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I’m Trying To Spread Awareness About A Zero-Waste Lifestyle By Making Comics (34 New Pics)
Hi! My name is Mira! I have been trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle for a few years now. And if you have ever tried it, you know how hard it can be.
But I truly believe the first step towards creating less waste is being well-informed on the subject, and being aware of the specific issues and problems. So I started researching online and sometimes the information could be truly overwhelming and rather gloomy. After I would spend some time reading, I would have no willpower to live, let alone take any action whatsoever. The other issue was the depressing manner in which a big part of the information was presented, so it didn't seem likely that anyone would want to share it with their friends or family in order not to ruin their day as well.
You can find my previous post about my zero waste comics by clicking here.
More info: Instagram | patreon.com | Etsy | Facebook | awareanimals.com
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So I said to myself—what if there was a way to represent useful information about climate change, sustainability, and the environment in a funny, colorful, and most of all accessible way? An approach that focuses on solutions, rather than problems. So that people will hopefully laugh, learn something new, and pass it along.
And that's how the Aware Animals webcomics were created. Every week I draw a different situation. Whether it's dealing with mountains of non-recyclable wrapping paper and paper bills, wanting to pack a waste-free lunch, buying second-hand clothes for environmental reasons, refusing a plastic grocery bag at the store, turning down plastic straws over and over again, or trying to repair broken items to prevent them from going to a landfill—the possibilities of new and exciting topics are endless.
Trends
I actually didn't know this. Did some additional research and will be more aware from now on. You've enlightened at least one person today..!
Most of the situations have happened either to me or to my super-supportive partner (you can probably recognize us as Mr. and Miss Fox) and others have been shared or suggested to us by our lovely community on social media.
My favorite part about this process is how much I learn from it myself: once while I do my research and then again from the lovely comments and lively discussions when the comics have been posted. I'm constantly overwhelmed by the positive feedback we've received and very, very grateful. Our main message is that no action is too small to make a difference and that positivity and awareness will bring us further along than guilt or blame. So if you need more awareness in your life, feel free to join us on our journey.
My Sustainable Bag
Yup! Carry bags- preferably canvas! to the shops. reusables straws at home. No disposable utensils, plates, etc.
Not Again
Shocking Fact
It was a shock to me as well!
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We need the option to refuse it. Most small businesses ask, most customer decline, ends up as waste.
In Germany, all businesses are required to print the "bon" for you. They just throw it away when you decline. A new law from 2020, generated a major uproar - because it was required also for minor purchases such as in bakery stores. Now, a year later, the receipts are still printed but thrown away since nobody wants them for personal purchases...
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But they always ask if you want the receipt, AS they are printing it. If you could say NO before they hit 'print', then no problem.
I disagree with their "50% thermal" statement. There's only one business I go to that has an impact receipt printer, everyone else went thermal a long time ago.
Or send it to your gov that made bills mandantory even for 50 cent items. (Germany)
I HATE those BPA receipts--and the numbers on them fade, so they're no good after a few months anyway.
It's really a time to do something with receipts.. MOST of people don't want them, so why we just won't stop producing them x.x
Beginning of 2020 Germany was in an uproar: All merchandise had to be registered and the customer had to receive a rereipt. Of course this cash registers in the bakery stores mostly use thermal paper. Now this causes a lot of trash and sincerely, hardly anyone wants and needs the receipt for a personal purchase of a donut. It was aimed against tax fraud...
I always ask for email or text receipts and save them in a folder in case I need them for returns. Sam's Club, Costco and Wally World now have Scan and Go. You scan as you purchase, checkout on your phone and show the code as you breeze out the door! No receipt except in your file!
This should be the next big target for environmentalists. Billions of receipts are printed every day. but 99% of people don't need a receipt for 99% of the time. All of that waste for nothing. Supermarkets would also save a fortune on till rolls if they didn't have to print a receipt every time.
Almost all thermal receipt paper is now BPA free. There is an alternative that is BP-A and BP-S free. This is the same for the labels used in deli and meat departments. If you can’t avoid it, know that there are better papers out there.
Thank you for this. I noticed the paper is different, but I didn't know it can't be recycled.
Buddy
On The Road
The Specialist
We plan our meals, so shopping for the week is done in less than two hours and nothing is wasted
Providing
It's A System
How is this relevant to consuming less? Also, it is the most ridiculous way of organizing books I ever see...
The List
And this is why grocery stores put staples at the back and periodically move stuff around, so you will have to search to find what you need and hopefully (for them) find more than you wanted.
My Sustainable Bathroom
Ear swaps should be struck from this list. Even if they feel great, they are terrible for actually removing earwax. Earwax exists to keep our keep our inner ears moistened so the skin doesn't dry and crack, as well as creating an acidic environment so bacteria can't survive. Your ears naturally clean themselves by using the motion of your jaw when talking and eating to shift older wax out. When you use ear swabs it shoves the wax deep into the ear and it gets stuck. Stop using ear swabs no matter if they are reusable or not.
Happy New Year
The Gift Of An Experience
Fashionable
I hear you and you're totally right that polices and political influence plays a giant role in this. But the more we know the more we'll who to vote for and who to protest against. And I choose to believe my consumer choices are also very important. Because if nobody buys water in plastic bottles, companies will stop producing it since profit is what they are after. :)
Load More Replies... Not every country just toss all trash on the landfill. In Denmark and Sweden (countries I've lived in) most trash is sorted. Our trashcans have several compartments. Food scraps are used for biofuel for busses and garbage trucks (not everyone has the use for compost, but like cleaner busses) Plastic, paper, glass and metal are recycled. The "rest" is burned and used to heat our homes. We can discuss the environmental problems with burning trash, but the plants, burning the trash, is constantly developing systems to clean the smoke and lower their emissions of everything. And I still think it is better than tossing it on the landfill.
