Every person leaves a mark. Unfortunately, most often these are not important achievements or great discoveries, but an ecological footprint — garbage that will remain on the Earth for many years. The "What Will Remain After Me" project was created by Irina Geints, an artist from St. Petersburg. To draw attention to the problem, she made a generalized "consumer portrait".
The project was attended by 12 ordinary people from 16 to 82. Each hero of the project is photographed in a "mask" of photos of their own garbage. From under it, participants talk about their attitude to the environment and consumption.
Tatiana (59 years old) recalls the Soviet times and her school years, when children collected waste paper and scrap metal for recycling, and the problem with plastic was not there: there were simply no packages. "And then "civilization" started to pop —the "Iron Curtain" opened, and we were shown how to live. We will reach the point of practical non-return and quickly begin to correct. Another question is whether we will be in time. People have this logic: why would I strain? Strain yourself, and I'll think about it. For the majority's conscience to wake up, you need either a forcible order, or you need to raise a generation that will have a different life style."
Ksenia (31 years old) tries to convey to colleagues and relatives how harmful plastic is, but faces a complete misunderstanding. People don't want to analyze — for example, they don't realize what's wrong with paper cups. "It's not that people are stupid, they just don't want to think. Everything is going to be simplified. Technology thinks for us and does everything."
Alexander (30) says that talking about environmental issues did not touch him too much, although the city dump was visible from the window of his house. In his city, there was a problem even with garbage collection, not to mention sorting. He respects people who by their example motivate others to do something for nature, but he is not ready for separate garbage collection. "I am one of those people who will start when there is infrastructure and regulations on the part of the state. I think this is the right way. I don't think about what I leave behind. And if I do, it won't change anything in my head, to be honest."
Marina (28 years old) realized how much garbage a person creates when one day she had to throw out a whole bag of food. Since then, she has been sorting garbage and handing over all recyclable packaging. She recalls that even in her childhood it was considered normal to hand over bottles, buy food in your own containers and use packages many times. "And when the free market appeared in the 90's, the "waste" began: finally, we can not wash anything, do not save, but simply consume."
Ksenia (25 years old) started by limiting her consumption and buying less food so that she could eat everything and not have to throw anything away. Her boyfriend even thought that she did not have enough money for food and offered to pay for it. But Ksenia believes that consumption is a substitute for real needs. Everyone wants to be loved, and buying new things or cars gives the illusion that you will be more loved and respected for it.
"I am concerned that there is no care in our country. Including about the environment. I don't understand why the state doesn't care. Our initiative comes from the people, not from the authorities, and this is an outrage. There is simply no possibility to hand over waste separately. In order not to litter, you have to make such an effort!"
Sergey (62 years old) recently began to worry that even in our huge country there is a garbage problem. A year ago, he and his family started taking garbage for recycling and realized what a huge footprint they leave: in a couple of months, their family of three produces about a hundred kilograms of garbage. "Am I ready to change my consumer habits? Not ready. The motive to preserve the world, to allow other generations to live in normal conditions, is just. But it will not overcome the habits of buying and consuming here and now."
Ksenia (22 years old) has a negative attitude to the word "consumption" and is aware of the harm it brings. "To consume is simply to take. You take it and don't do anything else."
Now she does not buy new things — she has enough clothes and she does not understand shopaholism. She sorts the garbage, but realizes that she could do more for the environment. But parents do not understand these measures: it seems strange to them that she keeps waste at home for several weeks in order to pass it for recycling. "My mother was terrified: "They stink, what kind of shithole do you live in?" I said it was all mine, and she said,"What?! You wash it too?" It was a gap, she didn't understand at all — a different paradigm. They do not know about the impact of plastic, what it threatens, that it decomposes for hundreds of years."
Valentin (86 years old) lives alone and does without a trash can. He collects all the garbage in a free bag from the supermarket and throws it away on the way there the next day. He does not take large packages at all — he has been carrying the same thing for a long time. "I'm not out of savings — just irrational. Why take it if you have to throw it away? And will be taken to the dump."
Larisa (49 years old) lives near the forest and worries about the purity of nature. She and her children regularly remove garbage, but new trash appears faster than it is possible to collect it. Larisa regrets that people do not realize the consequences of their actions and do not want to think about it. She herself rents out light bulbs and batteries, but does not yet know how to deal with plastic and glass — there are no containers for separate nearby. "You start with yourself, you have a family, children, friends, whom you can influence by telling, showing an example. If you change your family's consumer habits, then your children will already live differently."
Ekaterina (41 years old) has been collecting garbage separately for 4 years. Her family compost organic waste and hand over recyclable trash. They try not to buy products in packaging that is not recyclable, but sometimes they can afford concessions. "Some people look at me as a fool, because they don't understand why I spend so much effort. But there is biodiversity in nature — I try to treat people the same way."
Valery (32 years old) calls consumption the worst, but the easiest way to make yourself happier. He would like to change his habits, but he does not have the time and energy to do so. He himself understands that these reasons are similar to excuses, but can not refuse them. "I live in a communal apartment and I can't throw a separate collection all over the room — this is the only room. I need a separate closet so I don't have to see it all the time. I am a very anxious person, to raise my level of anxiety is to be killed."
Danila (16 years old) agitates her friends to treat consumption more rationally. He was shocked when he found out that there are whole islands of plastic in the oceans, and since then he has been trying to reduce at least his contribution to pollution. Danila realizes that his family produces a lot of garbage, and has begun to collect plastic bottles to take them for recycling. His father supported his initiative, but does not do it himself.
"I am concerned about the incredible amount of plastic, which is becoming more and more. I didn't know before that microplastics get into the environment — we already eat it ourselves. If a person really considers himself the master of nature, he, on the contrary, should treat everything responsibly."
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