Taking part
The fellow human I live with brought home these candle holders. He received them as a gift from a relative a while ago, but we don't use candles at home. We will bring them to a swap shop (byttestation in Danish) so hopefully another fellow human can pick them up and enjoy them free of charge. These candle holders are simple and beautiful.
Recently I have been thinking a lot about taking part in the zero waste movement and various circularity practices. They take time. Taking part takes time, even when various helpful infrastructures are in place. When these infrastructures are scattered, it is even more time-consuming.
Very often I notice that fellow humans throw into the general waste bin something that is obviously recyclable, such as cardboard boxes or glass jars. The cardboard recycling bin is just a few centimetres away, so it doesn't require much extra effort to sort this kind of waste. I contemplate what could be reasons for that. And when even very simple actions are not performed, how about more difficult ones?
In my own practice, I am far from perfect. Even though I try to buy bread from bakeries and vegetables from a food market, I often shop in a supermarket nearby because it is convenient and I don't have enough time to do all my shopping in various places. Perhaps if people worked less, we would have more time for participating in alternative organisations and structures. In a supermarket, I try to make better choices, such as buying unpackaged and seasonal food, but I can't help but think that it is still not the most ideal option.
In terms of time, I feel privileged. I don't live with pets who require much time. My work is flexible at the moment. Oftentimes I can work from home. I don't have any care responsibilities, though it might change when I meet a young child soon and when my loved one needs care in the near future.