The Choice is Ours

Warning, this is a screed.

We have the choice. We can either bury ourselves under single-use plastic, or we can take a turn to something more sustainable.

Strong statement, but it's true. It's as true as the two great plastic islands in the middle of the ocean. It's as true as the cargo containers sent to third-world countries only to end up polluting the landscape.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Plastic Pollution in Island Paradises

Am I advocating for the elimination of plastic? That wouldn't be practical. There are products that are only possible because of the advances made in plastics. Think crash helmets or child safety seats. What I am advocating for is the elimination of what I call, sacrificial plastic. I define sacrificial plastic as that plastic item that we will use once and toss in the trash. Think plastic flatware, straws, plastic wrap, zip-lock bags, those rings on 6-packs. How about the plastic around the plastic around the item you're actually buying (think toilet tissue).

I went to war with these items about 5 years ago. I started with getting glass containers with snap on lids for my leftovers to reduce the use of plastic wrap and low-cost/low-quality containers (does anyone thing putting them in the microwave is a good idea). Then it was drink containers to get rid of those ubiquitous single use plastic water bottles. I am still struggling with straws. I got one of those folding straws where are pretty cool. When provided with a choice, I will choose products with less packaging and recyclable packaging over other products. I have to say it grieves me to open a perfectly lovely cardboard box to find a plastic bag inside. I am old enough to remember waxed paper liners which worked well to keep my morning cereal fresh. Wax takes a while to break down, but it will eventually break down and biodegrade versus plastic which will only break down to smaller pieces of plastic. Think microplastics.

Let's go back to waxed paper bread bags and cereal bags. Let's use a resuable silicone jar cover instead of using plastic wrap. Ditch the single serving bottles of water. Will it solve the problem? Not really, but it can slow its' growth down and perhaps, just perhaps put enough pressure on industry to search out biodegradable options.