Why oh why do some 'reputable' garden centres still sell plastic plants? All the scientific evidence points to the indoor air quality and well-being benefits of using real plants; just check out facts and figures produced by the Plant Life Balance program.
By now, my regular readers would know of my aversion to plastic plants, especially when used indoors. If you are a new reader, check out my earlier blog on artificial plants to catch up. Then take a look at the photo below ...
This makes me very sad. Artificial succulents? Succulents are probably the easiest plants to grow. You don't even have to have a green thumb. Yet some marketing whiz has decided that people are too dumb to grow an Echeveria or similar.
Okay I am starting to get a little melodramatic. And perhaps my rant is not so inspirational today. However, it is currently Plastic Free July. So I thought it might be an appropriate time to 're-vent' my disdain for artificial plants.
Don't get me wrong. Plastic has done a lot of good in certain areas. Way back in the 'good old days', I was an apprentice Fitter and Turner for a company that make the moulds for Tupperware. Now that plastic was definitely not single-use. It could be used over and over and over again, and came with a 25 year warranty. The precision work on the seals of Tupperware containers was excellent, with the product surface on the die being polished to a tolerance of one thousandth of an inch. Think about it! These containers were made to last.
However, these days people think nothing of packing their sandwiches in a single use bags, swigging on a bought bottle of water when mains water is just as good if not better, or carrying their groceries in plastic bags. These objects often end up in landfill, rather than recycling, or as litter. Just check out the film: A Plastic Ocean.
A very easy way to get started on the Plastic Free July challenge is to say "no" to the Big 4: single use bottles, bags, straws and cups. There are many excellent reusable items which can replace each of those four objects.
Those of you who live in northern Tasmania like me may like to check out the good works of Plastic Free Launceston. This community group are very active in this part of the state. Plastic Free Launceston hold regular sewing Sundays, where they group together to make reusable bags. Their Last Straw campaign has resulted in many local restaurants, cafes and take-aways ending their use of single-use plastic straws. Keep up the good work, Plastic Free Launceston!
And lastly for my French readers: Vous pouvez "Dire non à usage unique en plastique" aussi! :)
A bientôt!