Plastics, named from the Greek plastikos (meaning moldable), is an amazing product with a myriad of uses. It is petroleum derived, with additives, that in the early 1900s became widespread, due to it being light, durable and inexpensive to produce. In 2020, according to the UN Environment Programme, 400 million tons of plastic were produced. And it is everywhere. Plastic does not biodegrade. Its additives leach into the environment and therein lies the problem. Microplastics and the chemicals they are bound with are a human health problem.
Currently there is no good way to dispose of plastics. Burning releases harmful chemicals into the air. Buried plastic leaches chemicals. Recycling, once thought to be a solution, is expensive and releases micro plastics into the waste water, and much of it is shipped to other countries who do not have the infrastructure to properly deal with it. It is estimated that less than 10% of plastic is recycled.
Who doesn’t have plastic in their life? The biggest use of plastic is packaging. That’s where we, as consumers, can have an impact. Here are tips to reduce or reuse plastic products:
- Grow food. Any amount reduces the need for store bought packaged items.
- When shopping, use totes or baskets made with natural products.
- Buy foods in glass containers, when possible, or in bulk to reduce packaging.
- Carry a non-plastic water bottle or mug when traveling.
- Avoid fleece clothing, Fleece is a plastic material. When washed, micro plastics enter the water cycle.
- Use refillable items such as pens, ink cartridges, even floss containers.
- Reuse containers to fill with cleaning products at Sustain Floyd’s refill station located in the Farmers Market.
- Purchase food from your local farmers market. Local products reduce the need for packaging.
- When dining out, avoid use of straws and plastic containers for leftovers.
- When purchasing items in plastic, think of its extended life. Plastic jars can be used to store items such as: nails and screws in the workshops or seeds for next year’s garden. Store dry goods, such as beans, rice or oats which can be purchased using those containers from bulk sections in natural food stores.
The internet is full of ways to reuse plastic items. Get creative and help keep plastic out of the waste stream and our oceans!