By: Catherine Daleo
Reading time: 3-4 minutes
During the pandemic, single-use plastic consumption has increased drastically, leaving the plastic-free movement to find new ways to address the issue of this waste stream.
The 5 R Revolution, a local sub-chapter of the Sierra Club, is one such organization that has continued to raise awareness about the issue throughout the pandemic. The group’s primary focus is to raise awareness to the 5 Rs – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot – in their descending order of impact.
That is, refusing plastic is better than using it then recycling it. Especially since it’s now known that “of the plastic waste produced between 1950 and 2015, only 9 percent was recycled,” (Our World in Data)
And, due to the massive amount of food waste there is on a yearly basis in the country (estimated 30-40% of the food supply), the group has also added ‘Rot’ to the list, to focus on the importance of composting.
Richa Pandhi, one of the members of the 5 R Revolution, shared how the pandemic has affected their operations and how they shifted their focus.
“We’ve had to cancel all in-person events and be very mindful about what we post on social media as we understand people’s priorities have changed,” Richa said. “It is difficult to promote sustainability at the individual level when the shift has been to keep people safe and help them focus on their loved ones.”
Despite this setback, the 5 R Revolution continues to have monthly team meetings where they discuss how to address the issue of sustainability at a country-wide level during the lockdowns, while also working on small projects to help the community on their journey to being waste-free.
Due to the team’s small size, they were able to respond to the pandemic and resulting shutdown here in Nevada with ease. While they couldn’t host their in-person events, the organization has continued to be active in their mission, from hosting a free virtual screening for the documentary, “The Story of Plastic”, to conducting a virtual composting workshop where participants were taught not only about how to compost but to also make their own compost bins.
Richa also stated that for the month of July, the 5 R Revolution would be celebrating Plastic-Free July with a social media campaign. “We are going to post one tip a day on how to reduce plastic on our 5 R Revolution Facebook page,” Richa said. Some of these tips from this past month have included great suggestions such as these:
“July 16th #PlasticFreeJuly Tip: Buy clothes that are made of natural fibers: cotton, hemp, silk, bamboo, etc. Do not use synthetic fibers made from plastic. Microfibers break off from the clothing and end up polluting our waterways!”
“July 11th Tip: Buy your shower toiletries as bars, not bottles. This can be as easy as using a soap bar versus liquid soap, but it can go even further than that! Companies are now offering bar versions of shampoo and conditioner!”
“July 10th Tip: Stop chewing gum! Did you know that gum is made up of plastic? Yes, you are actually chewing on the same product that is used to make petroleum. Switch to mints, which do not contain Polyethylene.”
“July 8th #PlasticFreeJuly Tip: Use your own containers when taking leftovers from restaurants. Leave a variety of cups, straws, Tupperware, and/or utensils in your car that you can use when going out to eat. There are even fold-able containers you can keep in a bag to take out whenever you need it.”
Richa went on to say that they are also working on a project to help local community gardens by supporting composting efforts there.
Regarding the impact of COVID-19 and the outlook for the future, Richa shared her concerns on the matter and for the movement.
“To be honest, we are worried that there will be a lot of misinformation about single-use plastic. With restaurants only serving food in plastic, cafes turning down reusable cups, hotels consuming large amounts of latex gloves, and grocery stores removing all bulk items and reusable bags, to name a few, we may never go back to a place where we consider reusable items safe,” Richa said. “This is just at a micro-level. With governments and nonprofits stripped of funding, we worry that sustainability may fall to the bottom of the list of priorities.”
Despite the gravity of this situation born out of the pandemic, Richa also addressed the positive aspects to be looked at as well. “We also recognize that companies have had to adjust to a remote work environment, reducing the amount of traffic and pollution. We are seeing real data one how our behavior impacts the environment,” Richa said. “At the company level, they are seeing ways to cut costs by reducing travel. So many companies and individuals have sought opportunities during this time to rethink how we live!”
Although our consumption as a society has increased, Richa and the rest of the 5 R Revolution team are continuing the fight against plastic-waste and working towards more sustainable solutions to this ever-evolving problem.
“We are still hopeful that [our] government and companies will take this time to make real change in other areas like infrastructure, education, and healthcare,” Richa said.
She concluded by sharing how people in the Las Vegas community and beyond can best support the cause or get involved with the 5 R Revolution, saying that, “The best way to support us is to ditch or limit plastic and to buy products with the intention of using it long term, whether that be clothes, furniture, or decorations. And of course, follow us on Facebook!”
You can learn more about the 5 R Revolution and check out their upcoming projects through their Facebook here.
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