Our Everyday Plastic Consumption is Like an Ongoing Giant BP Oil Leak

Think about it... all of the oil that is spewing out of BP's open underwater well can be compared to all the plastic we throw out in the environment every single day...  Go to a take out restaurant and take a look at the garbage cans. The amount of disposable plastic in there multiplied by millions corresponds to the amount of plastic that is discarded every day in the world. It is estimated that there are at least 200 billion pounds of plastic in the ocean.  We look in horror at the gushing oil well, but we contribute to just as much pollution collectively every day by consuming and throwing out so much throw-away plastic.

(Photo: seacat.wordpress.com)

An article by Daniella Russo, executive director of the Plastic Pollution Coalition entitled "The other, bigger 'oil spill': Your use of disposable plastic" made me reflect on the fact that we contribute every single day to the pollution of our environment through petroleum-derived objects we throw out.

"We are simply using too much disposable plastic for the small percentage that gets recycled to even make a dent. And, unlike paper, glass, or stainless steel, most plastic can only be "down-cycled," or used for increasingly fewer purposes. All the recycling, like using a teaspoon to empty the ocean, simply can't stem the tide of plastic engulfing us." (...)

"The most powerful thing people can do to clean up the oceans is to refuse to use "disposable" plastics in the first place. Let's add "Refuse" to the list of R's: Refuse-Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. Until we reduce our use of plastics wherever possible, real change will not happen. Recycling or cleanup projects alone won't cut it."

It takes a lot of will power to plug that gushing well of disposable plastic production. Just as every small plastic-use gesture contributes to creating it, every small gesture can also help plug it.

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Owner
LifeWithoutPlastic.com

Comments

[Vishal Gajjar]

I want some information share with everyone,,

Did you know . . .

Americans throw away almost 100 billion plastic bags every year, and only 1 percent to 3 percent are ever recycled.

What’s So Bad About Plastic Bags?
Plastic bags are not biodegradable. They clog waterways, spoil the landscape, and end up in landfills where they may take 1,000 years or more to break down into ever smaller particles that continue to pollute the soil and water.

Plastic bags also pose a serious danger to birds and marine mammals that often mistake them for food. Thousands die each year after swallowing or choking on discarded plastic bags.

Finally, producing plastic bags requires millions of gallons of petroleum that could be used for transportation or heating.

Consider a Personal Ban on Plastic Bags
Some businesses have stopped offering their customers plastic bags, and many communities are either considering a ban on plastic bags or have already implemented one.

thanks for your blog posting.

[Larry Lawernce]

My wife and I have been cutting way back on usage of plastics in all things food related. The plastic bags and packaging is just horrible. There are some exceptions though. In the world of making things, some materials are actually way less expensive than metals, and last significantly longer without needing synthetic oils and grease like on metals. I wish there were other materials out there that were more natural. I use some stuff called UHMW which my company buys from www.iplasticsupply.com or www.hightechplastics.com, and the stuff wears way better than metals, and costs us about a third. Any ideas of a natural material that will work for this?
Thanks.

[Travis]

I catered a wedding tonight, and the plastic waste was disgusting (as it always is). Something needs to change...

[Chris Chambers]

I'm trying really hard to use less plastic, eat locally etc...it just seems to me that its almost impossible to win; My local store seems to love to prewrap all of the local produce, leaving the USA products in loose bins...I tried the Harmony Organic; guess what? The lid weighs more than a 1L plastic milk bag... I can't win. Not only that, I have to INSIST on not getting plastic bags or other things, otherwise they are thrust upon me. I feel as though I am drowning in a sea of plastic...help!

[Rebecca The Greeniac]

Amen... I had the unfortunate experience of stepping inside a Wal-Mart yesterday, and I'm still shaken by it. People buying plastic wrapped in plastic, and taking it home in still more plastic. When will we open our eyes?