A month ago, on December 19th, the European Commission reinforced the fight against single-use plastic products by setting a list of items that will be banned from the market, and by pushing the EU Member States to set better waste collection schemes for a total of 10 plastic items.
The following every-day consumption products will now be in the sights of the authorities:
plastic cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers, sticks for balloons, drinks containers, drinks bottles, sanitary towels, wet wipes, balloons, food containers, packets and wrappers (such as for crisps and sweets), cups, tobacco products with filters (such as cigarette butts) and lightweight plastic bags...an entire plastic paradize which will hopefully make its way out of our supermarkets, our households and our habits.
Click here to read the article from the European Commission on the topic to see what and how things will move towards a plastic-free society.
In practice, what will that change for you and me?
Well, for sure less plastic and hopefully better-quality, environmentally-friendly products in our hands.
On the professional level, it might give me the best incentive to finally get rid of all the cups, drink stirrers and plastic spoons that have spread throughout my office and its production site. However, I wish this was sufficient to make greater progresses on the environmental side of my life or work. Removing our stocks of stirrers will probably make a symbolic difference, but whether it could impact our environmental footprint positively and drastically, I doubt it.
But anyhow I will give it a try: if symbolism can trigger more changes and showcase best practices, yallah! I just wish more knew the extend of what is possible, feasible and achievable, beyond the straw and umbrella in your Saturday night coktail.
And that some small talks in the elevator in the morning would go beyond "Hey, how is Environment today?"