The Problem with Plastic

For many of us, plastics have been integrated into our lives since the day we were born. We drank our milk out of them, plastic comprised our training wheels on bikes, and our TV dinners were frozen in them. Though plastics as we know them today have only been around for 65 years, their utility has quickly made our lives easier, and products cheaper. 
 

A History of Plastic

This wide spread use of plastic in the United States began in the 1940’s during World War II. With limited supplies available, especially natural rubber, the need for an alternative was in great demand. Companies began to experiment with the highly moldable compound cellulose acetate. Eventually scientists produced the plastics that we know today composed of fossil oils (ie. polyethylene for plastic bags and water bottles). Now the plastics industry is the 3^rd largest manufacturing industry in the United States, and its products take the place of more natural materials such as wood and metal, to reduce costs and increase efficiency in our motor vehicles.

Downfalls to Plastics

The production of plastics requires large amounts of energy. The majority of plastics are comprised of fossil oil and gas, while their production requires energy on top of that consuming a total of 4% of the world’s petroleum each year.

There is no effective solution to end-of-life management for plastics. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 32 million tons of plastic waste was generated in 2012, with 43% of that waste composed of containers and packaging. Unfortunately, only 9% of this plastic waste was recovered for recycling.

Plastic takes a long time to degrade. While much of what our society throws out can decompose, plastics take a very long time to do so. Estimates show that plastic grocery bags can photodegrade (break down of the material via sunlight) in approximately 10-20 years, while things like plastic bottles can take 450 years. This does not mean that the plastic is gone, it means that the plastics will break down into tiny pieces of plastic and remain in our soil. Compare the decomposition of plastic to that of an orange peel which will decompose in a few weeks, and is something we can grow food out of in the future.

Plastics end up in places that they shouldn’t. Many of us have heard of the pacific gyre, a pit of plastic the size of Texas in the middle of the ocean. There are 5 gyres in our oceans that collect waste. Plastics in our oceans lead to major health consequences to marine life, as well as ours. These plastics are broken down into very small pieces, allowing them to be consumed by many creatures starting with the smallest, and progressing up the food chain causing the animals at the top of the food chain to have the highest concentration plastic particles within them. The plastic is a known carcinogenic to ocean animals. As many of us know, plastic bags and balloons floating in the ocean can look like jellyfish, which are the meal of choice for sea turtles, causing damage to these organisms.

Recycling and its Downfalls

While recycling has its benefits, it is not a perfect solution.

   

       Recycling is a short term solution. Many of the products that we recycle do not actually return to be what they were initially. Plastic bags often become things like composite board for decks, while water bottles can become clothing, or carpet. Eventually all these things will end up in the landfill once they have reached the end of their life.

         Many items cannot be recycled in our current recycling system. For example plastic bags cannot be recycled in with the rest of the contents of the bin because the “cruchable” plastic will jam up the machines in the recycling plant. Furthermore, mixed plastics are difficult to recycle, making them less likely to be reused.

 

         Not everyone knows how to recycle. I was lucky enough to grow up somewhere that taught us how to recycle and the habit stuck. Many people do not know what can be recycled, or do not have the resources to do so.

Reducing our Consumption

The greatest impact we can have on plastic's environmental effects is to reduce our consumption of them. Purchasing items that don’t have plastic packaging, reducing our consumption of new goods that contain plastic, and bringing reusable bags, bottles, and other storage containers instead of using their plastic counterparts will reduce the amount of plastics in our lives. 

It is amazing to think that in such a short time plastics have become such a central part our lives. The rapidly occurring detrimental effects they have on our environment, makes it essential that we make better choices now to stop them from accruing. Human’s lived on this earth for a very long time without plastics, and we have the tools to do it again.

For information on how to recycle plastic in your area visit contact your waste management company.

References

Barry, C. (August 20, 2009) Plastic Breaks Down in Ocean, After All—And Fast. National Geographic. Retrieved from: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/08/090820-plastic-decomposes-oceans-seas.html

History of Plastics. SPI The plastics trade association. Retrieved from: http://www.plasticsindustry.org/AboutPlastics/content.cfm?ItemNumber=670

Hopewell, J., Dvorak, R., Kosior, E. Plastics Recycling: challenges and opportunities. Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society of Biological Sciences. (2009), 364(1526), 2115-2126.

Plastics. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (February 28, 2014) Retrieved from: http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/plastics.htm#how

The truth about recycling. The Economist. (June 7^th, 2007) Retrieved from: http://www.economist.com/node/9249262

From the Beginning

“A journey of 1000 miles begins with one step.”

 –Lao Tzu

I never quite understood the meaning behind that proverb, and to be honest I think it to be rather overplayed, thus I’ve used it here again! Having been a runner all my life I know that the first step to a run on these chilly 54 degree winter days here in California are difficult, but that I have to take it, and in the end I reap the benefits of the exercise. But now I realize that while that first step can be difficult, it is even more important to realize that I could have never taken that first step, I may have never even known it was there or possible, and I could have never embarked on my journey in the first place. It was not until recently that I began to understand the truth in that statement. 

