In the culture of convenience, materials designed to last forever are unfortunately produced for single use. A trillion pieces of litter form large aggregates in the world’s oceans, exemplifying the throwaway culture we subscribe to with our purchases.
I have read reports that say less than 10 percent of plastic ever produced has been recycled; the rest is in oceans, landfills, or destined for incinerators (adding toxic fumes to air pollution). We can’t recycle our way out of this crisis. It is estimated that the ocean will contain a 1:3 ratio of plastic to fish by 2025 if we don’t make dramatic changes to our habits. Wealthy countries are guilty of exporting their recyclables to low-income countries with no infrastructure to keep up on their end. The plastic we ship to less developed countries ends up as mismanaged waste and will eventually return to our shores.
In the Town of North Hempstead, only plastics marked No. 1 and No. 2 are now considered for recycling and, that said, not certain to make it to the other end of the processing line. We need to rethink our purchases, reduce and, most importantly, refuse single-use non-recyclables. Why? The World Wide Fund for Nature isn’t just concerned about visible plastic pollution as an obvious threat to life on land and sea. Alarmed about the presence of microplastics (size <5 mm), WWF-funded scientists recently claimed that an average person consumes thousands of tiny pieces of plastic weekly, or the equivalent in weight to a credit card. How does that feel (gulp)? They found water to be the main source of microplastics. The only solution to the plastic crisis is to waste less.
We need to start treating ourselves and the environment with care and concern, lest we literally become what we dispose of. Plastic breakdown products are now detected in most of our bodily fluids and tissues. We don’t know the long-term health effects from ingesting plastics. We do know that some types of plastics have additives that are carcinogenic. The World Health Organization is currently reviewing the impact of microplastics on human health.
You can make a difference with your choices. Until governments demand change in corporate behaviors, conscious consumers can use their credit cards to put pressure on producers. Before you purchase your next single-use non-recyclable item, pause and question yourself: is this necessary? Is there a better alternative? Make what’s left of July a “Plastic Free July.” More information on that can be found at https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/.
Have fun with this challenge and see how many changes you can make if you simply pause before purchasing, reconsider and make better choices. Refuse non-essentials. Stop using non-recyclables (plastic bags, bottles, straws, stirrers, spoons and balloons). Support local farmers markets, bring your own reusable bags for produce. Choose biodegradable packaging. Try bar soap, brush your teeth with bamboo brushes and floss with compostable silk. Adopting a zero waste mentality overnight is practically impossible, so don’t feel obliged to change everything at once. Aim for less waste, go with what feels easy at first and you’ll see how one thing leads to another. Stay curious about your daily habits.
You’ll notice plenty of things you can do to reduce and refuse single-use plastics. If everyone does a little bit, a lot can get done. Refuse to use single-use styrofoam containers for food items. New York city already banned styrofoam. Ralph’s Ices on Main Street in Port Washington is switching from styrofoam to more environmentally friendly containers. Encourage your favorite restaurant or deli to move towards biodegradable packaging and expect that they’ll have to charge more.
It is unfair for small business owners and consumers to have to carry all the weight. Ideally, at the corporate level, producers of single-use items should be held responsible. We need to put pressure on industry to take responsibility and take the necessary steps to clean up their acts. This month we celebrate that the European parliament raised the bar by banning certain single-use plastics and enforcing much stricter regulation on production. “Polluter pays” principles encourage corporate responsibility. The Break Free From Plastics movement is a global initiative committed to helping the public put pressure on local governance to change corporate behavior. To join the movement to break free from plastic sign up here https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/.
“Think about it. Why would you make something that you’re going to use for a few minutes out of a material that’s basically going to last forever, and you’re just going to throw it away. What’s up with that?” Jeb Berrier, BagIt movie.
Dr Hildur Palsdottir
Sol Center
Port Washington
