So it was in 2019 when the whole United States became against the entire “Single-Use Plastic” thing. Straws were banned, or by request only. Plastic Shopping bags were a nickel more. I was always on board for using less plastic. I filter my own water and use a Hydroflask for my water needs. I have my own coffee traveler and don’t buy soda. I carry reusable shopping bags, and try to but things boxed in cardboard. I have a foon (or spork for the purists) in my backpack that I use instead of plastic spoons.
When you think about taking a purchase home, thin about how many times that item has to be unbagged/unboxed. You will probably be responsible for at least two. You had to take it out of the bag and then to get to the final product, unbox it. If it is in a box, wrapped in cellophane, add one more unboxing. Before you took that item home it had to be stocked on the shelves, out of bigger boxes, and it had to get there, probably in a truck. There is no easy solution to this really. Can you buy and trade local? For some things yes. And I often encourage it. I am lucky to live in an area with so many local artisans that make my consumables. You probably do as well.
When we jump to modern day practices, everything became disposable again under the questionable pandemic. Two years ago you know what I didn’t see laying on the ground? Surgical masks. Sure, water bottles, plastic bags, and other trash plastic weren’t uncommon. That is just the world we live in, some people just don’t care and pollute. Now seeing masks during daily walks is part of the new craziness of these times. I could have never imagined this would be an item that was lackadaisically strew along street gutters and parking lots.
I have a few other things to consider about the whole plastic thing:
Have you heard of the:
Great Pacific Garbage Patch? This is an accumulation of plastic in the ocean that covers a surface area about twice the size of Texas, or roughly 1.6 million square kilometers. This doesn’t count what’s under the water on the ocean floor.
Recycling Plastic may make you feel good, but is it really getting recycled? This short video from the religion of green demonstrates that recycling just makes it someone else’s problem. The origination is where things must begin to change.
Thanks s for reading. This only came up because I saw a mask on my walk today. Two years ago this wouldn’t be something you commonly see discarded on the ground. The longer I walked the more I got irked thinking about it.
