It wasn't until Sarah Paiji Yoo became a new mother that her journey into plastic-free living really began.
The next few years would bring a deluge of new and alarming data about plastic's impact on people and the planet. Scientists began finding microplastics everywhere: in deep ocean trenches, near the tops of remote mountains. In 2019, researchers in Australia estimated that we ingest a credit card's worth of microplastics every week, with unknown health effects.
But these advocates and entrepreneurs are also envisioning a future free from single-use items altogether. By promoting a "circular economy" — patterns of consumption that reduce waste generation of any kind — they hope to eliminate not only single-use plastics, but also disposable products made from paper and metal.
"With all of today's technology and innovative solutions," Corrado said, "the possibilities are endless." There are refill-from-home systems that go beyond cleaning and body care, including some familiar ones that allow customers to re-create their favorite soft drinks and other beverages. Sodastream, for example — which was acquired by PepsiCo in 2018 — sells a machine that lets customers make their own carbonated water, which can then be turned into a sort of DIY root beer or cola with the addition of some concentrated flavor droplets.
Many consumers also find it exciting to compare the per-pound prices of packaged versus bulk goods, and to save money on in-store grocery refills. Some bulk products like spices can cost just a quarter of their prepackaged counterparts by weight. "The price is going to look high for a tiny little package" of dissolvable soap, Jubkas said, even if one package is enough to fill three normal-sized bottles of all-purpose cleaner.
Daniel Penner // Grist Reusable and returnable containers build a model for sustainability For the other two kinds of reuse systems, known as return from home and return on the go, businesses own the containers, rather than individuals. The biggest hurdle in these cases isn't necessarily customer buy-in; it's logistics.