"We are now producing nearly 300 million tons of plastic every year, half of which is for single use. More than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans every year." - PlasticOceans.org
Let that sink in. Millions. Tons.
If you visit Plastic Oceans' website, be prepared to ingest a number of other upsetting facts about our relationship with plastic and how it is affecting our ecosystems. Organizations like this that focus on education and action are doing so much good in the world. They work hard to inspire the global population to alter their way of life to be more sustainable and to say no to single-use plastics. We have an earnest need for more change makers like this in the world who are passionate about saving our oceans, and in turn our planet.
One such solution orientated entrepreneur is Amy Hall of Goldilocks Wraps. After a devastating experience that brought her up close with the realities of the damage that our waste is doing to our oceans, she promised to help eliminate this problem. We are so excited to have her small batch reuseable beeswax wraps in store in the graciously customized colours she made for SALT, and grateful that she took the time to answer a few questions that give insight into what drives her and her business.
Photo Credit: Rachael Alexandra
SALT: What inspires your work/products?
AMY HALL: The inspiration for my wraps and passion for all that I do with my business stems from a deep love of the ocean. A few years ago I was volunteering with a shark conservation project in Fiji where I learned and saw first hand the impact plastic pollution was having on marine life. Once you see the waste we as humans are leaving behind in such a personal way, there’s no going back. Out of sight, out of mind was no longer an option and I made it my mission to help educate others who are not as fortunate as I to have had such wonderful diving experiences. I vowed to reduce plastic consumption in my own life which eventually grew into my business of making beeswax wraps. I wanted to give people an accessible, easy swap for a commonly used single use plastic. A tangible action for what at times can seem like an overwhelming process. It’s the small things that add up over time as we all shift our habits and awareness.
S: What do you most enjoy about your work?
AH: Picking out the patterns is my absolute favourite. My background is in art history so I love creating visually stunning sets and find it strangely relaxing.
S: What is the most challenging part of running a small business?
AH: Running your own business feels like there’s a never ending to do list (because in fact, there is) so making sure not to get overwhelmed with all the tasks at hand can be a challenge sometimes. Things never go as you plan, but my former life as a wedding coordinator has definitely helped me be able to go with the flow and tackle challenges on the fly!
S: What is your favourite part of running a small business?
AH: I’ve met some of the most inspiring people I know through Goldilocks, a lot of whom have become close personal friends who I can’t imagine my life without. It’s those connections that are my favourite.
S: What do you think is the most important thing for consumers to know about your products?
AH: That my wraps replace plastic wrap, are all natural, re-usable and keep your food fresh for longer! Each one is made by hand with local wax here in Victoria.
S: What is one goal you have for you and/or your business in the next year?
AH: I want to be able to design my own patterns and work with local artists more. I’m really excited about the potential of having my own Goldilocks line of designs and being able to do custom orders!
S: What is your favourite thing(s) about the ocean?
AH: The sense of calm it seems to provide, whether I’m near it or in it, it always seems to be able to put me into a more relaxed state. It’s vastness continually leaves me in awe - there is so much we don’t know about the ocean, and that unknown leaves me so fascinated. This is why we need to preserve it. I really do believe it will be our downfall for so many reasons if we don’t.
There's no denying it - humans are hard on the Earth. In the past 100 years or so, we have seen some fantastic developments in how we live, but also seen an overwhelming amount of negative consequences as a result of this growth. Our hope is that as we move forward now, we prioritize a shift towards valuing our natural spaces and learning to design our life around how they exist, not how we can take advantage of them.
With leaders like Amy at the helm, hopefully we can steer the ship in a direction that will see our oceans cleaner and our future generations full of aware, responsible people who want to keep our home green and blue.
from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/04-aug-goldilocks-wraps
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