She makes her own toothpaste, deodorant
AMERICAN EXPAT ON A GREEN MISSION SHOWS HOW TO LEAD A PLASTIC-FREE LIFE
This Dubai expat is an eco-warrior who has embarked on a mission to raise awareness about the ills of plastic use. And this she does by setting an example herself on how to lead a sustainable life free from plastic.
American expat Nila McCann, 35, says she has always felt responsible about her environment. Her father did agricultural development for the Peace Corps — a volunteer programme run by the United States government in 141 countries. He worked in Mali.
McCann says it was her father who taught her to respect the environment and not waste anything — especially food and water.
“My sister and I were raised with the mentality of ‘do not waste’. Living in Africa, we felt even more responsible about it as there were so many people starving around us. Wasting food and water was considered a sin in our family.”
McCann admits she has taken her sustainable living a notch higher than her parents. “Things were easier and simpler back in the 70s and 80s. Today, unfortunately more damage has been done to the environment and this means we have to do more and up the ante,” she said.
Leading by example
“As a first step, I do not buy products with harsh chemicals or that have been stored in plastic bottles and containers. If I cannot find one, then I make that product myself.
“For example I make my own deodorant from natural ingredients like baking soda, arrowroot powder, tea tree and coconut oil. My kitchen cleaner is homemade — from water, apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil, so is my toothpaste which is made from charcoal.
“I have not bought a branded toothpaste from the supermarket in years. Even my sanitary napkins are made from reusable pads. I do not own a dryer, straightener or a hair curler as they consume energy. All food waste generated in my house is composted too.”
McCann said she carries a sustainable kit with her everywhere she goes. The kit contains wooden chopsticks, reusable utensils, bees wax wrap to store food. She takes her lunch in a mason glass jar which comes with a metal cover.
Why plastic is not good
“Plastic does not decompose easily. It degrades into small pieces. When they are dumped in the ocean, the fish end up eating them. This also means we are consuming plastic when we eat fish. Another big issue is that we are producing plastic exponentially every year and this is not helping in the sustainable efforts,” she says.
“Chlorinated plastic can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil, which can then seep into groundwater or other water sources and also the ecosystem of the world. This can cause serious harm to the species that drink the water. Landfill areas contain many different types of plastics.
“Toxic chemicals leach out of plastic and are found in the blood and tissue of nearly all of us. Exposure to them is linked to cancer, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and other ailments. Plastics and their by-products are littering cities, oceans, and waterways, and contributing to health problems in humans and animals.”
Challenge
“It has been a huge challenge adopting the changes in my life,” says McCann. “At one point my parents thought I was crazy. There are a lot of things which I had to give up and it was not easy at all. Personally, I cannot live a life with my head in the sand. The world we have inherited from our parents is the one we are passing on to our children. I know our parents did the best they could, but we can do better. People have a responsibility towards their environment and I am doing my bit to protect it. I only wish more people would join me in my crusade to keep away from plastic.”
Pledge
According to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in June, the UAE consumes 13 billion plastic bags and approximately 450 billion plastic bottles a year. Eight million tonnes of plastic make their way into the oceans each year.
On World Environment Day (June 5), the ministry joined hands with the Indian Ambassador to UAE and heads of two private sector companies to ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’. They signed a pledge supporting the cause.