Thank you for sharing! I love reading how different such practices can be in different countries, and I'm hopeful that we can all learn from the good examples and implement them in our own countries.
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Thank you for your nice words of encouragement! 😊
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Thank you, I'm so happy you like it! 🤸
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These comics were great! I will definitely start using some of these ideas, but some of them I cannot use. The bamboo toothbrush for example, I have a sonicare electric toothbrush, and so you can change the head without throwing it away. With my hair type, I cannot find a shampoo or conditioner bar that works with my hair. Any suggestions on how to become more sustainable without buying more items?
Thank you, Laura! I'm so glad you like it :)
Load More Replies... Any tips and tricks from our fellow readers? I've heard of dried laundry strips that are supposed to work pretty well.
In Bulgarian: They are great! I hope more people follow their example.
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One of the main problems with trying to live eco friendly is the cost of eco friendly things. Do you know how expensive bamboo toothbrushes are!?
These were all very encouraging and adorable! Great job :)😃
Thank you so much! It means a lot to hear that 😊
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Really nice art style and an amazing message! Thank you Mira, you're doing an amazing job!
Interesting thank you for sharing helpful tips and eco friendly ideas If your reading this I hope you have a great day and know. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
I think this is great! Although like @toast said, it 'isn't enough,' this is still a step in the right direction to make people more aware of the simple decisions they make that can impact the environment, whether it be negative or positive. I think people should do whatever they can to promote helping our environment, and having a zero-waste lifestyle is a great way to do so. I'm only 13, of course, so I can't exactly make my own choices on what I buy because I don't really buy anything, but people who do should totally make an effort to just think about how their 3-second choices will affect the environment long-term. I love the way you spread a great message in such cute comics! 100% support!
Thank you, I'm so glad to hear you like them! :)
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I want to be honest, if that fox was in my friend group I'd hate her so much
Zedrapazia, you are short sighted. Look at a person's intention before you judge.
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so you're saying you should tell people who are pregnant to get an abortion because THAT'S good for the environment?
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It's a comic about a imaginary fox that shows options. Nobody is forcing anyone. You can use the provided information as you please.
Load More Replies... I hear you and you're totally right that polices and political influence plays a giant role in this. But the more we know the more we'll who to vote for and who to protest against. And I choose to believe my consumer choices are also very important. Because if nobody buys water in plastic bottles, companies will stop producing it since profit is what they are after. :)
Load More Replies... Not every country just toss all trash on the landfill. In Denmark and Sweden (countries I've lived in) most trash is sorted. Our trashcans have several compartments. Food scraps are used for biofuel for busses and garbage trucks (not everyone has the use for compost, but like cleaner busses) Plastic, paper, glass and metal are recycled. The "rest" is burned and used to heat our homes. We can discuss the environmental problems with burning trash, but the plants, burning the trash, is constantly developing systems to clean the smoke and lower their emissions of everything. And I still think it is better than tossing it on the landfill.
Thank you for sharing! I love reading how different such practices can be in different countries, and I'm hopeful that we can all learn from the good examples and implement them in our own countries.
Load More Replies... Thank you for your nice words of encouragement! 😊
Load More Replies... Thank you, I'm so happy you like it! 🤸
Load More Replies... These comics were great! I will definitely start using some of these ideas, but some of them I cannot use. The bamboo toothbrush for example, I have a sonicare electric toothbrush, and so you can change the head without throwing it away. With my hair type, I cannot find a shampoo or conditioner bar that works with my hair. Any suggestions on how to become more sustainable without buying more items?
Thank you, Laura! I'm so glad you like it :)
Load More Replies... Any tips and tricks from our fellow readers? I've heard of dried laundry strips that are supposed to work pretty well.
In Bulgarian: They are great! I hope more people follow their example.
Load More Replies... One of the main problems with trying to live eco friendly is the cost of eco friendly things. Do you know how expensive bamboo toothbrushes are!?
These were all very encouraging and adorable! Great job :)😃
Thank you so much! It means a lot to hear that 😊
Load More Replies... Really nice art style and an amazing message! Thank you Mira, you're doing an amazing job!
Interesting thank you for sharing helpful tips and eco friendly ideas If your reading this I hope you have a great day and know. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
I think this is great! Although like @toast said, it 'isn't enough,' this is still a step in the right direction to make people more aware of the simple decisions they make that can impact the environment, whether it be negative or positive. I think people should do whatever they can to promote helping our environment, and having a zero-waste lifestyle is a great way to do so. I'm only 13, of course, so I can't exactly make my own choices on what I buy because I don't really buy anything, but people who do should totally make an effort to just think about how their 3-second choices will affect the environment long-term. I love the way you spread a great message in such cute comics! 100% support!
Thank you, I'm so glad to hear you like them! :)
Load More Replies... I want to be honest, if that fox was in my friend group I'd hate her so much
Zedrapazia, you are short sighted. Look at a person's intention before you judge.
Load More Replies... so you're saying you should tell people who are pregnant to get an abortion because THAT'S good for the environment?
Load More Replies... It's a comic about a imaginary fox that shows options. Nobody is forcing anyone. You can use the provided information as you please.
Load More Replies...