In honor of plastic free July, I would like to share a story about a fellow Rotarian who attended one of my plastics presentations at a Rotary meeting and how it's affected her:Sometimes, it’s a small moment that shifts your entire perspective. For Susanne, that moment came while standing in her own kitchen. “I looked at the glass jars I was about to throw out and thought—why am I doing this?” she recalls. “I had been saving plastic containers, thinking they were more useful. But suddenly I realized I had it all backwards. The glass was reusable, recyclable, safer. And the plastic? That’s what needed to go.”
This quiet epiphany sparked a deeper awareness, one that has since changed the way Susanne approaches consumption in her everyday life. “Now I actively seek out products packaged in glass. When I was in Vermont recently, there were two maple syrup vendors—one sold it in plastic, the other in glass. That decision was easy.”
But the change didn’t stop at jars and bottles. Inspired by a Facebook post about reusable silverware, Susanne purchased a travel set of cutlery and began carrying it everywhere. “At first, it felt like I was just avoiding a single disposable spoon or fork,” she says. “Then one day it hit me—this isn’t just one spoon. Over time, it’s hundreds. Maybe thousands. And they’re not going into landfills because of one simple change I made.”
What Susanne wants others to know is that these actions, though small, add up. “It’s easy to feel like one person doesn’t matter. But that’s not true. Our choices ripple outward.”
Rotary gave Susanne the spark—and the community—to reimagine what one person can do. And through that, she's helping others rethink their relationship with the planet, one jar, one spoon, one choice at a time.
The next meeting of the Environmental Committee is Thursday, July 31 at 7 pm where we will discuss more than just plastic. Please contact me for the link. I invite everyone who has any interest in the environment to attend.
What Susanne wants others to know is that these actions, though small, add up. “It’s easy to feel like one person doesn’t matter. But that’s not true. Our choices ripple outward.”
Rotary gave Susanne the spark—and the community—to reimagine what one person can do. And through that, she's helping others rethink their relationship with the planet, one jar, one spoon, one choice at a time.
The next meeting of the Environmental Committee is Thursday, July 31 at 7 pm where we will discuss more than just plastic. Please contact me for the link. I invite everyone who has any interest in the environment to attend.