Posted on 01/22/2020 4:54:03 PM PST by yesthatjallen
This is the year that people all over the world demand meaningful action on the plastic pollution crisis. Millions have been inspired to act by the devastating impacts to our oceans and the marine animals in them. The heartbreaking video of a turtle with a straw stuck in its nose, the growing awareness of the garbage patches, and the imagery of beaches covered in plastic have shown us that we should not rely on this dangerous material that pollutes our environment forever.
But the answer is not for corporations or governments to simply ban plastic straws or bags and walk away from the problem. The solution is dismantling our throwaway culture and ending our reliance on single-use plastics altogether, and in the process striking a massive blow to the fossil fuel industry.
In 2018, Starbucks announced that it was getting rid of plastic straws for many of its drinks and transitioning to a new lid that does not require a straw. Unfortunately, the new lid is not recyclable in most locations across the country and it actually contains more plastic than the previous lid and straws did combined. Other companies like McDonald’s are starting to swap out throwaway plastic for throwaway paper straws, ignoring the potential for increased deforestation as a result. There is no way the planet can sustain additional demand from companies attempting to substitute their single-use plastic packaging with paper or cardboard.
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
There are biodegradable plastics made from starch that last long enough to use with foods. They generally last longer than the foods they contain, but they readily decompose. It’s not designed for long-term storage, but it’s good enough for Starbucks straws and take out food, and for short shelf-life products.
And it comes from corn, not those evil fossil fuels that upset Greta so much.
Obviously this whole crusade is waste of time but millions of fidiots buy into it. They are to stupid to realize that we are a petroleum society and we have very little even remotely to replace that.
I think I’ll give the woke folks I know recycled gifts...Christmas, birthday, anniversary. I’m sure they’ll love them...
“The momentum is on! Millions of true believers are ready to take up the cause!”
Just another symptom of affluenza. When people have it too easy and too good they need to invent fake crises to conquer in order to add significance to their boring life.
Just trading one pollution for another.
Let your diesel run free.
Scaled up, the process is subsidized by the tipping fees paid by haulers to dump the material. It all leads back to the consumer pays. Currently, the consumer thinks he's recycling when in fact, the waste hauler is paying or being paid to bury the stuff.
Whoever designated plastic bags as “single use” never met my mother.
I am not a number, I'm a free man!
I hear there is a company making comdoms out of paper now. So you have to ask the girls if they want paper or plastic.
Easiest solution, and I’m always surprised it hasn’t caught on, is bamboo. Fast growing perennial. Can be used in so many things. I have bamboo toilet paper in my 3 bathrooms right now and we sleep on bamboo sheets. Not because I’m some super environmentalist, I like bamboo.
The examination must be over John Hover’s right to be.
IV CATHS, BUTTERFLIES FOR BLOOD DRAWS, NEEDLES. When hubby had his colon screen just before Christmas, the Gastro and crew were dressed in plastic gowns instead of the many times washed, sanitized cotton gowns.
Lots besides straws and soda holders are 1 time use. Disposable diapers take 500 yrs to decompose. But not one parent will give them up, I don’t care how liberal they are. Now we have adult diapers.
I washed cloth diapers, fatigues in the bathtub and hung them outside when money was short. Course that was back in the 70’s.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.