It’s truly incredible the lengths to which human ingenuity can reach. If mankind sets its sights on something, chances are, the arrow will hit the target. Take, for example, plastics. At the turn of the century (the one before last) scientists came to the realization that you couldn’t beat Mother Nature if you played by her rules. Using materials readily found in nature was not sufficiently effective in protecting and preserving valuables-whether it be food, property or people- against the elements. In 1907, an almighty yawp of victory was heard when Leo Baekeland created the first fully synthetic material, which he would later call “plastic”. Here, now, was a material that could withstand both time and tempest since it was non-biodegradable.
The victory was more complete than was even imagined. If the intention was to outwit Mother Nature, then she is confronted by the shame of her loss at every moment. Researchers have uncovered a dirty little secret: approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic finds its way into the ocean each year. Due to the ocean’s tides, these plastic bags, toothbrushes, and tupperware containers gravitate to certain points called gyres, or swirling vortices, in the ocean. There are five gyres on the planet, and each one hosts a veritable island of plastic that is growing ever larger, ever larger.
The culprits who contribute most to the issue at hand seem to follow a trend: they are developing nations that are experiencing a booming economy in the midst of this global marketplace, but have yet to modernize their waste management systems. China is reportedly responsible for a third of the ocean’s plastic problem, and Indonesia for another 10%. The top 20 ne’er-do-wells include one country that stands apart. Whereas the other members of this auspicious list can attribute their naughty behavior to growing pains, the United States claims the 20th spot because of over-consumption.
The average American consumes twice the amount of plastic than does her Chinese counterpart. For this reason, it is of immense value to have movements like #PlasticFreeJuly. During the month of July, people from around the globe attempt to curtail their use of plastics- especially single-use plastics like bottled water, shopping bags and bendy straws (cute as they may be). Psychologists agree that recycling is a habit, just like exercising and brushing one’s teeth. Taking a month to step back from destructive behaviors opens up a space for positive habits to form, which is why #PlasticFreeJuly organizers urge participants to take the opportunity to begin using reusable water bottles and cloth tote bags when shopping.
Still, one of the biggest deterrents to responsible recycling is the belief that the individual’s effort is not enough to turn the tide. Someone afflicted by this cynicism might feel that dropping rubbish into the right bin is nothing more than a drop in the ocean and, as already discussed, the ocean is full of plastic.
However, the power of concerned consumers should not be underestimated. In the interest of surfing the wave of eco-consciousness, mega-corporations like Coca Cola and Walmart have pledged to use a certain amount of recycled materials in their products by a specified deadline. This is significant because falling oil prices have made it more cost-effective to use “virgin” plastic over the recycled variety. They’ve realized it’s better to take a loss on the front end, rather than risk offending the type of consumer passionate enough to sort through garbage and wash out soiled yogurt containers for the sake of their principles.
If you’d like to join the #PlasticFreeJuly craze, why not start off with those pesky plastic bags? Best case scenario, start using tote bags. Not only are they the most environmentally friendly option, but grocery stores often sell them by the register for a nominal cost- usually $1 or less. It doesn’t hurt that they’re also terribly hip and trendy these days. Next time you’re walking down a busy street, notice the totes and it’ll soon become apparent that it’s a cut-throat competition for who has got the one with the coolest design or the wittiest quip.
If you’ve left you’re totes at home, and you really can’t justify buying yet another one at the register (you’ve got a good two dozen already!), opt for paper rather than plastic. It’s much simpler, cheaper, and less labor intensive to recycle. If it’s the worst case scenario and both totes and paper are out of the question, you don’t have to juggle your groceries on the bus ride home. Give in and get the plastic bag, but save it and check to see where you might recycle it. Though you’re not usually able to recycle plastic bags in the blue bin for your weekly curbside pickup, more and more cities throughout the US and Canada have passed laws requiring retailers to collect and recycle plastic bags from the public- making it that much easier to save the dolphins!
