While working with a university on a zero-waste 2020 initiative, I became aware of the problem of plastic waste and how little is being done to address this mounting issue.

While there were incredible eco-innovations happening around the country, including moving to cleaner energy sources, the rise of electric vehicles and the focus within corporations to seek out more holistic measures of success, I started to realize that plastic pollution was not a focus.

Plastic is present in everything we touch throughout our day. Our toothbrush in the morning, our coffee cup from the cafe, the pens we write with, our groceries…plastic is inescapable. Unfortunately all of this plastic is quickly destined to make it to a landfill where it will remain for hundreds, if not thousands of years. I was horrified that a plastic bottle I used once would outlive me by hundreds of years. And the problem is growing – plastic consumption is rising globally as more countries  adopt plastic for its convenience. As plastic use rises, it pollutes our oceans, our groundwaters and even our bodies with toxic chemicals, and is responsible for the death of many marine and land animals. Realizing just how problematic plastic is today and how this problem is only growing, I was motivated to find a way to reduce plastic in my own lifre. 

After starting my journey, I saw that plastic-free living is not as niche as I thought – in fact, there are many products that use  little to no plastic. That being said, these products were often expensive, cumbersome and ineffective. After much trial and error I discovered a subset of products that were not only comparable with what I was using prior to my low-waste lifestyle, but provided more benefits. It became clear that low-waste living was not only possible for the staunch environmentalists, but achievable and beneficial for all. 

Green Line was founded to help more people realize the benefits of low-waste living without trade-offs. I only offer one of each product type because I have tested the all the options available and have found the best low-waste products in each category. Green Line’s name represents a train line, because sustainability is a journey that should be available, affordable and accessible for all. I hope that I can help you on your journey to experience the joys of sustainable living. 

Anna Spallino