Cease and Desist
How to transition from a single-use plastics world into a circular plastic economy
Image from The Conversation
Plastic is everywhere. It is also one of the most useful materials around. Lightweight, surprisingly durable in some cases and easy to use. It completely revolutionized the food industry, with prepackaged granola bars, individually wrapped treats, drive-thru with plastic utensils and straws. It’s everywhere around us, from our dental floss to our socks. It truly makes our everyday life way more convenient.
Unfortunately, the price to pay for this convenience is turning out to be a hefty one.
Scientist are saying that by 2030 there will be equal parts plastic to marine life in our waters.
- InsideClimate News
We know this. And yet, as I type this, heck even as you’re reading what I typed, there are more single-use plastic items being made RIGHT NOW. MORE straws, MORE disposable cups, MORE water bottles and plastic utensils, and Styrofoam plates, and, I mean, you get it, right? And what really strikes me about this is that it’s soon. Like 9 years, soon. I have an 11 year old son. You’re telling me that I brought a person into a world where the resources that he needs to survive are being poisoned, and we aren’t doing anything about it? Not soon enough anyway. The fight against plastic-pollution has just begun and we’re recruiting!
Image from Downtown Victoria Business Association
So when will we actually stop making single-use products? And more importantly, how do we help the humans whose businesses rely on single-use plastics? Restaurants, hospitals, schools. And even before them, what about the people whose livelihood IS single-use plastics. Employees from all those plastic processing companies. They have lives, they matter. I’m sure not one of them leaves work going, “Yup, another great day of making planet polluting items.” No! They are vital to our society, to the way we have set our system up. We can’t just leave them on the side now that we realize that we’ve been doing something wrong. That’s just blame-shifting, and although humans are amazing at this, Ego’s going to need to take a step back and everyone is going to have to start being accountable and start taking responsibility for what they can do.
This will be a feature piece, where we choose an everyday item, that is a single-use plastic and research it. From the creation, use and disposal of these things, to better options, eco-conscious companies who do their part and any other interesting tidbit we learn along the way.
Some of the products that will be discussed:
Dental floss and plastic tooth picks
Cotton swabs
Wipes
Lady’s hygiene products
Stickers on fruits and vegetables
Masks and gloves
Plastic food wrap and Ziploc bags
Kitchen sponges
Thank you for your interest in helping us find plastic pollution solutions. To the restructuring of how our society views, uses and lives with plastic. It is up to each and every one of us to be the change we want to see in the world. That change involves all of us. It is not about forcing people to make the right choices. Those are called laws, and frankly, good people don’t need them, and bad people will always find ways to break them. What we need is a movement where everyone participates because they truly believe that it is the right thing to do.
Stay safe and awesome!
References:
Bob Berwyn, InsideClimate News, et al. “What Does '12 Years to Act on Climate Change' (Now 11 Years) Really Mean?” InsideClimate News, Inside Climate News, 30 Aug. 2019, insideclimatenews.org/news/27082019/12-years-climate-change-explained-ipcc-science-solutions.
