We spent a total of ten days on the island. On the first Saturday of our trip, we woke up early to meet the Trash Hero group and clean up the "Secret Beach", one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, untouched by any resorts or bungalows but affected by plastic pollution. Kevin and I meet people from France, Norway, Germany and Italy as we squeeze in the car with the local team who took care of taking us there and back. We collected up to 500 kgs of trash and plastic in just one hour. We met Natalie, a beautiful German woman (inside and outside) and discussed how we could do a workshop with the kids of Ko Kut to raise awareness of the use of plastic on the island. It was the start of a new friendship and helped me to wake up with purpose every day.  

I think about plastic pollution and how to stop this situation. Beach clean-ups are always heart-breaking. After all these years of evolution, we will end humanity because of our consumption habits… well, it's beyond demoralising. I also think a lot about what it takes to become an environmental activist. Being an environmental activist must be an unrewarding job. All the effort is probably changing 0.01% of a silent planet with its agenda. One that humans ignore in the name of economic "growth". Now, I live with the contradiction of having cleaned up a beach full of plastic to have to rely on plastics again. The urgency of the matter turns into frustration; the more you learn about it, the worse the news gets. 

While it is true that every little change counts, it's hard for me to believe it. Maybe I'm too radical, but it involves a significant shift in our lifestyles, mindsets and consumption habits. While some people deny plastic bags, some recycle, and some purchase a whole new set of "sustainable" products, they forget that buying tonnes of stuff every year that will eventually become trash and supporting industries that produce more waste does more harm than good. And all in the name of what? And for what? Or maybe I should ask, why? Why do we have to have so much stuff?

Why do we have to have stuff? 

The time I used to spend worrying about not having enough (in our society, not having enough equals not being enough) I spend outdoors instead - all day and every day. I do little other than work when I have to work and swim. Joy comes from taking pictures, listening to bubbles against my ears, walking barefoot, staring at the sunsets without capturing them with my phone, and genuinely enjoying my partner's company. I noticed that certain addictions started disappearing - as if my body felt that it didn't need it. I have an addiction to refined sugar, caffeine, media, and the people who feed this part of my being. I tell Kevin that the time on this island feels like rehab from my own life. The addiction to worry, perfectionism, and comparison burst like soap bubbles. I even feel great about my body, capable of climbing, swimming and eating everything it wants. It's no wonder that I started asking Kevin if it's okay if we move here. 

I think a lot of social media, while not being on it, is getting out of control. I remember when we had a platform called "Tuenti", where you could see when was the last time someone had logged in, and we would judge someone if they had spent too much time on the platform, mainly because there was nothing else to do except stalk other people'speople's "Tuenti" pictures. Now, it's normal to spend ALL day on social media, jumping from one platform to another. It's normal to stalk, gossip, bully. It gets celebrated and promoted if you spend all day on places like Instagram, the worst social media for our mental health, yet we consume it every day, forgetting that our time on this planet is limited. We follow people for "inspiration" who tell us how to live, dress, travel, eat, and sleep, forgetting that we should write our own "how-to" manuals however we want. These "influencers" have the opposite effect of what they promote since they leave us even more confused about ourselves and profit from it. Just like the rumour says that we use approximately 10% of our brain matter, I feel like we live our lives at 10% too, filling the 90% with stuff and an unconscious reaction of wanting even more stuff (since to HAVE more can be mistaken with BEING more). Ultimately, it's a loose-loose situation for you and the planet. It stops us from searching for our voice, purpose, and values; when we seem to have found them, we are scared about saying them out loud. Maybe it's too embarrassing or has nothing to do with what we learned at school or home as kids. We ignore those voices because they would be too much of a hassle to pay attention to and would take much of our time. 

So what I learned, not only in this trip but in my years of fighting against plastic pollution, is that to care for the environment, you first have to be in touch with yourself. It's a weird conclusion, but there won't be any connection with the planet if we don't connect with ourselves first. Beach clean-ups help me to see all the unnecessary items we use daily and question their usage. They remind me of what is essential in life as they are eye-opening. I don't know how familiar you are with the motto of environmentalists, "Reduce - Reuse- Recycle". These rules are starting to become a little bit old but relevant still. In recent years and with the help of "zero-waste" movements, there have been two new "Rs added to the cycle, "Refuse" and "Rot".

1. Refuse 

Start to SAY NO to single-use plastics (straws, plastic bottles, takeaway coffee cups, snacks, packaged foods, sweets…). Every single item of plastic created is still floating somewhere in the ocean or a landfill. Say NO to things you don't need and won't play an essential role in your life, and if they do, try to find a plastic-free / packaged-free alternative. Also, refuse to buy in shops that don't follow your ethics, such as fast-fashion or fast-food chains. 

2. Reduce 

Reduce the amount of stuff you buy each month. We live in a high-speed world right now. Reducing consumption will also slow down the speed at which we consume. Shop less cheap goods monthly and instead invest in long-lasting and sustainable products. It is possible to reduce the environmental footprint by simply having less. (clothes, footwear, beauty products, electronics, stationery, decoration items and… clothes, again!) Instead of being seduced by a new thing, ask yourself, "Do I need it?"

3. Reuse

Reuse items such as tote bags, reusable cutlery, water bottles, and coffee cups (yes, you can bring your takeaway coffee cup, and they will refill it). Purchase the food in bulk in your reusable containers - just like our grandmothers did. Reuse clothes and forget about the myth of wearing a new dress or item each week. 

4. Recycle 

Once you have reused an item, you can recycle it CONSCIOUSLY. I read somewhere that plastic packaging with organic matter inside won't be recycled even when it makes it into the recycling facility. Be mindful of your trash, and don't accidentally drop the item in the wrong bag due to laziness. Consider how you can recycle it before you buy it, and learn about the different kinds of plastic. You can't recycle some items because of their complex chemical nature; for others, you must clean and break apart (especially if they are a mix of paper and plastic). Recycling, although not the solution, is a quick fix. 

5. Rot

Compost! Something humans have known how to do throughout history until now. Dispose of your organic matter separately and either compost it at home or take it to a place near you where they will find it helpful. Compost will be the way of turning waste into valuable nutrients. 

Do you have any questions when it comes to beach clean-ups? Recycling? Changing lifestyle? I love this topic and could talk about it for hours. I'd be happy to read your thoughts on the subject.