This Scene In 'The Politician' Season 2 Might Inspire You To Go Zero-Waste
From meek high schooler to influential eco-girl, Infinity Jackson in The Politician has made quite a transformation. When fans first met her in Season 1, she was a victim of her aunt's Munchausen syndrome by proxy, and she didn't have much of a say in her own life. By Season 2, Infinity was independent, confident, and had become leading figure in the fight against global warming. Her large following meant she was someone Payton needed on his side to reach his political goals, but support from Infinity didn't come without cost. Infinity’s zero-waste rules in The Politician were requirements Payton had to follow to receive her endorsement, and these rules were no joke.
Warning: Spoilers for The Politician Season 2 follow. One of Payton Hobart's key pillars in his run for the New York State Senate seat was the environment. Luckily, his good friend Infinity Jackson had become a leading activist in that field after going waste-free for an entire year, so he knew their friendship would come in handy if she could convince her fans to vote for him.
Infinity was happy to help out her pal, but she was going to stand up for what she believed in while doing so. She noted that Payton, while he preached about going green, wasn't taking all of the steps he could to reduce his own carbon footprint. So, she gave Payton and his campaign staffer Skye a checklist of 15 steps to cut out waste and reduce their carbon footprint to an "absolute minimum." They both had to follow each rule to show their dedication to the cause, or they would risk losing support from Infinity and all of her followers.
While audiences never got to see the full checklist, Infinity, Skye, and Payton make enough references to the rules for viewers to get a good sense of everything they entailed. Here's a general idea of what Infinity's zero-waste checklist might have looked like:
- Use eco-friendly dry cleaners only
- Chew natural gum
- Eat vegan
- Get a worm farm
- Use a compost bin
- Hand-wash all clothing
- Turn off heat in your living space; instead, keep warm by installing aluminum foil behind your radiators
- Install LED lights because they're more energy-efficient
- Got socks and other clothing items at thrift shops
- Don't use paper products, (for example, opt for a handkerchief instead of a tissue)
- Conserve water by installing a low-flow shower head
- Reduce water use by capturing it in a rain barrel
- Use reusable packaging for cups, straws, and to-go containers
- Donate to offset your carbon footprint from flights
- Take cold showers only and plug the tub; then use the collected water for cooking, cleaning, and drinking
Eventually, Payton and Skye completed all the tasks on Infinity's checklist (though No. 15 was a tough one for Payton to go through with). Luckily, if you're interested in a zero-waste (or at least lower-waste) lifestyle, nobody is expecting you to completely change your life overnight like Payton and Skye; instead, you can make small changes and work them into your lifestyle gradually. Plus, while Infinity's list might have some good points, there are plenty of other resources out there to help you reduce your waste and carbon footprint — and most of these lists won't ask you to boil and drink your own used shower water.
The Politician Season 2 is now on Netflix.
