Environment America shows us exactly where it is being produced here in the United States: https://environmentamerica.org/resources/where-is-plastic-produced/
Tag: Plastics
PROPUBLICA poses a question for us: ‘When Is “Recyclable” Not Really Recyclable? When the Plastics Industry Gets to Define What the Word Means.’
Here’s a link to a fairly long but outstanding article that describes the realities of recycling and the intricacies of the PR work done by purveyors of plastics: https://www.propublica.org/article/plastics-industry-redefine-recyclable-ftc-grocery-bags?
Something to remember: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: “The 1.5 C limit is only posible if we ultimately stop buring Fossil Fuels. NOT reduce. NOT abate. Phase OUT – with a clear timeframe aligned with 1.5 C.”
Emphasis added
Investing in Climate Chaos in 2024
My friend, Dennis Ledden, passed along a very illuminating article and report entitled “Investing in Climate Chaos 2024: Institutional Investors $4.3 TRILLION Deep Into the Fossil Fuel Industry.” This article clearly identifies who these investors are and just how deep they are into supporting this industry. You can also download the brief report from the link provided in the above article which just came out on July 9th. Knowledge is power.
A new report (6/26/24) from CIEL (Center for International Environmental Law) that details tools for state, county, and municipalities to help in the plastics war.
This new report claims to help these various governmental bodies by providing legal tools for engaging the producers of plastic. Getting this information into the hands of our local governmental bodies is critical. See https://www.ciel.org/news/new-report-helps-cities-states-legal-fight-plastic-pollution/. CIEL has been around since 1998 and you’ll be impressed with the work they’ve been doing.
A new report (6/26/24) from CIEL (Center for International Environmental Law) that details tools for state, county, and municipalities to help in the plastics war.
This new report claims to help these various governmental bodies by providing legal tools for engaging the producers of plastic. Getting this information into the hands of our local governmental bodies is critical. See https://www.ciel.org/news/new-report-helps-cities-states-legal-fight-plastic-pollution/. CIEL has been around since 1998 and you’ll be impressed with the work they’ve been doing.
Hopes fade for production curbs in new global pact on plastic pollution.
This article from Climate Home News is discouraging but tells us clearly what’s happening and isn’t happening WRT curbing plastic production: https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/05/03/hopes-fade-for-production-curbs-in-new-global-pact-on-plastic-pollution/ .
Kudos to Drawdown and their Solutions Library!
These guys have been busy! What a marvelous collection of solutions and where we’re at with respect to their corresponding degree of engagement and development. Just visit https://drawdown.org/solutions.
Plastics Fact Sheet
Thanks to my friend, Dennis Ledden, who passed this along to me today. This is a chart showing categories/lists of how and where we’re affected by plastics. Here’s the link: FACTS
Some potentially GREAT news about a bacteria that eats plastic!!
Funny how I didn’t see this on any of the major news networks. Here’s the link to the story found on the goodnewsnetwork.org: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/scientists-engineered-a-bacteria-to-eat-plastic-bottles-and-transforming-them-into-useful-liquids/. We can only hope and pray that this research continues and can be made scalable. While we still think that reducing our production of plastics needs to happen, this brings new hope to an otherwise troubling future with plastics.
Consumer Alert!
This is being repeated because it’s too important not to do so. My wife and I do a lot of our shopping at our local Safeway grocery stores. They’ve been working hard, as do many grocers these days, in trying to provide products that are sustainable and organic. That said, they recently took a WRONG TURN in the plastic packaging of many of their O Organics product line and it’s up to us to remind them.
Please note the following statement from O Organics, one of Safeway’s premier product lines:
“Why O Organics® ?
With O Organics®, you know that what you feed your family is actually good for them. Because all O Organics® products are USDA Certified Organic. They are made responsibly, sustainably and safely (my highlighting). They are always non-GMO, and grown without synthetic pesticides.
Dear fellow consumers: feeding your family microplastics is NOT good for them and pumping MORE plastics into our environment is NOT helpful. https://www.safeway.com/shop/lp/o-organics-organic.html is the home of O Organics. Please write to them and express your disdain for switching from paper containers to PLASTIC containers in many of their dairy products, e.g. Half and Half, Heavy Whipping Cream, etc. This switch happened recently in 2021! They also have countless other products that are being sold in plastic that could be packaged in a more sustainable manner. We, as consumers, need to fight back or we will truly be even more awash in plastic.
Safeway is trying to do the right thing by going to a product line like O Organics. We LAUD their efforts to bring us higher quality products. Unfortunately, they’ve become distracted from their mission and it’s up to us to remind them that we DO care about our environment and the products we consume. Please go to https://www.safeway.com/shop/lp/o-organics-organic.html and at the bottom of the page, under Quick Links, click on “Contact Us”. Scroll down to the lower part of the next screen to the header ‘Contact Us’ and the right most of three boxes is a box “Other Ways To Contact Us“. Click on “Comments and Questions” and explain to them that their sustainable practices are going BACKWARDS instead of forwards in their packaging. This page also has addresses for Customer Support Center and Media Inquiries. ANYTHING you can do to help mitigate this senseless INCREASE in plastics will help. Your planet and your body THANK YOU!!!
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