I hate recycling. Especially plastic bags. I avoid using them to begin with, of course, but whatever little is not under my sink for reuse goes into regular garbage. Why?
Because plastic recycling, I believe, is a farce. It is something our society (and the plastic lobby) has come up with to keep feeling us good about our excessive consumption. Plastic is in every part of living from toys and containers to brooms and décor. What I want to talk about is single-use plastic products, mainly bags and bottles. The very visually obvious source of pollution.
Household recycling does little to combat plastic pollution. About 50% goes to landfills, usually shipped to under-developed countries (such a neat idea, isn't it? 😠). Only metal and glass are completely recyclable. And Thermocol is just poison, both for humans and the environment.
The products with wonderful labels that make us happy, and spend a little extra - 'this is made entirely from recycled bottles' - constitute about 9 % only. Yes, that bottle cap that sea gull is choking on - its yours. So every time I put plastic bottles in my blue bin, I feel like a fool.
The United States is the leading producer of plastic waste. For reference, India is not in the top ten, but single-use plastics are now banned. Biodegradable 'plastic' bags are common, and most people use cloth bags for shopping- from groceries to jewelry. Ice-cream cups usually come with wooden or reusable (and very cute) steel spoons.
Only change like that can be effective. You and I, and a thousand other consumers, however responsible, can not make a dent in the garbage going into our oceans. It has to be stopped at the production level. Why can't the manufacturers be forced to switch to compostable plastic? The technology is already there. Why don't all grocery chains simply use only paper bags? Trader Joe's does.
There is so much waste we create, and there is no perfect solution. After food, plastic is the largest component of landfills. And that does not account for all that is floating in Earth's waters. But we have an obvious and simple remedy: change the manufacturing rules. So why are we not committing to it?
At our individual level, we must make a lifestyle change, beyond filling those blue bins. Ask for paper bags at the grocery store. Use personal metal or glass bottles to carry drinking water. Switch to compostable serving products for those big get-togethers. I have. It is the only way I feel I am doing my part to save ourselves from being smothered in our own wasteful waste.
