Jacqui McGrath

Sadly, there are "unofficial" waste sites lining the rural roads on the far side of the highway in my Mexican town (and along many similar roads in this entire region... and around the planet). There's no local landfill currently since the previous one got shut down. The local government is working on a solution, but meanwhile garbage service is limited and seems to mostly happen in parts of town that cater to tourism. Those most affected are families living on the "other side" of the tracks where garbage is being burned or dumped alongside roads just beyond the developed areas. For those in the USA who haven't experienced this reality, I share it in the spirit of raising awareness. Much of the junk in these piles are single use plastics, many times the small/travel versions of the personal hygiene and cooking products (shampoos, cooking oils, etc) because these families don't have the means/access to more sustainable options. It's a mess -- we have a lot of work left to do. 

Yes -- loved Annemarie and Lise's emphasis on moving toward less waste one positive action step at a time. Instead of feeling guilty about what we don't do, we can take heart that what we already do MATTERS. And, importantly, by coming together to share what we know with others in our community, we ALL benefit. In my case, I'm also glad to learn about wellness businesses that are taking sustainable practices/packaging seriously.