Razor’s Edge
Technology and Nature
Not too long ago scientist discovered plastic particles in human blood.
https://www.sustainableplastics.com/news/dutch-study-finds-microplastics-human-blood-first-time
Let the magnitude of that fact swirl around your brain for a second… Plastic in our blood…. The research states that we ingested or inhaled it. I personally think plastic is one of the major global problems of our generation. There are benefits to the product, no doubt. It is an interesting technology. Without plastic there wouldn’t be a computer to write this story, no modern camera to take the pictures I used.
Preventable plastics are the main source of the problem. That plastic bag we use for our groceries, just to carry it from the cashier to our car and from there to our kitchen cabinet. The sandwich that is double packed- wrapped in plastic and then put in a plastic container- is an example too. These are just minor examples of course.
Another part of the problem is “convenience”. I reckon we are at a point of near-brain-dead, caused by advertisments calling upon us to do as little as possible, but allow ‘convenience’ to rule our lives. We shouldn’t, for example, sharpen our gardening tools anymore, we’d better simply buy new ones.
My grandfather rinsed his tools in a bit of water, dried it with a cloth and then took an iron file to sharpen the tool he had used, and thén hung it away in the shed. It’s a two-minute-job….
There’s no need to repare a washing machine, just purchase a brand new one- it’s much easier.
My parents washing machine failed at one point and it took my father a fight with mother, a bunch of angry words and two days worth of work, but the damn thing ran for 25 years in total before they purchased a new one.
Technology is good thing. Just not if it takes such a devasting impact on Nature as we see today. If that is the case we should re-think our options. And not just that- we should accept that sometimes, when the going gets though, perhaps gets a bit more complicated, we should put in an effort to make the smarter choice.
The industry is not going to like this, but I am convinced we do ourselfs a pleasure if we fix things. Maintain things. Or make the choice that is more difficult ( but was common just a few years ago..)
I made just two photographs for this challenge. The one on the top is a plain razor set. When I buy these in the shop I get a plastic package with four of these plastic containers, holding each five razorblades. The razor itself is plastic too, and in each package there is one. In all packages I ever bought. I am drowning in plastic razors….These are nearly unrecycleable, because they are made of different sorts of plastics. The aerosol has shaving cream in it. That in fact is just soap-with a whole bunch of other ingredients, to keep it in ‘good’ condition. It has a plastic nozzle on a aluminum cannister. It has a shelf life of at least forever and probably longer than that- which may be a good thing, but still; it’s soap….
There is an alternative for this…
This is an old-skool razor set. I bought it late last year. The razor itself is made of metal and came in a carton box. I reckon it’ll function longer than I live- íf I keep it clean and tidy. The blades are thin, razorsharp, made of metal and packed in a thin paper sheet, ten of them in a carton box. The razor brush is made of wood, I hesitate about the hairs; they may, or may not, be synthetical. I use a hard block of shaving soap, packed in a paper sheet. They may last longer than the cannister, or not- at least they come with less packaging.
The old skool shaving has clearly a lot less plastic. Packaging is easily recycled and I use a fair amount less of raw materials. This comes with a price- the razor is not cheap on first sight. It means you’ll have to do the math and compare it to the plastic version. In the long term you’ll be better off. The shaving itself is also less easy than using the plastic version. It takes a bit of time and attention and that may very well be the best gift we can give ourselfs- some time and attention.
Look around you- it is less harder then it seems at first glance to make the better choice. I do my dishes by hand ( oh, what a cruel comment…but really- up to 25 years ago this was usual. It is a great opportunity to have a pleasant conversation with family members while doing dishes.) You too can buy vegetables or fruit that are nót wrapped in plastic- just wash them when your at home, it’s as simple as that. New clothes in a paper bag, or better; take your own bag.
This is not about ‘the industry’. It is about you and me making smart choices, that may be inconvenient. If we don’t buy it, they won’t make it. If we don’t ask for a plastic bag- or refuse when offered- they won’t produce it…
We might relief our nature a bit. That’ll be a longterm benefit for you. And me..
