Did you know that Plastic-Free YYC is operated by a group of dedicated and passionate volunteers?! This team uses their unique, personal talents and their spare time to promote plastic-free living in Calgary! We asked our team to answer some fun questions so you, our audience, can see the real faces of PFYYC…

Introducing: Lea Luciano.  

Lea is a full-time journalism student at SAIT, a passionate storyteller and a creative designer, photographer, and imagery artist. She loves engaging others to reduce waste and help everyone have a role in the Plastic-free movement.

What is your name?  Do you have an IG name?

Lea (Lei-a) Luciano

Photo IG: photosbylea_

Describe your PF-Superpower used to fight plastic pollution in our city?  In other words, what is your role with PFYYC?

I’m the social media coordinator, so I handle Instagram and Twitter, and help out with the Facebook page! I create graphics and post inspiring quotes and images. I interact with our followers and engage with them. I use social media as a tool to encourage people to care more about our environment.

When you aren’t volunteering your super powers to fight plastic pollution, who are you? What are you doing?

I like to take photos when I’m not busy saving the world. I also enjoy watching true crime documentaries, or just any documentary that’s on Netflix. I just watched Blue Planet II a few weeks ago and if that doesn’t make you want to stop using plastic altogether, I don’t know what will. It’s so beautifully shot, and it showcases how amazing our planet is, and it sucks that humans are not caring enough about nature and what it provides.  We only have one planet to call home, let’s not destroy it. We are not the only creatures living on this planet. On a lighter note, I also enjoy watching cooking shows and creating new dishes with my leftovers, because food waste is a problem too, so I try to be waste-free whenever possible.

Being part of the plastic-free movement is important to me because:

It inspires me to be the best version of myself, and at the same time, I am learning so much from the people I work with. It allows me to spread awareness and get more people to take action.

Going plastic-free is a journey. On a scale of 1 to 1,000,000 , [1 being: you have heard a rumor that “using plastic is so last year”. And 1,000,000 being: you live on another planet where plastic has never existed & sea turtles run the show] how many steps have you taken? Describe in your own words where are you in your journey?

It’s 2019. I think it’s about time we eradicate plastic in our lives. I’m doing my part and focus on what I can do right now with the time and resources that I have. I bring my own lunch, I bring my own containers, and bags and all that. I actually have a friend who is slowly switching her lifestyle towards a waste-free/plastic-free way of living and she comes to me when she has questions. I think that’s awesome because I get to educate and share information that I learned while being on the PFYYC team.

I wish I could say I’m at 1,000,000 steps, but in reality I’m probably at around 100 steps in, maybe 200 if we are being generous.

What has been the hardest part of reducing your plastic waste? What was the easiest?

It’s hard to change your lifestyle when you are living with another person. I am currently living with my boyfriend and he still doesn’t understand why I am doing this. Maybe he will someday. Who knows.

It’s pretty easy to refuse smaller things like coffee cups, straws, and plastic bags. When you think about it, why do we pay for items we will throw away after using it for what, ten minutes? It’s also easy to bring your own water bottle because why pay for water, right????

Do you have an guilty pleasures – plastic items you still use- you want to share?

Instant noodles. They are the worst, not only for the environment, but also for your body.

What is your #1 tip or a piece of advice for our followers and fellow Calgarians who want to help reduce the plastic in their lives?

Choose one aspect of your life and start from there. Don’t let other people discourage you from your journey. Our society thrives off from shaming people from doing the ‘wrong’ thing instead of helping them out. I try my best to bring positivity in the community, and less shaming and more boosting other people’s efforts no matter how small they are.

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Thank you to Lea for being the rock star behind our Social Media! Next time you’re on Instagram be sure to say Hi to her and follow her personal photography account @photosbylea_