Summary: Why is it that, in times of fear, society reverts back to relying on single-use disposables?<br> COVID-19 will have lasting effects on the environmental movement. While some of such effects—like embracing forced slowness, for example—took cars off the road and reduced worldwide carbon emissions in the short-term, our propensity toward fear-based buying over the past year has littered the planet. Indeed, communities that fought long and hard to ban single-use items embraced them during the pandemic; there’s the plastics problem, too: currently, the fossil fuels industry is doubling down on creating virgin plastic in hopes of staying relevant (and rich). <br> On this week’s show I speak with <a href="https://sanikind.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sanikind</a> co-founders Miles Pepper and Martica Wakeman, a *refillable* hand sanitizer dispenser made from recycled plastic. Miles and Martica believe it’s entirely possible to stay healthy without single-use products, and they’re on the show to teach us how.<br> <br> Here’s a preview of this week’s episode:<br> [7:30] Is it possible to make sanitary products (like hand sanitizer) circular? Here’s how<br> [15:45] Fear-based buying: 5 ways in which the pandemic has increased consumer reliance on single-use waste<br> [22:00] How excessive stress on a certain demographic (ahem … women) negatively impacts the environmental moment<br> [24:00] How (and why) the fossil fuels industry has accelerated the creation of virgin plastic (and what it means for the rest of us)<br> <br> Resources mentioned in the episode:<br> <br> * <a href="https://amzn.to/3gmm2Ky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swell water bottle</a><br> * <a href="https://sanikind.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sanikind</a> (Use code SUSTAINABLE25 at checkout for 25% off your order!)<br> * <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/health-coronavirus-plastic-recycling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Plastic Pandemic: COVID-19 Trashed the Recycling Dream</a> (via Reuters)<br> <br> <br> * Thank you to <a href="https://outrageandoptimism.libsyn.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outrage + Optimism</a> for sponsoring this episode! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts for new episodes every Thursday.<br> NEW FEATURE! Leave a voicemail with your question and I’ll answer it on-air! Here’s how: State your name then leave the show a message at (508) 960-9046. (This new feature only works with audience participation, so don’t be shy!)<br> <br> * Want more episodes like this one? Check out<a href="https://mamaminimalist.com/135/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> #135: 5 New Ways to Reduce Your Plastic Waste.</a><br> * Join our (free!) community <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/134165317219800/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.<br> * Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SustainableMinimalists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook,</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mommyminimalist/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> + <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/mommyminimalist/pins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pinterest</a>.<br> <br> <br> <br>
