Will You #StopSucking Already?

It’s not that easy to stop sucking, but for someone, it was.

A simple hashtag called #StopSucking sparked a movement, not only for many others, but for Brookes Moody. However, it’s just the beginning of this student’s efforts to incorporate environmentalism into each corner of her life.

Changing your lifestyle in one day is nearly impossible, but, with baby steps, it can gradually change. Moody decided to incorporate environmentalism into every corner of her life from her everyday resources to the resources for her dog. Starting with withdrawing plastic straws as her first task (the point of the “stop sucking” movement), with baby steps, she’s also worked on changing her diet to lower choices on the food chain.

Over the course of this year, she’s stopped eating beef and pork with the exception of leaning off poultry, dairy, and eggs. After doing research on plastic and what it affects besides sea life, she noticed it affects more than the human may know. Since then, even her choices of clothing and household products have been switched to more of an environmental accustomed way of living.

Because of her knowledge of poisoning fibers in clothes, she’s turned to clothing that is fair-trade. Knowing fashion is a huge part of the world today, she’s found designers who share her taste and environmental outlook on life. She has switched to also using washable napkins, a Cora ball (microfiber catching laundry ball), and several other environmentally conscientious manufactured items. Her goal is to reduce her consumption of plastics. When she does use them for kitchen garbage bags, pet waste, or the occasional Ziploc, she leans towards brands that use post-consumer recycled plastics or are compostable because they are made from plant-based materials. Although it isn’t the cheapest way of living, it’s helped her save at the same time.

“There is a point where environmental thinking crosses over into the political, and you have to navigate that carefully,” said Moody. “It boils down what are our values, and what are we willing to do. If we keep thinking about convenience as important value to us it’s very short sighted.”

The vast attention the #StopSucking hashtag received off social media is how it caught Moody’s eye. The infamous hashtag was started by Lonely Whale, a group that took it in their hands to stress how plastic bags and soda cans are not the only form of a pollution habit to focus on. Single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. The little things like a straw are among the top 10 items found during pollution clean ups, and America uses well over 500 million straws a day, according to the Lonely Whale Campaign. The movement geared several celebrities to help share the change in single-use plastic. Moody has used this as an outlet and also a way to express to students and people she knows in the community about what they may not be aware of.

We all know everyone is not born an environmentalist, but deep-down Moody has always felt to be one. She was born in Puerto Rico, but from four-years-old until college, she lived in New Jersey. Growing up traveling and experiencing different states and countries at a time, she has seen a lot of the good and the bad. Throughout high school, she attended The Island School in Eleuthera, The Bahamas, where she got the opportunity to use the surrounding ocean as her laboratory in order to discover and solve real world problems. The Islands School being on a small island forced her to be confronted with nature all the time. After her semester there, she realized the difference ever since she was surrounded by such a pure area. Using solar panels for energy was something she didn’t see in the regular city. Ten years ago, during undergrad, she studied abroad her junior year in Cape Town, South Africa. There was a huge issue with pollution that made it unappealing, and she noticed at each pharmacy and supermarket they were charging 10 cents for a plastic bag. Commonly, like others would, they provided their own reusable bags. It had nothing to do with the environment, but it was because of the effect. Moments like this sparked ideas for her on how the campus community could take a grasp at a safer and healthier environment.

“It’s about habits,” she said. “If it’s not there around you, you change your habits because you have to. There are ways to introduce new concepts for people in the community and here on campus.”

Moody is not the only person on campus who is environmentally conscious. UWM engineering student, Maira Colden, grew up green. Her parents inflicted the knowledge of how important the environment is to her at an early age. “My parents were pretty adamant about how I went about buying things, eating, and I use to think it was weird until I was about 10-years-old,” said Colden. “You have to think about it though. Back then it was a different time, and the world seemed a less dangerous place.”

Other universities like Penn State, Western Michigan University, University of Vermont and other schools have taken matters into their own hands on ways to solve this issue. Seeing other universities make small steps for change means to her that her own university has the ability to try too.

“The Grind on campus is a huge area that is convenient and available to on-campus students and commuters. Piggy-backing off other universities by starting maybe with a “plastic-free” week could even be a way to show students the massive amount we use,” said Moody.

In the future, she hopes to start a way for the campus to take a stand on plastic. One of her examples being, you see the coffee cost “x” but there’s an additional five cents for the cup and lid. Then there would be a possibility you will be motivated to buy a reusable cup or mug.

“It’s difficult to inspire people when they think there is no way they could ever do what you’re doing,” said Moody. “With time though, things can shift for the better.”