#single-use plastics

[lordandgodoftheobvious]

There was a time before everything was single-use. Like, not to fetishize the economic conditions of the 1950s like some sort of lib, but before everything came in disposable plastic and aluminum containers your soda and milk came in glass bottles, which you’d return for a rebate and then they’d get washed and reused, and for all the million and nine things that was wrong with our society back then this wasn’t one of them! Everyone was perfectly fine living like this! If we returned to doing things this way (or set up a similar system), your quality of life would not be impacted in any meaningful way and your “carbon footprint”--and all the other waste associated with your lifestyle--would be dramatically reduced.

90% of the changes in your patterns of consumption resulting from a socialist revolution and/or degrowth will be shit like this.

And as for the other 10%...yeah, bananas are gonna be a bit more expensive, sorry.

[melyzard]

Phu Yen’s fishing community participates in voluntary clean-up of our ocean

A new initiative in Phu Yen has supported the participation of fishers who, in addition to catching fish, now support the community with voluntary collection and segregation of waste collected at sea.

This isn’t even the only collab to clean up the ocean in January:

GraceKennedy Foundation, Clean Harbours Jamaica and The Ocean Cleanup partner on Kingston Harbour project

The Coca-Cola Company and The Ocean Cleanup join forces to tackle plastic pollution in Vietnam

Ocean Shipping Giant Promises Environmental Clean Up a Decade Earlier Than Previously

[rjzimmerman]

Biden administration eyes limits on single-use plastics in government purchases

The Biden administration may set some limits on the use of single-use plastics in goods that are purchased by the federal government. The General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees…

Excerpt from this story from The Hill:

The Biden administration may set some limits on the use of single-use plastics in goods that are purchased by the federal government.

The General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees federal government purchasing, said in a notice published on Thursday that it could restrict the purchases.

Single-use plastics contribute significantly to the world’s waste. A report last year from an Australian nonprofit found that globally, more than 130 million metric tons of plastics used a single time were thrown away in 2019.

In its notice, the GSA asked the public for information on plastic consumed in packaging and shipping and other single-use plastics in agency contracts.

It said that this information will be used to inform a future rule that sets up requirements and reporting mechanisms aimed at reducing “unnecessary” single use-plastic, including in packaging and shipping materials.

The notice follows a separate step by the Interior Department to phase out single-use plastics in national parks and on public lands by 2032.

[zaisubao]

The US and UK produce more plastic waste per person than any other major countries, according to new research.  

The analysis shows the US produces the most plastic waste in total and that its citizens may rank as high as third in the world in contributing to plastic pollution in the oceans. Previous work had suggested Asian countries dominated marine plastic pollution and placed the US in 20th place, but this did not account for US waste exports or illegal dumping within the country.  

[intelligentliving]

2020 Thailand Takes The First Step To Banning Plastic

January marked the beginning of a new era in Thailand as they join the worldwide effort to ban single-use plastic, starting with plastic bags.

[mugglenet]

Bonnie Wright has offered five simple plastic-reducing tips for fans eager to contribute to the war on waste.

[thegoodmexican]

Mexico City is banning single-use plastics

Mexico City follows 27 other countries which have already banned or restricted single-use plastics in an effort to protect the environment.

[noaasanctuaries]

Ah, the beauty of a crystal clear sea – but is it really so clean? 

When we think of trash and plastic in the ocean, many of us picture big piles of large debris floating on the ocean surface. But the truth is that most of the plastic in the ocean is so small we can't even really see it. We call this microplastic. 

 Plastic doesn't biodegrade; instead it breaks down into tiny, tiny pieces. Microplastics have been found in the stomachs of many marine organisms, from plankton to whales, and they can leach contaminants into the water. Because they're so small, they're incredibly difficult to remove from the ocean – you can't just scoop them out easily! So one of the best ways to stop microplastics from affecting our ocean is to keep plastics out of the water in the first place. 

What choices will you make today to help keep debris out of the ocean? 

(Photo: Matt McIntosh/NOAA) 

[Image description: An aerial photo of the coastline in National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.)