Humans of Waste-Free Dayton: Natalie G.
After a break around the holidays, we resume our series where we feature members of the community who are striving for waste-free lifestyles or are involved in sustainability initiatives in the region. This month’s Humans of Waste-Free Dayton profile is Natalie G., a lifelong resident of Dayton on a journey to educate herself and make intentional changes, and to educate and inspire others.
Tell us a bit about yourself, Natalie. How long have you lived in the Dayton area? What are some of your favorite parts about the city? I was born and raised in Dayton! I lived in Kettering for most of my childhood, graduated from Fairmont High School in ’12 and then went on to graduate from UD in ’16. Now my husband and I live in Centerville and plan to stay in Dayton forever. I love the size of our city- it’s not too big or small. We have a lot of exciting businesses and people that are invested in Dayton and I'm excited to see it continue to evolve.
What are some of your favorite interests? I love decorating and redesigning my house- I’m very handy! I also really enjoy bird feeding/bird watching :) It is my “old lady” habit that I have perfected over many years.
What was the specific moment that caused you to be environmentally conscious? I have been environmentally conscious since I was young. I did a project on recycling in the third grade. You could say I have a big heart for animals and wildlife and the thought of them ingesting/swimming in plastic is enough for me to make a change!
Would you like to share about other areas you strive to be environmentally conscious? The world of “fast fashion” is causing huge environmental issues- clothes are made of cheap plastic fabrics, which are then packaged and shipped in more plastic, which then eventually end up in landfills. I try to utilize apps like Poshmark when I can to buy and sell gently used or new clothes. This keeps the clothes in rotation and what is old and boring to you can be new and exciting to someone else!
What is your favorite food or dish? Marion’s pizza - extra cheese and green pepper!
What do you enjoy about being environmentally friendly? What do you dislike? I enjoy spreading the word and knowledge that I’ve learned. My family is very supportive of me and has adopted some of the habits that I preach. That in itself is a great reward! Even though it’s hard to see the direct effects of using less plastic, I feel good knowing that I’m part of the solution, not the problem.
Any other advice to people starting out or thinking about going on this journey? The hardest part is deciding where to start because it can be very overwhelming. I would say a great first step is bringing your own bags to the grocery store and choosing groceries packaged in cardboard or glass instead of plastic. Even buying a bar of soap instead of a bottle of body wash. Little things add up to big change over time!
What do you tend to focus on when trying to be waste-free? I really try to be intentional with what I purchase and educate myself on how to properly dispose of items. Single-use plastics such as plastic bags and straws are things I’ve worked hard to eliminate from my life for good. And as always- educating others to be waste-free!
If you could pick 1 thing to help the city of Dayton be more environmentally friendly/more sustainable, what would that be? I wish so much that there were recycling receptacles next to the garbage cans throughout the city. It may not be a perfect solution, but we could go a long way in encouraging people to recycle their plastic bottles!
Thank you, Natalie, for sharing your story and being an inspiration to others!
If you are interested in being profiled in a future Humans of Waste-Free Dayton profile, you can email us at info@wastefreedayton.org.