plus Mental Helth Tuesday doesn’t have the same ring to it as Monday does so sticking with Monday even though it is Tuesday. I also need to say that how have I lasted this long six weeks I have been writing these Monday uploads. I can’t believe I am still doing them, I have to say it has been an excellent cleanser for my mind and I hope they are helping you just as much as they are helping me.

This week is a catch-up week so let me know how you are all going whether it be in the comments below or on Instagram @allthingspositive22 where you can talk to us for a friendly chat or advice on any topic. It also happens to be mental health week this week, so please remember to look after yourselves. Take time for you, take rests and breaks where you can and know that it’s ok if you aren’t ok there is always someone to talk to, someone to help you. You never have to feel like you are alone.

During this week, remember to get outside, take in some fresh air, and really take the time to give your body what it needs, to love your body, and to love yourself. If you've been hard on yourself or your body recently, take a step back and rethink why you've been like that. Maybe try and think, does this way of thinking serve me any purpose? Does it help me? Does it make me feel good? Does it in any way lead me in any suitable manner in life? And can you carry on this way?

If your answer is no to any of those questions, you know you need to make a change, you know you need to change your perspective, your way of thinking and start living for you for your best life and for an experience that you want, this is your life live it your way and no one else's way. If you are an adult, make these choices first for you, if you aren't an adult then I know it's tough. Still, you do first have to listen to the adult who looks after you, talk to them listen to them and come to an agreement that works for both of you. It might not be comfortable or easy, no matter how old you are. Still, it will become easier as you move forwards and away from a way of thinking that hasn't helped or served any purpose so far.

These past few weeks (two weeks) have been a bit crazy, it’s been school holidays, and my mind has been all over the place so much so that last week I ended up cutting my thumb, of course, I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing. I’m starting to realise this is from overthinking and not letting my mind rest (something I am still learning to do.) Needless to say, after a bit of blood a few tears (from the shock of cutting myself) and two plasters and help from my older cousin I am doing ok. A movie day was had and a little bit of feeling sorry for myself whenever I moved my hand which in turn came with feeling nauseous. But we are now into a new week my thumb is healing taking its time. Still, it is healing so that I am thankful for and that it wasn’t bad enough for stitches or medical attention. I am far from stopping overthinking everything but my lesson with focusing on one thing or at least trying to focus on one thing at a time is slowly being learnt.

With it now being term four the last term of the year here in Aus and NZ, it really does feel like everything is coming to an end, I will be going back to NZ towards the end of November with two weeks of quarantine I’m happy to do whatever it takes to make sure I don’t take COVID back to my family. Hence, two weeks and two tests are a small price to pay when spreading COVID is so easily done. This though has been playing on my mind a lot recently from what will happen at the airport, on the plane, or at the other end when I'm in Auckland. I think I am beginning to realise that I like to know every little detail before something happens. I am now on the list for quarantine so I will have somewhere to go on landing, I yet don’t know where that will be and that freaks me out a little, but knowing I will have somewhere to go helps. As much as I feel sick every time I think about not knowing where I will end up in NZ, best case scenario is Auckland worst would be bottom of the south island, but anywhere in New Zealand is better than not having anywhere to go at all. This is just something that shows to me that I need to learn to go with the flow, that whatever happens, happens. I have to be ok with that. This doesn’t mean that I have to be like that with everything in life. There will be a time when I can’t go with the flow for whatever reasons but for this, I need to let that not having control go because I don’t and can’t take control of this. Where I go will be decided on where everyone on the planes last destination is.

This is I guess another phase of learning about my own mental health and finding out what I am ok with and what I am not ok with but acknowledging that and maybe not accepting it just yet but allowing myself to take it on board and take the time to go ok this happening this is how you feel with this you don’t like this feeling, you don’t like feeling sick for two days in a row now, how can you change that? What can you do to help that? To make that feeling go away? Because I know I’m not going to be sick, but I do need to figure out how I can alleviate that sick feeling. I will get there I know I will, it might be later today, tomorrow or even when I’m sat in my seat on the plane on my way home. Either way, I know, I will get rid of the sick feeling and find a way that works for me. To alleviate these mental feelings and to calm what I guess is nerves for the unknown. Knowing though that I will have people to talk to at both ends family and friends when I am on my own in the hotel room helps. Knowing that as much as I'm physically alone, I won’t be virtually alone. 

I hope this catch-up helps in some little way. I feel like voicing it in away has started helping me. I have already begun to clear a little bit of the overthinking though I know it’s going to take a lot more time and working out on my part.

I hope you have a lovely week ahead or what we have left of this week. I, unlike last week, will be uploading next on Thursday, but if you don’t read my Thursday uploads, I will be back here next Monday for week seven which will be Queensland mental health week.

Thank you for reading and for taking the time to read this post.

Love always Thinking out loud xx :D