Four reasons to say 'no' to plastic bags and water bottles.....
Along with many other like-minded individuals, I have a personal vendetta against the formidable plastic bag and the plastic water bottle. I don't say plastic in general, because, no, I am not that naive. I understand that plastic has been equally important in the modernization of our world as western medicine, food storage, modes of transportation and new types of communication. And yes, all four of those symbols of modern life would not be nearly as effective or available without the invention of plastic. Even for those of us who strive to rid our daily lives with the seemingly unstoppable accumulation of plastic, we have to admit that is would be near impossible to completely rid ourselves of this, at once, miraculous and devilish material. However, as materials scientists know all too well, there are many, many different types of plastic. This is where the story gets more complicated than many of us have the time or passion to truly grasp. However, the point is that there are some plastics that are essential to modern life while there are others whose riddance would be a benefit for ourselves and every other organism that depends on clean, uncontaminated water and plastic free food sources.
I know that I am not the only one to make the argument against plastic bags and bottles. But lately, I have been feeling defeated in my efforts to show others why a change in their shopping and daily habits could reap benefits across the globe.
More or less, it seems that the reasons WHY we should say 'no' to plastic bags at the check-out lane and why to carry a personal water canteen are not as understood as I thought by the layman. So, I found that rather than fester in my frustration, I would try to enlighten whoever is willing to listen. Following are just 4 reasons why we should JUST SAY NO! and get your neighbor to do the same.
And if you want answers to the age old question "Paper or Plastic?" check this out: http://prezi.com/qjh38cnfz4da/paper-vs-plastic/
Comments are appreciated.
1. Contamination via dietary intake of microplastic by marine wildlife is widespread and WILL lead to population declines or crashes. **new studies have confirmed microplastics in almost every part of the human body, including the brain!!!**
https://www.aamc.org/news/microplastics-are-inside-us-all-what-does-mean-our-health
http://conservationmagazine.org/2014/02/plastic-ingestion-seabirds-worse-thought/
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/05/08/report-pacific-ocean-has-100-times-more-plastic-in-it-than-70s
A photo I took at an exhibition in the Field Museum of Chicago displaying Chris Gordon's photographic work the stomach contents of a baby Laysan albatross. Any thoughts on how this baby met its demise?? Yup, our actions have consequences in the farthest away most remote and pristine places of this world....well, at least they were pristine before being riddled with our trash.
2. What's in our food, our water, our air and our soil is in us.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10151227/
https://www.aamc.org/news/microplastics-are-inside-us-all-what-does-mean-our-health
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/12/12/250438904/how-plastic-in-the-ocean-is-contaminating-your-seafood
http://www.salon.com/2013/11/21/plastic_pollution_may_be_transporting_toxic_chemicals_into_our_seafood/
3. What took Evolution billions of years to make will be undone in just a few generations.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/05/09/152350088/study-plastic-garbage-in-pacific-ocean-has-increased-100-fold-in-40-years
www.empressofdirt.net
4. The energy to make and then recycle a plastic bag is exponentially more than the usefulness of the plastic bag. Especially when there are alternatives....the reusable bag and canteen.
bhttps://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/magazine/article/?article_id=30164
Just in case you need more prodding....
www.kittivisianlife.com
