One Month without Disposable Plastic: My Stand Against Plastic Soup

Plastic is a miraculous invention that has saved lives, improved quality of life, reduced cost, and increased convenience. Everything from our cars to the threads in our clothes consist of plastic. It has become so embedded in daily life that the average American now consumes approximately 63 lb. of plastic per year! This Utopian romance betwixt our daily rituals and plastic products may seem perfect at a glance, however, it is wreaking havoc upon the environment and human health. To start, let's state the obvious. No discussion of plastic is complete without a nod to Bisphenol A (BPA). Unless you live under a rock the size of Mount Rushmore, you are probably aware of BPA, the constituent of hard plastics known to increase cancer risk and cause developmental problems in children. No need to beat that dead horse. The main issue I would like to harp on can be summed up in two words-- "plastic soup."

Plastic soup? Humans add to this constantly thickening stew daily, and the container of choice is the biggest cauldron on the planet, the Pacific Ocean. The once pristine waters of that endless blue abyss are now swimming with plastic! The pieces range in size from whole soda bottles to microscopic fragments. Select a drop at random from the ocean, and chances are, it'll contain plastic. Those plastic lids at Starbucks, that plastic grocery bag, the packaging that came with that new light bulb--Though we might be finished with them, their journey is just beginning. Countless times a day, we throw these items in garbage bins and completely forget their existence. We don't think about them while they sit in landfills. We don't wonder how they're doing as they break down into thousands of tiny pieces over the years. We don't even send a "good luck" card when they move from their home in landfills to set up shop in the world's oceans. Most people don't even realize that, thanks to rain, erosion, and wind, tons of plastic enter waterways every year.

Imagine tons and tons of plastic entering the oceans and NEVER fully breaking down. Fish, sea turtles, and other poor creatures ingest it, breathe it, leech its toxins into their flesh. Their stomachs and lungs are full of it. Their numbers are decreasing as their ability to survive and reproduce is impaired by the plastic soup they are forced to inhabit. Take the sad, cursed Albatross for example. Albatross parents feed plastic twine, plastic pellets, and polyethylene bags to their helpless young until their stomachs become so full of indigestible material that there is no room for actual food. As a result, thousands die of starvation before they ever take their first flight. Many fish species fair little better, and in this case, we reap what we sow. Much of the fish consumed by humans were raised in this toxic environment. If mercury weren't bad enough, imagine eating a fish with the chemical constituents of a soda bottle in its flesh.

Now, many good folks out there will probably respond to this by saying "I'm not the problem. I recycle." There are few things in the world as wholesome as recycling. The mere sight of a kind soul placing a plastic bottle in a recycling bin warms my heart like snowflakes on Christmas, but let's face the facts-- it would have been far better if that plastic bottle hadn't been used in the first place. The process of making the bottle alone probably leaked plastic into the environment. Also, not everything that goes into a recycling bin is recycled. In fact, the majority of plastic grocery bags that are placed in recycling bins are never recycled because of contamination. In addition, much of the plastic we use is not easily recycled, so we just throw it away. Ketchup packets, coffee stirrers, plastic wrap, and millions of other items end up in the garbage every day, and even the best recyclers couldn't prevent it.

What's the solution?! Is there a magical easy button like on the Staples commercial that can make this problem go away? Yes and no. The solution is obvious. Cut or cease the consumption of disposable plastic. Unfortunately, obvious does not always equate to simple. As members of the developed world, our lives revolve around disposable plastic. Divorcing it is far easier said than done. Can it even be done or are we destined to drown in this vat of plastic soup?! I'm willing to find out! For one month, I will attempt to live my life without disposable plastic. I will not buy anything in wrappers. I will not use plastic wrap. I will not use a single water or soda bottle. I will not use a single grocery bag. In doing this, I hope to inspire you to take steps to reduce your plastic consumption, and I will be providing lots of pointers on how to accomplish this daring feat. Stay tuned and wish me luck!