More disgust at day 2 of a food sustainability event

November 2, 2019 by Joshua
in Nature

The second day of the event I wrote about yesterday brought more disgust — this time at lunch.

The provided lunch. Nearly everything was packaged.

I saw no one suggesting any problem with all the packaging. They also provided unpackaged vegetables and dip, so they could bring unpackaged food. Still, everyone I saw get vegetables and dip put them on single-use disposable plates claimed compostable, but 1) creating them produced most of the waste, 2) they won’t likely be composted, and 3) they probably aren’t compostable: speakers at the event talked about poisons in many so-called compostable things contain PFASs.

The amount of waste is a minor issue.

I see leadership as the major issue. People aren’t doing what they say needs to be done. Attendees could have declined accepting the packaged food. Then the organizers would know not to order garbage next time.

When attendees complain about food packaging, why don’t they act on it? How did nobody there notice this issue?

I spoke to an organizer. She described issues with the food provider that didn’t make sense to me. More than what she said, I didn’t hear that the waste was an issue.

What they’re missing

As far as I could tell, people considered acting sustainably as a burden or chore. Talking about it and blaming others they enjoyed, but acting didn’t seem appealing.

Where do they think change comes from? Other people?

By not trying to act sustainably, they deprived themselves of the joy, community, connection, and deliciousness of fresh fruit and vegetables.

People don’t follow their advice because they don’t follow their advice.

They don’t share joy. They share saying one thing and doing another. They pollute.

I’m not calling them out to criticize or call them hypocrites. I’m pointing out that they’re missing out — like someone who eats so much ice cream that they don’t know that apples taste better once their taste buds recover.

Likewise, not polluting leads to lives they’ll prefer to polluting lifestyles. No one can do it for them. They only have to bring a fork and plate. Then they can start changing the world. Let the suppliers see that no one takes their garbage and they’ll solve the problems they’re helping create.

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