Recently, the world stumbled on a major opportunity to curb plastic pollution.
The failure to ratify the Global Plastics Treaty could have been a turning point in the fight against plastic pollution. Instead, we remain stuck in a cycle of half-measures and political dodgeball. The result? More plastic piling up, more oceans choked, and more microplastics slipping quietly into our bodies.
If we’re waiting for a global agreement to wave a magic wand, we’ll be waiting a long, long time. That’s the maddening reality.
But what if we shake things up on a personal level? Before you freak out about what I’m about to propose, I acknowledge that going 100% plastic-free, while noble, is an almost impossible feat in our modern day, plastic-laced world.
So I propose this New Year’s challenge: go as plastic-free as possible for just one week. Seven days. That’s it.
NPR’s piece on attempting a plastic-free week drives home a critical point: it’s harder than it seems. This isn’t about striving for perfection. It’s a way to drive awareness.
Because here's the thing
— When you try cutting plastic out for a week, you see just how deeply it’s ingrained into your daily life. From the coffee lid in your morning routine to the tape sealing your online orders, plastic is everywhere. It’s not about feeling guilty when you slip up. It’s about noticing how rigged the game is, and using that frustration to fuel change.
If a single week feels impossible, that’s not your failure. It’s the world’s failure, our governments’ failure, the industry’s failure. But in this failure, we find truth and urgency. We need better policies, more sustainable materials, and brands that respect our planet, not just their profit margins.
So treat this week-long challenge as an experiment — a window into the reality of our plastic addiction. Let it guide your next steps. Maybe you’ll carry a reusable bottle more often. Maybe you’ll push for stronger recycling programs, or demand that your favorite brands ditch the plastic.
Let's face it
The people in power fumbled a huge opportunity, but that doesn’t mean we throw up our hands and give up. We start somewhere, even if it’s a week at a time, refusing to let the lack of a global treaty define our relationship with plastic. It’s our planet, our bodies, and our future on the line. A single week without plastic might be a small step, but right now, every step counts.
