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My mission is to help people keep their families healthy by enlightening them about the waste crisis and showing them how to reduce their overall environmental impact.

Recycle symbol with inspiring words.
Image by johnhain on Pixabay

 

 

How do you eat healthy and stay toxin free and reduce waste and refuse packaging and go plastic free and raise children and help the environment and stay on a budget and support recycling and public transportation and public schools – in the Southeastern U.S.?

What this blog is:

My intention is to inspire others to help improve our environment, our lives, and our children’s lives. To improve our health, save lives, to protect the oceans. To reduce waste and to go plastic free. To refuse of a life debt from buying things we don’t need and that harm the environment. To help others help themselves in the struggle against disposable and plastic EVERYTHING, the constant waste stream, and the endeavor to improve the waste disaster we’ve unintentionally created. And, of course, to save the sea turtles.

sea turtle
Photo by Pexels on Pixabay

“How is it possible that the most intelligent creature to ever walk the planet is destroying its own home?” -Jane Goodall

I have been inspired by many bloggers, writers, artists, and documentarians on reducing and refusing waste and plastic; zero waste; and environmental issues. Many of them live in areas that have alternatives and solutions to problems with packaging, waste, and plastic – such as New York, California, even outside of the U.S. However, what do you do if you live in a smaller city or a place that doesn’t always offer alternatives?

I live in the Southeastern U.S. – Chattanooga, Tennessee, to be specific – and the alternatives I’m looking for are just not available here sometimes! This blog captures those trials and errors, searches for solutions, and methods to avoid the mainstream culture of waste. I’m not here to rewrite the story or reinvent the wheel – I’m here to add to it!

What you will read here:

I am documenting my family’s refusal of and attempt to go plastic free, zero waste, and toxic free, sometimes just one object at a time – because it can be so overwhelming to solve all the problems at once. I’m showing you how I’m tackling one or two items at a time and I hope it helps you!

I am reviewing products that I’ve tried myself, and recommending them (or not). I am reviewing films, documentaries, and TED talks related to the topics I write about. Sometimes I review books on relevant topics. I write about other organizations, efforts around the world, and people making a difference! It will take me time to cover all of the great efforts out there, so please don’t think I’m forgetting any one individual or any one organization!

A sign posted at the beach in Tybee Island exhibiting how long marine debris stays in the ocean.
A sign posted at the beach in Tybee Island exhibiting how long marine debris stays in the ocean. Photo by me.

But I’m just a person, who sees trash on the beach washing up from ocean; a person who goes walking with her family and sees trash and we clean it up; a person who wants the Earth to stay beautiful and for my son to grow up in a world that is not toxic and unhealthy. I am not the complete authority. This blog is NOT the end of the story, nor does it contain all of the solutions. I am not a scientist, nor a politician – I’m just someone who wants to help make changes – and through small changes, we all can make a difference. I welcome your ideas too!

Shackleford Banks
Shackleford Banks, NC. Photo by me

What this blog is not:

My blog is, simply put, about LOVE – of life, of nature, of our children, of balance, of Earth.  This blog IS NOT a political forum, although there will be times where I cite or write about legislation or political entities that are outright making the situation worse. If you’re looking for a place to respond with negativity, you’ve come to the wrong blog – not sorry! Haters gonna hate. But small differences can add up and make a positive change, so why not try? Be the change! Join me!

Love written in the sand
Photo by Porapak Apichodilok from Pexels

Blog

Earth Day 2023

Happy Earth Day! This is a day of recognition and a day to celebrate our beautiful home and habitat. But as I always say, Earth Day should be every day. This year, 2023, feels heavier, though. There’s so much going on and so much division that climate change and environmental issues often feel like back-burner …

About Me

Photo of me
Hi! I’m Marie, and I want to inspire you and help you take care of your family and the environment.

My blog is named Because Turtles Eat Plastic Bags because when my son was just 3, he would tell people in the check-out lines at different stores that the reason we had our own cloth bags with us was “because the turtles eat the plastic bags.” My adorable boy would get smiles and laughs over this, but it was completely true! He’s a little older now but he still tells people no thank you, we don’t like plastic bags because… well, now you see why I just had to name this blog for him.

And then I actually saw a turtle walking by plastic waste…

Photo of a Turtle in Morehead City, North Carolina walking next to plastic waste, just a few feet away.
Turtle in Morehead City, North Carolina. Notice the plastic waste just a few feet away from him. I took this photo in April 2018.

I had been thinking about writing this blog for a long time, but I was busy taking care of my family and working part-time. Just a few months before I launched this blog, our family vacationed in the Southern Outer Banks to visit my best friend from college. I was telling her that I had this idea for a blog and she encouraged me! I was with her when I saw this turtle, walking by discarded plastic, and I knew at that moment that I really needed to do this – I needed to help inspire others and help others figure how to deal with the problems we are facing environmentally. My husband encouraged the idea too! So a huge thank you to my son for being my inspiration! And to my husband and best friend for encouraging me!

I have so much I want to share with you. I can’t wait! Thank you for reading, and stay tuned.

Contact Me

I would love to hear from you! Please use the link below to contact me.

Interested in the cover image on this blog? Unfortunately, the image is not my own. It belongs to a photographer named Rich Carey. I purchased a usage license through Shutterstock, and you can do the same at this link. Thank you for your interest!