solicited advice no. 2: plastic peeved.
plastic dragon eggs and other scourges.
This is the second edition of a new MAKE / DO advice column called Solicited Advice. I decided to start this column in response to folks’ increasing reliance on robots when seeking advice or attempting to problem solve. Fie! Let’s talk to each other instead!
One thing about a solicited advice column is people need to be soliciting! If you have a question or a conundrum about how to MAKE / DO, send me a note! I’ll try to give my most human advice and other humans reading along can also chime in in the comments!
What kind of subjects am I most qualified to offer advice on?
living well in small spaces
participating in consumer culture responsibly
creative, sustainable solutions for decorating, organizing, and maintenance projects
renting, stewarding, and loving the places and spaces we call home
parenthood, esp as it relates to consumerism, creativity, and sustainability
living according to our values even when it means going against the grain
fixing stuff, making stuff, and generally being scrappy, thrifty, and free!
Here’s stuff that would be better to ask someone else about:
brain surgery
personal finance, stocks, bonds, and trust funds
translating ancient texts
This is something of an experiment for me, so please bear with as I figure out the graphic, to say nothing of the exact format and cadence of this new column!
Questions will be published anonymously with a pseudonym and might be edited for length and clarity.
My full responses and participation in the comments section will be limited to paid MAKE / DO subscribers, but free subscribers will be able to read a preview of my response and are also welcome to submit their questions for consideration!
Please send queries with the subject line SOLICITED ADVICE to erin @ readingmytealeaves dot com.
Dear Erin:
I am writing in hopes that you can provide some prompts, ideas, and guidelines on how best to talk with our kids about responsible consumption. I am having trouble articulating anything more than “NO! PLASTIC KILLS! DO YOU HATE TREES!?” I have found my panicked “BECAUSE, JUST NO” not quite the conversation I’d like to have when my children beg for ill-considered, cheap plastic toys or polyester garments, but I also feel a little tongue tied when trying to thoughtfully articulate my values around responsible consumption. I would love your advice on this topic. Please help!
Sincerely,
Plastic Peeved
Dear Peeved,
Having only yesterday kneeled onto the tiny plastic head of a decapitated off-brand Lego, I am writing today with particular ire for the plastic industry. As you know, plastics are everywhere. They’re difficult to avoid, not great for our health or the health of our planet, and practically shoved into the hands of our children, even when we do our best to avoid them. If there’s a script to follow, I think simple, straightforward, and consistent is always the best way to go:
Our family tries to limit how much we use plastic because it’s not great for the planet and it’s not great for our bodies.
Because children tend toward the good guy/bad guy binary, I try to be clear on who the enemy is here. When my oldest child was a toddler, they would sometimes precociously question strangers about their plastic use. Understanding that it was something our family tried hard to avoid, they were curious about why other people around them were not making the same choices. It was mildly embarrassing but also a tiny bit cute when my three-year-old peered over the top of a restaurant booth and asked why another patron was using a plastic straw when it could end up in a sea turtle’s nose. A year later, it was much less cute when they came home from pre-k outraged at their classmates for using single-use plastic water bottles and asking me to please speak with their parents.