I get that everyone has their eating habits and it’s hard to meet them all.

Even so, the message I send people about not bringing garbage to my place when I invite them over gives the option of bringing nothing:

By the way, no need to bring anything, but if you do, I’m avoiding packaging, so please don’t bring anything packaged — no bags, bottles, rubber bands, etc. That usually means fresh fruit or vegetables carried in bags you brought to the store, but as I said, nothing is fine. Here’s some background: Avoiding Food Packaging, plus links within.

I’m trying to reduce this outcome: Scientists Find Most Trashed Spot on Earth: A Once-Pristine Paradise.

So far, not one person has come over without garbage. Every visitor has brought bags, boxes, etc. They didn’t have to bring anything!

I guess at least they bring less garbage than people who don’t get the message. Today someone came over with a bottle of water. When she left, I saw that she left the empty bottle at my place. A podcaster thanked me for doing his show by mailing me a box of brownies through a commercial service—a quadruple whammy since I avoid eggs, I avoid fiber-removed food like sugar, I avoid packaged food (each brownie was individually wrapped), and I avoid polluting packaging.

Friends bring plastic bags, bottles, and so on. It’s mindless. But the plastic will be around for centuries or more. One piece here or there wouldn’t be a big deal, but it’s fundamental to our society. Biodegradable things at least wouldn’t hurt others as much, but it’s mostly plastic. Recyclable doesn’t mean no waste and is usually a far cry from reducing consumption.

How can we change our culture to stop valuing garbage so much?

• ← Leadership and the Environment podcast episode #4: My talk, recorded live, June 19, 2017
• Published in the Leader to Leader journal →