Plastic is everywhere. Literally everywhere. It's in the microbeads in toiletries, it's woven into clothing as synthetic fibers, it's the waxy coating on a paper cup, it's in shiny wrapping paper that's ubiquitous at holidays, it's in everything we consume on a daily basis and don't even realize it. The microfibers and microbeads end up in the water supply and are literally everywhere.
Plastic is cheap, durable, and can be used in almost anything. From a business perspective, I understand; from an environmental perspective, I'm appalled.
The biggest problem with plastics are the single use plastics. That includes straws, cigarette filters, cups from drive thru restaurants, plastic zippy bags from the kitchen, food jars, milk jugs, yogurt containers, plastic bags of any kind, drink lids, to go cutlery, drink bottles, single person water bottles, and the list goes on and on. It's nearly never ending.
That plastic single use straw you didn't really need to drink your soda at the restaurant where you ate lunch isn't recyclable, and will end up in the trash, and therefore in a landfill, and maybe one day end up in the ocean, and then in a sea turtle. That may sound extreme, but it happens.
LESSONS FROM PLASTIC FREE JULY
Straws are the gateway plastic.
Yesterday I encountered single use plastic no fewer than 4 times even though I spent most of my day at home yesterday and ate out only for breakfast because I was desperate and late for work.
#1 - Smoothie King to go cup and lid
#2 - Smoothie King straw
#3 - Film packaging on a package of ground beef
#4 - Plastic jar of spaghetti sauce
Single use plastics are often not recyclable, or are not recycled even when they are recyclable.
But then there are the bigger battles. My Smoothie King cup was unfortunately plastic, but that's an improvement over styrofoam, so also my cup was fortunately plastic. I can't recycle the straw they gave me and they wouldn't take it back at the window so I ended up just giving in and using it. The battles continues on every day.
There is reason to hope, of course. There always is. Hope is never fully lost.
There are simple actionable tasks you can do daily to reduce your plastic consumption. To name a few:
1) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
2) Refuse a straw. You don't need it. You habitually think you do, but you don't.
3) Say no to the plastic bag. Bring your own reusable bags to the shop.
4) Use a reusable and refillable water bottle instead of single use bottles.
5) Bring a reusable container for leftovers if you go out to eat.
6) Pack your meals in reusable containers instead of plastic baggies.
7) Avoid toiletries with microbeads in them
8) Don't buy items that are wrapped in plastic
9) Lunch takeout in the workday is easily solved - keep reusable cutlery, napkins, & a straw in your desk
10) Buy in bulk and store the extra so you can reduce packaging!
11) DON'T LITTER.
I personally already bring reusable bags to the grocery by keeping a stash in my car. I also have reusable produce bags. I have metal straws stashed in my car and desk at work. I have a stash of spoons leftover from the froyo place that I leave in my desk and take home and wash periodically. I typically bring my lunch in plastic containers but they're reusable. I have a reusable Camelbak water bottle that I have been toting around with me since Flagstaff AZ in 2009. It's plastic but going on 10 years old now. That's a lot of single use bottles saved! I don't eat takeout often but generally I will not get a drink if possible. When I drink sodas I tend to drink them in cans to limit plastic consumption but also soda consumption by volume.
Like everyone I have areas to work on. I end up at Subway once a week or so and end up with the plastic bag. However I at least reuse the plastic bags I do end up with to clean the cat litter box (though I could probably be more environmentally friendly here too, hmm....). I still need to focus more on plastic packaging at the grocery store, which is the hardest place to reduce consumption because the options are often limited.
Despite the prevalence and ease of single use plastics, we don't need them. Do your part. Reduce your use of plastic in your everyday life. Recycle what you do end up with.
Sign the National Geographic pledge to reduce your plastic consumption HERE.
Organizations doing good work
More information:
National Geographic, accessed 27 September 2018
Plastic Pollution Coalition, accessed 27 September 2018
National Geographic, accessed 27 September 2018
Earth Day Network, accessed 27 September 2018
Bee's Wrap, accessed 27 September 2018
Los Angeles Times, accessed 27 September 2018
Our World in Data, accessed 27 September 2018
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