Facebook Plastic Crap Wall of Shame
What are some of the worst examples of useless plastic crap you’ve seen? After my post about Le Froglet single-serving wine and rant about single-servings in general, you guys posted a ton of other examples in the comments and also on the Fake Plastic Fish Facebook wall. Inspired (and grossed out), I created a new Facebook page for us to vent our frustrations about the excesses of plastic we encounter: The Plastic Crap Wall of Shame. (http://facebook.com/UselessPlasticCrap)
Inspiration came from Lisa Borden, who vented about individually-wrapped ice cubes (oh yes, for real) and Vanessa Farmer, who ranted about individual plastic cupcake holders. Since I set up the page just a few days ago, people have posted disposable single serving baby bottles, Silly Bandz bracelets, Starbucks splash sticks, Shutter Shades, and a whole lot more.
I know what I usually say about Shame and Guilt… that they’re not helpful or productive. But sometimes you just need a place to vent. And then act!
The point of this wall is not just to feel smug and snarky (although smug and snarky feel good sometimes) but to actually do something about this crap. So that’s why I would ask that if you post something to the wall (and please do upload pictures and post links!) you try to include contact information for the company so we can send our emails or make our phone calls.
In fact, I just sent one today about Singlz single-serving wine that is actually WORSE than the Le Froglet wine I wrote about before because it’s a single-serve plastic bottle with a separate plastic glass thanks to a tip from FPF commenter M. Here’s the email I sent, which I also posted to the Facebook wall:
To: tony@singlz.co.nz
Subject: Singlz conceptHello Tony.
I noticed on your web site that you asked us to email you about the Singlz concept, so here are my thoughts.
Look around today. Climate change is heating up the planet. There is a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that grows larger every day. The ocean is filling up with plastic waste, killing animals and threatening the food we eat. Adding another single-use plastic product to the market, and one that comes not only in a single-serve plastic bottle but also a plastic glass, is misguided at best and completely irresponsible at worst.
Please rethink your concept. We need fewer single-serve plastic items, not more. We need companies that care about the environment and are working to find ways to reduce our environmental impact, not increase it. Forget your focus group studies. Please step up and do the right thing for people and the planet.
Sincerely,
Beth Terry
Oakland, CA
USA
This is not my wall. It belongs to anyone who wants to participate. Please get posting and writing. Rhonda de Felice just posted individually-wrapped pieces of sushi and wrote about it on her blog. Hurry before it’s too late!
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I just stumbled on this very specific version of the wall of shame:
http://broken-umbrellas.posterous.com/
I think it’s pretty genius. And awful.
Right, of course, but condoms along with balloons are some of the most commonly retrieved items on our beaches. While so many wonderful people are doing beach clean-ups, others are enjoying the results, how clean the beaches are, while they continue littering. It’s like picking up after your kids. What they learn is that someone else will take care of it.
Love your campaign! Celia (Algalita)
Celia, it does not make you a kill joy. Those body part wrappers are already intended to combine joy with personal responsibility. We just need to take the responsibility one step further, right?
How about the wrappers of certain body parts that will go unnamed here? Use it for 10 minutes, leave it on the beach? But they are washing down from upstream as well. Oh dear… does this make me a kill joy?
Just visited the Wall of Shame… are some of those plastic items a joke?! At one of our beach cleanups this summer, we actually had a contest to see who could find the weirdest piece of trash. Some of these things are definitely weirder than our nominations! Just goes to show how much work we have ahead of us to take a stand against plastics. Thanks for the great post.
Will someone post the response if you get one from one of the companies?
Oh, Rob – I am sooooooo with you!
maybe should have called it the WTF page cause everything I saw on it makes me say WTF???!?!?!
What a great letter. Can’t wait to hear what Tony has to say for himself.
I love your new page, and I check it almost daily. It’s eye opening to see the kind of crap that people come out with, but this gives us a chance to see things and try to do something about it that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Thanks Beth
holy crap
When I cater, I have the opportunity to show a big audience how it can be done without waste. It’s very satisfying! People are astounded that they can enjoy thinly sliced vegetables instead of chips in dips that are home made, with no little disposable plates or cups or anything.
So the example of rejecting single serves is powerful. When people see:
that it should be done
that it can be done
how to do it
they will change their behaviour.
Here’s to hope!
Great idea! I could use a place to vent when I see things packaged in an obscene amount of plastic. I especially like the idea of posting contact information for the companies. :)
I have a certain “green” rule in my life: I don’t DO single serves!
If I need a single portion, I buy bulk and measure out into my own container.
I save money that way too :-)
Some people just need a word of encouragement to change for the better.
Some people need a stern look.
Some people need an example to lead them.
Some people need a rule that’s enforced by stiff financial penalties or loss of freedoms.
The facebook page is the stern look, our letters can be encouragement, and Beth’s finding our shining examples. That will have to do while we wait for the rules to catch up to reality.
I saw the new page, and I think it’s great. Like you said, it’s not about shame or guilt. But venting can be helpful. And so can raising awareness. So, thanks for creating it!