This week I had the pleasure of meeting an amazing human being. Brittany Theresa is the founder of #NoPlasticNOLA Movement as well as a mom who sees that our planet needs protection. She wants to inspire other environmental leaders so her 5-month-old daughter and our future generations have a sustainable future.
Living so close to the water, Brittany knew that our oceans were in trouble. And when she found our Million Acts of Blue toolkit, which gives people across the country the tools they need to stop plastic at its source, she was ready to put it all into action.
When I asked Brittany about her activist journey, she mentioned how she always felt like she was meant to do something great, but didn’t know exactly what. Repeating the words of affirmation “I want to change the world,” she made a decision to start by becoming vegan — and dove into educating herself through documentaries and research. As Brittany calls it, “I did my homework”.
While on this new path, Brittany slowly recognized how plastic was everywhere, at her home, polluting the streets, and all over stores and supermarkets.
Something needed to be done, a movement needed to start. Brittany had the idea to start a business of her own — creating things out of recycled goods. Her business The Rabbit Hole was made into a reality a year ago and #NoPlasticNOLA Movement launched on Earth Day of 2018. With no hesitation Brittany talked to community members, family and friends about no longer using plastic at home, she worked on having a paper-free kitchen for 6 months.
But changing people’s personal habits was never going to solve the full problem alone — Brittany also wanted to pressure companies to produce and use less plastic altogether. Before finding our Toolkit Brittany talked to store managers who sadly brushed her off asking her to talk to corporate instead. Brittany then got her hands on Greenpeace’s Million Acts of Blue toolkit and was able to see how we share letters with supermarket managers to help pressure them to stop the using so much #PointlessPlastic. She also started a Plastic-Free Community amongst family and friends — taking action together is how we create systematic change towards a Plastic-Free Future.
Picture of Brittany’s business on Instagram The Rabbit Hole Nola — repurposing items by bringing them to life again.
Living in New Orleans, it’s impossible to ignore the environmental devastation that is happening all around the world and right at home. It was not long ago that the BP oil disaster impacted everyone in the city. Their water was contaminated, marine life perished, people were out of work. This was the worst environmental disaster Brittany had ever experienced — and was a big part of why Brittany was driven to become an activist. New Orleans is still rebounding from the BP disaster, and Brittany is grateful to be part of a community of activists who want to change the way that we treat our planet.
From experience, I know activism can be a lot of work, so when I asked Brittany how she finds inspiration to push forward, her response was simple: motherhood. Everything Brittany does is for her daughter, “She is my greatest inspiration” and will teach her how to create a better world.
So what are the next steps for NoPlasticNOLA and how can readers help? Brittany wants her campaign to spread throughout the city and state — she wants people from across the country to form similar groups in their communities, educate themselves on living a plastic-free future, connect with others and start dialogs, it only takes one person and a change will be made. I live to inspire people & if what I’m doing can do just that, then I know, I’m fulfilling my purpose.
