'Moral disgust' is changing how we think about plastic

Wednesday, 3 October 2018

Plastic is out, bamboo toothbrushes, reusable bags, waste-free dental floss and soaps are in.

Not only are we becoming more compassionate and aware about waste, we're becoming angrier.

'There's rage out there about plastic and it's coming to a head,' says Auckland University of Technology senior lecturer of marketing Sommer Kapitan.

Just as 'moral disgust' changed how we regarded smoking, the same thing is now happening with plastic, she believes.

Kanteen cafe owner Jet Patel has joined a reusable coffee cup scheme.

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But the change has become apparent only in about the last three years.

Sustainability used to be considered 'being green', and thus somewhat marginalised. Now it's being seen as something trendy and desirable, she says.

'It used to be really hippy to be 'eco', and now it's fashionable.'

Auckland University of Technology senior marketing lecturer Sommer Kapitan says plastic has become a target of the public's 'moral disgust'.

Today's 18, 19 and 20-year-olds almost expect products to contribute to health or sustainability, and consumers are wanting to appear more compassionate.

The trouble, Kapitan believes, is that behind the genuine public concern is what she calls symbolic consumption.

'Looking like you're caring can be as important as actually caring.

'We have this focus on status and signalling who we are; we can be 'green to be seen'.

'People don't want to be seen using plastic, but I think it's mostly because they want to be seen as being green.'

A segment of society is benevolent and altruistic and cares deeply about the environment, but a larger portion just wants to look good, she says.

Businesses have tapped into this public mood, and are now offering products that will help the planet, while also making them and their customers feel good.

'You can sell anti-drinking and looking after each other as much as you can sell alcohol.'

But while it is easy to make eco-friendly products sell, the real challenge will be reducing consumption overall.

Plastic is out, bamboo toothbrushes, reusable bags, waste free dental floss and soap are in - and advocates say there's a waste-free alternative for everything.

'It's really hard to make reduction look sexy.'

Asked if people living in poverty, in illness, or in other restricting circumstances are disadvantaged if they want to buy into environmentally friendly choices, Kapitan says such people are already living minimally, with less waste and less consumption.

Historically, people did not have all the disposable products that harm the environment today.

'We created this problem by consuming a bunch of things, and now we're trying to fix it.'

In the days before plastic containers and bottles, people used paper and baskets.

'It's kind of obvious that this is how we should be living.

Waste-free advocate and Dunedin resident Sarah Tay says she wants to see plastic use receive the same scrutiny as smoking.

'We got so excited about all these things which shouldn't have, but now we're realising we don't need them.'

Niki Harre, of the Auckland University school of psychology, believes people are becoming more aware of their personal impact on the environment, and says it's not just a trend.

However, living a sustainable lifestyle includes a range of things, including clothing and food choices.

'People might be really eco-friendly around things like food and transport and use of energy, but when it comes to clothes they choose the fast fashion that's on the racks.

'One product can get a real break around the eco-issues and the problems around it … plastic bags are one of those now, and everyone's aware of them.

'But no-one's concerned about the use of plastic yoghurt cups.'

Children will be leading social change, she says, and in many cases educating their parents. In schools now, for instance, they are being taught they are protectors of the environment.

Auckland University department of psychology head Niki Harre has released a book called Psychology for a Better World.

'When seatbelt laws came in, children were taught how important they were, and they put that pressure on their parents.'

It is the same with reusable bags. 'More and more people are getting used to taking them everywhere, and we will see children being a part of that shift.'

Those children, in 30 years' time, could be living in a waste-free world, she says.

'I think there's a really good chance that we will be [waste-free]. The technology is moving fast … society is moving forward really quickly.'

More people are banding together to be more sustainable, making it easier to not be the lone wolf.

'[There are] 'pioneers' pushing it outwards all the time, and then there's the people who are the last to get on board.'

Trends show progress towards social change often begins slowly, before intensifying into more rapid change.

For waste reduction, the fast-moving stage has yet to happen.

'I think the Government taking this leadership is really important, even with something as small as banning plastic bags, because it will affect the thinking of everyone.'

Waste-free advocate Sarah Tay, who lives in Dunedin, quotes David Attenborough: 'How could I look my grandchildren in the eye and say I knew about this but did nothing?'

Like Kapitan, she draws a comparison between waste and smoking.

'What I would like is that plastic bags and coffee cups have the same stigma that smoking now has.'

Tay feels environmental discussion and activism have lost their once-negative stigma.

'It's a lot more common to be concerned about the environment and to be interested in positive change … people are willing and open to learning about things we have ignored.'

Wellington resident Nada Piatek is behind a cup recycling scheme called Again Again, yet to be piloted in Wellington. Pictured here, Piatek hands out reused plastic bags at the Newtown Market.

However, zero-waste living runs the risk of becoming a consumer trend, rather than a genuine change, she believes.

'I see a lot of products available to buy to reduce waste, which is totally contradictory.

'Reducing rubbish also means buying less, and using what you have. We already own everything we need to reduce rubbish.'

The Government, rather than individuals, needs to be leading the movement towards waste-free.

'Individuals can and should do all they can, but to make widespread change, we need policy and law changes – fast.

'Living waste-free can be extremely difficult in provincial towns, especially for those who are struggling to make ends meet or those who will take longer to learn about change.'

Much of the legislation is already there, such as the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, she says.

'Product stewardship laws could be introduced tomorrow.' It could stop packaging becoming redundant.

Kanteen, a cafe in the NZ Post building in Wellington, has joined a cup recycling scheme where the cups are taken back at the end of each cafe day and reused time and time again.

Tay says 'compostible' coffee cups are only marginally better than traditional cups, because only 11 places in New Zealand can process them.

'There's a lot of 'greenwashing' going on, which is difficult for the novice eye to filter out.'

Coffee cups in the Kanteen cafe are printed with the NZ Post logo to make them unique to the employees and customers of the building.

The coffee consumers choosing less trash

At the NZ Post house in Wellington, they work with local cafe Kanteen towards being free of disposable cups, with the cup recycling movement.

It's the first cafe in Wellington to try cup recycling, and it is encouraging others to get involved too.

Staff feel good about reducing waste – in the first seven weeks, almost 3500 cups were diverted from landfill, or about 100 cups a day.

Kanteen manager Jet Patel says other organisations are asking about the system.

To those in the cafe, the scheme has become a natural process. 'You save money and the environment – why wouldn't you want to be involved?'

When staff from the building buy a drink, they're offered a reusable cup to borrow, instead of a disposable one.

The cups, from Ideal Cup NZ, are rinsed and left in the kitchens in the building at the end of the day, and cleaners bring them back down to the cafe.

Nada Piatek is behind a cup recycling scheme called Again Again, yet to be piloted in Wellington. She says its market research shows people do not need a discount to buy in to a reusable and returnable takeaway cup.

Again Again would be cost-neutral to customers, but cafes would save on takeaway cup purchases.

Its online survey of 290 people showed 52 per cent did not need any extra discount.

Piatek says people genuinely want to see their choices benefit the environment. 'My experience from speaking with people is there's a genuine and passionate desire to do the right thing.

'Clearly these people are not driven by being seen.'