3 Doubts on the Current Sustainability Topics

This post is inspired by this video. You may want to check out the video before reading on.

In recent years, there is this vast movement replacing plastic straws with other alternatives. It all started when human started to realise that there was plenty of plastic found in the ocean. As most of us know, plastic do not decompose. It would break down into small pieces, and the sad news is, the living creatures in the ocean are consuming the plastic pieces. And if the human are to eat these fishes or other sea creatures, we would be consuming the plastic too. It's a vicious cycle.

We are consistently exposed to medium, which are encouraging us to use less plastic. The easiest way to is to stop using plastic straw. There are plenty of options available such as metal straw, bamboo straw and also glass straw. However, you can only use paper straws once, so they are not considered the most sustainable choice.

This movement of staying away from plastic is taking over the world slowly. Of course, some organisations are taking part in this movement too. Gradually some shops sell products without plastic packaging. Some shops are no longer serving straws to consumers. Nevertheless, some organisation took the opportunity to sell themselves as a "sustainable restaurant/shop/company/etc.". You get the hint.

I do have my scepticism about some related issues.

**1. Is a metal straw really better than a plastic straw?**

In the context of being environmentally friendly, metal straw is better than a one time used plastic straw. The accumulation of the one time used plastic straw is an unnecessary waste which indirectly caused pollution and the above situation. However, have we ever take a step back to find out or understand the process to produce metal/glass/bamboo or other types of straws? Do we know if minerals are mined to increase the productions of these products?

Of course, this list of question is can be long and this debate would not end so easily. If we are indeed concern about saving the earth, I believe we could sincerely consider not to use a straw at all. We can drink straight from the cup, and you have 1 less item to wash as well.

Do we need to have a straw to enhance the experience of a cup of ice-latte or milk tea?

2. Sustainable marketing! Let's sell ourselves as one of the advocates.

The good news is more and more people are aware of the current situation. I observed that more people opt not to use straws or take plastic bags. Such behaviour is an excellent initiative on their part. However, at the same time, there are a few organisations or companies which are popping out, and branding themselves as a "sustainable company". Some live true to their names, but some used the term "sustainable" very loosely.

As someone who understands marketing, I find it unethical that such companies used such techniques. From a marketing point of view, it's much more essential to find your authentic voice and attract that niche audience who believe in you. If you do have a sustainable plan, you would need to use your own voice to make the announcement. Or even better, prove it with action!

Consumers are smart now. Once they lost their faith in you, they may not come back. So, think hard, join in only if you are committed to the cause.

3. How do you know if a sustainable restaurant/shop/etc? Is it trustworthy?

At this age and time, word of mouth is very powerful. You can easily search online about a company. Some organisations practice transparency. With some googling, you can quickly get information about their products; from the sources their materials to their contribution to the society and environment. On top of that, you can also read reviews from the consumers. At times, there are videos about their organisation too. Consumers can then decide for themselves if such organisations are trustworthy or not.

Having said these, I do encourage everyone to take your initiative and help save the world a little. We need to be more careful about our purchasing behaviour. Be mindful, don't use straw or purchase any of the alternatives. Don’t fall for the metal straw. Just do whatever that's within your means to help save the Earth, maybe one item at a time.

x, Esther