Tag Archives: recycling

Unnecessary Packaging

Dear Earth,

Earth Day has passed, and while it’s always great to see people planting trees, doing clean-ups, and spreading awareness, I can’t help but notice how quickly we go back to our old habits. One thing that really stood out to me recently — especially after cramming for AP Chemistry (shoutout to all the fellow test-takers) — is how much unnecessary packaging we still use, especially in developed countries. Like, why does everything have to come wrapped in three layers of plastic just to make it look “nicer”?

Let’s talk about marketing. Companies LOVE to sell you a product, but they also love to sell you an image. That’s why your shampoo comes in a fancy box inside another box, maybe with a little ribbon or shiny wrapper. All of that is just for appearance — it doesn’t actually make the product better. It’s just more trash we end up tossing.

This is super common in wealthier countries, where people are used to having things look “premium” or “gift-worthy.” It’s a way to make products feel more valuable. But here’s the thing: most of that extra packaging gets thrown away in minutes. And guess what? Most of it isn’t recyclable, even if it looks like it should be.

From a chem perspective (yes, AP Chem did teach us something!), plastic isn’t just one thing — it’s made of different polymers, often treated with dyes, coatings, and additives. That makes recycling way harder than it sounds. So when you think you’re doing something good by tossing it in the blue bin, it might still end up in a landfill. Or worse, the ocean.

So what can we do about it? For starters, we can stop falling for the “more packaging = better product” trick. If there’s a version of a product with less waste, pick that one. Support brands that actually care about sustainability — not just the ones slapping a green leaf on the label and calling it “eco-friendly.”

Post-Earth Day is the perfect time to reflect and realize that protecting the planet isn’t just a one-day event. It’s about the choices we make every single day, even something as small as the toothpaste we buy or the snacks we bring to school.

The bottom line: we don’t need more plastic to feel like we’re getting our money’s worth. Let’s start demanding less packaging and more real change.

Best Wishes,

Jessica Ngok

When 5 R’s Just Aren’t Enough

Dear Earth,

I abhor. I loathe. I abominate. I detest the fact that a handful of people—men in suits, sipping overpriced lattes—get to pass a policy that quietly slithers into law and somehow ends up telling me what bin to throw my banana peel into.

But… sigh… here’s the brutal paradox: without policy, our economy, our politics, society, even the very air we breathe, would be absolutely drowning in corruption. Like, actual chaos. Wild West. Anarchy. Think Mad Max but with overflowing compost bins.

Recently, I went to the UC Berkeley aNova Hacks event in San Francisco—vibes were unmatched, and the themes? Climate crisis, societal good, design excellence. Basically, my alley. One presentation absolutely fried my brain in the best way. Someone—some actual genius group—announced that there aren’t just 5 R’s in waste management.

No. There are 12.

Yes, twelve.
You heard me.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle? Child’s play. Now we have to Rethink, Refuse, Redesign, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, Recover, and yes, still Recycle—with a sprinkle of Responsibility and Rot on top.

Image adapted from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Strategies-of-12Rs-from-Linear-Economy-to-Circular-Economy-III-NEXUS-BETWEEN-CIRCULAR_fig1_357366438

If you already found it a struggle to separate trash from recyclables, the 12 R’s will make you question every item in your fridge, closet, and soul. Like, are my broken headphones recyclable? Should I repurpose this spaghetti jar? Is this the right moment to “Rethink” my entire life?

Cue: my beloved eco-warrior family member. The type who makes sure every scrap of paper, every veggie stem, every greasy takeout box is going exactly where it belongs—compost, landfill, recycling, you name it. Total green queen. But guess what? They still got fined. Yep. Fined. For trying to do the right thing. Turns out, even good intentions get wrecked without knowing the policy.

Only after the fine did they realize: wow, maybe we should’ve read the trash disposal rules instead of just guessing based on vibes.

And that’s the thing. Policy feels like a cage, until you realize it’s also the one thing keeping the hyenas out. It’s frustrating, it’s annoying, it’s a brain workout. But it’s also… weirdly necessary.

So next time someone tells you to “just recycle,” you can politely (or dramatically) inform them that the R’s have multiplied and we are now playing 4D chess with our leftovers.

Policy sucks. But the planet? Still kinda matters.

Peace. Love. Earth.,

Jessica Ngok 🌎