Editor's Letter: Issue 6

The waste in my rubbish bin at home is probably festering as I sit down to write this. I really should be composting more things (between you and me I never compost anything). This issue is the ‘Earth Issue’ of Debate and it’s got me thinking a lot about the planet and how I live. I’ve been trying to produce a lot less rubbish but at the same time my kitten’s main priority seems to be to produce as much waste and general mess as possible.

Often I’m grappling him in one hand (said hand being bitten and scratched) and trying to google whether you can recycle something random like bubble wrap at the same time.

This issue has a real mix of stuff about the Earth. Some of our contributors focused on some small steps to be more sustainable and even how self-healing can positively impact our futures. I want to stress, however, that taking steps to inform ourselves is one of the strongest moves we can make above all else. Some informative docos recommended to me by Britt Little from AUT Future Proofers include ‘Cowspiracy’, ‘Before the Flood’ and ‘Knock Down the House’.

Over on page 10, Ruth Stowers tried going zero waste for a week and the results weren’t too shabby. It seems like focusing harder on the packaging that food comes in can make a massive difference to your footprint. This leads me to our giveaway section where we have a sustainability pack that includes a GoodFor voucher. At GoodFor you can bring your own jars etc and walk out free from the nasty plastics that so often come along with grocery shopping.

Mooncups, sometimes met with shock or horror, are another pretty cool way to live more sustainably. Jessy Thurston unpacks all of this on page 12 and will get you up to speed on whether a mooncup is something that might suit your lifestyle.

And, it couldn’t be the ‘Earth Issue’ without touching on random flat Earth theories. Sam Deakin explains a little about how this is VERY MUCH NOT A THING on page 19.

On page 14 you’ll find a guide from Sophia Romanos as to what you can and can’t recycle. The main take-away is that you shouldn’t put weird dangerous things in your recycling bin. Some people have even tried to recycle nappies! I screamed when I heard this.

Anyway, I’m heading home to start a compost pile (maybe). I’ve long feared the rodents that could come along with it but it’s time to be brave. I already have a possum problem so the more the merrier, I guess? I’m begging my cat to back me up on this and protect me.

Talk soon,

Ben