Reflection on recycling and biodegradability
On skiing trip in Äkaslompolo I found tray made of recycled material from thre cafe Elämänluukku. This reminded me of a long-term wondering why recycling is not yet being increased more?
Nature has always been important to me and in recent years the survival of nature and climate has been more important. When I was a little girl, decades ago, I was thinking about shampoo bottle and other plastic bottles, could it be possible to replace the plastic with some other material? At that time, more than forty years ago, there was no idea about climate change, but I was thinking that is not good to throw the plastic into the nature. Decades later I'm still wondering same thing when I have a plastic shampoo bottle in my hand.
In recent years, I have paid attention to biodegradable products in my travels. First, I must admit to my stupidity that flying has increased my carbon footprint unnecessarily. Few years ago, I was at the breakfast in a New York City Hotel and I had a yogurt can with text: Completely biodegradable, made of corn. No colors, no ads, just that. Yes, the Americans responded to the wishes of a Finnish country girl. I was surprised.
Last summer I was in Ireland and in a bar I ordered a Mojito. My mojito had a green paper straw and I was surprised again. Although the straw did not last hard using, Mojito tasted better than ever, thanks to the paper straw.
I just returned from beautiful Äkäslompolo by train to the metropolitan area Helsinki. The snow has melted, and you can see thrown garbage along the roads. Every spring I have wondered how people dare throw garbage from the car. This reminds me my daughter's recent communication with her colleague when they travelled by car from Helsinki to Lahti. The colleague opened the car window and threw a garbage to go. To this, my daughter said spontaneously: "Are you stupid when you throw the garbage from the car?" Afterward, my daughter was thinking if she will be fired because what she said? I told her that she did right, and I was happy. I have taught my kids: garbage is not allowed to throw into nature, and you have a mouth to say about it!
From a business perspective, I see great opportunities for biodegradable waste. We Finns would have big possibilities to be pioneered. But I have not seen cellulosic yoghurt can or a mojito straw made from paper in Finland.
Recently I have been happy and proud about the climate strike by schoolchildren: maybe the next generations will save us, and our beautiful nature. They will be wiser than our generation how to do both ethical and profitable business. I still have faith for this. Besides each of us can do small or great things to save nature. Every action is better than nothing. This is how I'm thinking, a little girl named Ulla, who has wondered the plastic shampoo bottles decades.