Prior to the start of the New Year 2015, I began reflecting on my efforts towards a sustainable lifestyle. I am a vegan, five years running, which reduces environmental pollution caused by factory farming, as well as saving animals from exploitation. I bike to school, work, and as many places as I can to reduce my carbon emissions. I buy organic produce and products as often as possible. I compost and recycle religiously. I felt that my choices in life were great efforts to reducing environmental pollution in our world. 

Being the self-driven and self-motivated human being that I am, I always seek out new challenges to better myself and the community. Thus when I realized that almost all the products that I consume come in packaging that is not recyclable, reusable, or compostable, I couldn’t remain blind to the facts. I was throwing something away each day and usually something plastic that is quite non-biodegradable. Production of waste, especially plastics, is so ingrained in our lives that throwing it away goes without thought and is a passive action. Taking a moment to think about waste, it is easy to realize that these habits are not sustainable for our planet’s well being, nor our own.  The thought that my consumer and post-purchase habits were adding to the garbage on our earth, in our landfills, in our oceans left a sinking feeling in my heart.

I spend the majority of my free time outdoors, and I have a strong connection, as many of us do, with the natural places in our world; the forests, rivers, ocean. Living in California and the Bay Area I have easy access to explore and escape to such beautiful places. As great a role these places are in my life, I can’t imagine a life without these places. 

Then I think, at the rate we are producing materials that eventually end up in our landfills as waste, we are creating more and more land that is inhospitable to future species, we are contaminating our ecosystem that provides so much for us: food, water, a home, and an escape.  

Now these thoughts can leave a person with a feeling of dread and helplessness, but they can also spark a flame of action, as they did in me. There are a few ways to change this world and for me that way has been through the power of the dollar.  Wherever I choose to put my money or not, I will be promoting my own values by supporting companies and businesses that have sustainable practices, and I will be refusing to support those whose products bear excessive amounts of waste and unsustainable practices.  

At first, I thought it would be fairly easy cut out waste: just don’t buy packaged goods. But walking through my local store, I saw how waste is so ingrained into our lives. So many things are twist-tied, safety-sealed, stickered, and individually wrapped, all for our convenience and security. But eventually these things all end up in our landfills. Selling food to us can’t have always been this way, and it certainly doesn’t have to remain this way. It is our responsibility as conscious human beings and free-market consumers to make the right decisions to change the amount of waste that is produced in our society. It is not going to be an easy journey, but it is a necessary one. 

In the past few weeks I have been learning how to live my life waste-free. One of the first things I cut out was store bought toothpaste. The packaging of the tube is a soft plastic, which recycling plants cannot processes (at least in the Bay Area) with the machinery they operate, though the tops to the tube are recyclable. This was a fun and easy part of the transition. Baking soda is a great alternative for toothpaste because it is a basic/ alkaline substance that will counteract the acidity in your mouth that causes demineralization, and it has a low abrasive value meaning it does not take off enamel similar to other toothpastes. While there are many variations on how to use baking soda for teeth cleaning, this is what I have been using with success:

Recipe:

2/3 c. baking soda

10 drops essential oil of peppermint

1-2 tsp of sea salt (the minerals are good for your teeth)

Water to desired consistency

Another transition I made was to discover bulk food options at the local stores. Buying bulk is a great alternative because you can bring in reusable containers you already have at home and full them up yourselves, meaning less packaging! Luckily I was able to find my favorite cereal in bulk so I can bring in my own bag to reuse and not have to purchase the usual cardboard box that contains a non-recyclable plastic bag. I was also able to find bulk peanut butter at a store near me. Normally I purchase a brand that comes in a glass container, but the container contains a plastic seal to ensure “quality” and my “safety.” Instead, I can completely refuse the unnecessary plastic by bringing my old peanut butter container to the market and refilling it with the bulk peanut butter supply.  

Other products that I previously enjoyed have been cut out of my life since I began to cut out waste, like ice cream (hrrmph). Until I make my own at home! I’ll let you know how that goes. Soon enough…

I am learning that this lifestyle requires preparation, thought, and self restraint in order to be successful. Most importantly it takes forgiveness. Forgiveness because I have lived the past 23 years without reflection on the effects of my consumer habits on the environment, and forgiveness for mistakes I will make along the way. It would be unwise to think that a change like this comes automatically and perfectly to all. When we live in a culture that is centered on consumption, and does not take into account how much waste is produced from this lifestyle, it is not easy to choose your own path. In this journey mistakes are bound to be made, but recognizing them, learning from them, forgiving ourselves for them, and then progressing forward will empower us all to continue to make the right choices to shape the future of our planet.

Starting this new life I look forward to sharing what I learn, my experiences, and perhaps bring about a new way of looking at the life we share on this earth. I want to share it because once you know about a waste-free, you can take that first step too.