On social media, environmentalist Emma Dendler (@thesimpleenvironmentalist) offers colorful advice on living a “zero waste” lifestyle — all while leaning into community activism.
In a recent video, the digital creator called on her followers (57,000 on Instagram and 38,000 on TikTok) to “take action with trash” and join her in a unique letter-writing campaign: turning trash into postcards for politicians.
“Thin cardboard is perfect for upcycling into trash postcards,” Dendler said, taking pasta cartons and breakfast bar boxes out of the recycling bin and cutting them into 4-inch by 6-inch rectangles.
She explained that upcycling trash from your recycling bin keeps it “out of the landfill” and the “recycling system,” all while sending a strong message to the current administration.
“Yes it’s great to call, yes it’s great to email, but it’s also great to clog up the system with physical mail and support the USPS in the process,” Dendler said, adding that people could also support their local post office — and save money — by purchasing postcard stamps.
Dendler showed a time-lapse of her craft before fanning out a huge stack of handmade postcards to the camera.
“We got a good chunk going to the White House,” Dendler said.
Her cardboard missives included messages like: “Hands off our public lands,” “Protect our parks,” and simply, “LAND BACK.”
“If I can do all of this in less than an hour, you can take the time to cut up one pasta box and send two postcards today,” Dendler encouraged.
After her video was posted on May 8, people rushed to her comment section to voice their support for the project.
“I can’t even express all the ways in which I love this,” one Instagram user commented.
“Thank you for the inspiration!” wrote another. “My friend and I spent the whole afternoon making and addressing a stack of trash postcards!”
One person added: “Don't forget to make some of them thank you cards for judges and elected officials who are doing the right thing!”
In her video, Dendler acknowledged that this simple act alone is “not going to save the world.”
“It’s not going to save democracy,” she noted. “But I would rather try than do nothing at all. I also do more than this, and I encourage you all to do more as well. Don’t let this be the end of your activism.”
Dendler called on viewers to call and email their representatives, sign petitions, attend town halls, and donate their money and time to campaigns they believed in.
“There’s a whole movement behind this,” Dendler said before she signed off. “Keep doing this. Keep writing, keep calling, keep emailing. Every little action matters — keep going.”
You might also like: Calling for Change: The Ultimate Guide on How To Contact Your Elected Representatives
Header image via Emma Dendler (@thesimpleenvironmentalist)
