Plastic – what’s the big deal?

Day #1 of July’s Plastic Free Challenge 2019

So on this first day of my very first Plastic Free Eco Challenge I thought I would start off by examining what plastic is, the benefits and the downfalls.

Plastic is a synthetic polymer composed of petroleum and other fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas. Plastic is lightweight, inexpensive and easily molded, it was originally believed it could actually save the planet – by relieving the demand on other natural resources such as wood, metal and stone.

Plastics can be found everywhere, and have very important uses in construction, sports, medicine, technology and transportation. From airbags to helmets to heart valves, plastic has definitely changed our lives, so what’s the big deal?

The problem with plastic begins with the extraction of the fossil fuels that are needed for its production. Those fossil fuels must then be converted into plastic feed stock which requires chemical processing and can result in air pollution. They also contain chemical additives that could leach out of the material and into our food and water.

When you take a look around and evaluate the plastic around you – how long will that plastic serve its purpose? An hour? A day? Months? Years?

Not all plastic is created equal. Some are made to be durable and last a long time while others are for single uses only – plastic bags, straws, plastic bottles.
Most plastics can only be recycled once or twice. Those plastic water bottles may be recycled into fabric or carpet which have a longer “life” but can’t be recycled again and will eventually end up in a landfill.

Plastic waste from countries like the US, Canada and the UK, are sent to developing countries that lack the ability to handle it. Where does it end up then?

Of the 9.1 metric tons of plastic that has been created since 1950 only 9% has been recycled. So that means 91% of our plastic has gone directly into the landfill at best or the environment at worst. 17.6 billion pounds of plastic make it into the ocean each year.

Plastic doesn’t decompose, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, called microplastics and it is estimated that humans ingest up to 70,000 particles a year. Plastics have been found in 100% of sea turtles and 90% of sea birds.

Fun fact: Glass, metals and aluminum can be recycled an unlimited amount of times. Over and over again.

My goal for the next month is to evaluate my plastic use, the choices I make, and to reduce the amount of plastic I use.

I’d love to hear from you and how you’ve reduced your plastic use!