When I was young, I didn’t really receive strict lessons about garbage disposal or separating waste. At home and in school, there wasn’t much guidance beyond the simple idea of just throwing things away. I rarely heard advice like “separate plastic bottles” or “step on cans before tossing them,” because in my country, proper waste separation was not a common practice.

Looking back, I think I grew up without much awareness that plastic is an artificial material that harms nature and can cause major social problems when it piles up. The media in my country didn’t emphasize this issue as strongly either, so people my age weren’t as heavily influenced compared to those in places like Korea.

Maybe that’s why, for me, the idea of reusable or eco-friendly products feels relatively new. Still, as global discussions about the environment grow louder, I’ve started to see the importance of reducing plastic use. I don’t yet have a strong habit of avoiding plastic, but I am becoming more conscious about it.

Nowadays, I realize it’s impossible to completely eliminate plastic because it’s everywhere in our daily lives. I know I’ll continue to use and throw away plastic, but in the future, I want to think more carefully about my choices and look for practical ways to replace it whenever I can.