It’s now 4 or so weeks since TEDxBrighton which has been enough time for the dust to settle and to see what is still rattling around my brain.

The standout talk for me was Kittie Kipper talking about plastic pollution. And it was standout due to the sheer emotion that she displayed, especially towards the end of the talk. How could I leave the conference and not follow up on that thought in some way having seen how much she cared about the subject?

I’ve made a start. It’s a small start admittedly, but I have to start somewhere. The first thing I’ve swapped is body lotion - I’ve swapped my usual one that came in a plastic bottle with a solid one. I don’t think I’ll stick with this particular one - the scent is a little overpowering for me - but I love the mindfulness of the application process. It takes maybe a minute longer but is a far nicer experience. So that’s a win. Bit by bit I intend to swap to plastic-free solutions where I can find good alternatives.

The other things I’ve done which were triggered by talks on a similar/related theme at TEDxBrighton are:

  • adopt a penguin - I love penguins, and some of them find themselves on the endangered species list so I thought I’d help support the WWF protect them

  • donated to the council’s Make Change Count campaign to try and get money to people who can put a roof over the heads over some of the people I see on the streets every day

It was a day well spent and definitely challenged me.