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Self Sufficient Living: Is Plastic Still a Problem?

Self Sufficient Living: Is Plastic Still a Problem?

by Cathy Earle in News

In the latest episode of And Then What?, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kim Grimwade-Beisel, a retired lawyer turned sustainability advocate who has built her own off-grid home in rural British Columbia. While Kim’s lifestyle is centered around self-sufficiency—growing her own food, canning, and creating her own power—plastic still finds its way into her daily life. This raises an important question: Can we ever truly escape plastic, even when living sustainably?

During our conversation, Kim shared her insights on what it takes to live off-grid and how plastic still plays a role in that lifestyle. From building materials in her newly constructed home to food packaging, plastic continues to be present in ways that aren’t always obvious. However, she also highlights ways to minimize its impact—such as growing food in a greenhouse, buying in bulk to reduce packaging waste, and using preservation methods like canning to avoid single-use plastics.

One of the key takeaways from our discussion was the reality that plastic pollution affects everything—even the soil we rely on to grow food. Microplastics break down and infiltrate ecosystems, showing that even in the most self-sufficient lifestyles, plastic remains a problem.

So, what can we do? As consumers, we have the power to demand change by choosing sustainable alternatives and challenging industries to move away from plastic dependency.

🎥 Watch: YouTube.com/@eorthshop
🎧 Listen: Spotify

 

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