By Brittney Barbuto
The Community Experiential Essay in our class is typically meant to be a volunteer activity outside the classroom. Due to the pandemic, the case is not possible for many so I thought about maybe watching a video and then I realized a lot of my free time was spent on TikTok. TikTok is a popular social media app where anyone can share short videos relating to just about anything; so I decided to dig deeper into TikTok and look for any viral videos relating to sustainability.
The results were shocking; influencers now have been so inspiring to young people that are continuously scrolling through the app to live a more sustainable lifestyle. The power of social media especially at the height of quarantine due to COVID-19 skyrocketed the impact of many ways to live a sustainable life. I learned through the TikTok community many ways that I can live a sustainable life without drastic changes.
At the height of quarantine TikTok was extremely popular and I remember particularly seeing videos relating to sustainable living and how products help the environment which ultimately led me to buying them. For example, I believe the first sustainable product I purchased was bamboo toothbrushes. I do not remember who I saw it from specifically, but the effects of bamboo toothbrushes is the fact that they are vegan, and completely plastic free. I convinced my family to each take one each since they came in a pack of twelve, and I still plan on buying each of them a pack for Christmas, because they are extremely affordable. The algorithm of TikTok works with the more videos you interact with by liking them or commenting on them, they will show up on your “feed”. So, I started to interact more with videos relating to zero waste, sustainability, ocean clean up, and more.
Many of the influencers I follow on TikTok now that do live a zero waste, completely sustainable lifestyle do go to the extreme. I truly never realized how many events happen in my daily life that I could change instantly that would not only be sustainable, but save me money at the same time. For example, I have at least one cup of coffee every day from my Keurig, I never realized how bad those plastic K-cups could be until a person who I follow on TikTok with the handle @EveryDayAshleyy would make videos I saw explaining the effects. She also has a Keurig, but she uses a reusable K-cup after she grinds her own coffee beans. Eliminating plastic and replacing it with glass jars has become a big thing for me as well.
I have also eliminated “fast fashion”, which I truly did not realize was an element until I discovered it on TikTok. Brands produce clothing made with material that purposely does not last, therefore the demand for more clothes increases. These brands are usually cheap, so people tend to buy the clothing rather than spend the extra money on clothing that will last for longer periods of time.
Overall, I have reflected on my life more these past few months and especially now after starting to take World Sustainability, and focus on the importance of living a lifestyle that is sustainable. TikTok, the social media app, has made a community of people who are invested in living a more sustainable lifestyle. Although TikTok may not be looked at as an activity per se, I believe that it is a great way to learn about the more modern ways of living a sustainable lifestyle from a Millennial and a Generation “Z” perspective.
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