Besides being an exceptionally clean country (Really. The streets and landscape are amazing), Japan separates items into recyclables and "combustibles". Which got me to thinking about recycling and waste in general.
Right now in my own house, we are living through the banning of plastic straws because they hurt sea turtles. Fair enough; things find themselves to the sea when they should not. But then I saw an article about two sperm whales being found dead filled with car parts and plastics.
Which then got me to thinking: why do we not just ban plastics altogether?
I mean, if these things are as horrible as we are led to believe, why go halfway? Why not just completely ban them altogether? We admit that they are a danger: hard to deal with, get away from us, potential adding undesirable elements to our food. If these things are really that dangerous, why do we not simply get rid of them altogether?
I know, I know. They are useful and so much is used by them and let us not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Bur really, is that not the problem to start out with? We pretend that things are not as bad as they are because we find them "useful", so we try to make compromises?
Mind you, completely eliminating plastics will be a tad inconvenient. No more plastic water bottles available at gas stations for long trips. No more car parts (back to faux leather and metal?). No more 1001 things that make our lives more easier and more productive (including, maybe, this computer? What is its casing made out of?). And all those that manufacture such things? Out of jobs for sure, not entirely clear on what they will do for income. Maybe make more aluminum cans?
This is all a bit tongue in cheek of course, but my underlying thought is rather serious: we say things are bad but we (the global "we", probably not most of my readers) try to somehow thread the needle by finding a small thing to do (straws) while avoiding the larger issue (plastics in general), which is far more pervasive.
Not getting a plastic straw is inconvenient. Not having a IV bag when you need surgery is a bit more concerning.
I'd take these people more seriously if they would ban things like plastic soda bottles, which last forever out in the open, instead of plastic grocery bags, which break down and disintegrate when exposed to even modest sunlight. Hell; they fall apart even when stored in a cool dark place for a while! Ours never last, as we use them to deal with dog crap. Whoever banned plastic bags in my state obviously doesn't own dogs! Of course you can BUY poop bags at Petco. Someone please; explain to me the difference...
ReplyDeleteI'd also take these "Climate-change warriors" more seriously if their houses didn't have the carbon footprints of small towns, and if they didn't arrive at their climate-change speech engagements via private jet and stretch limo!
Me? I minimize purchases of packaging-heavy items when possible. I re-use what I can, and recycle what I can't. It's an individual choice. Anything forced upon us by way of statute is nothing more than a power grab...
I remember the time before plastic. Glass bottles and waxed paper and paper straws.
ReplyDeletePlastic, like oil, is in so much more than we realize.
ReplyDeleteEven old rotary 📱 were plastic. New phones are, too.
But I agree. Did they ever ban the plastic rings that hold sodas together? Or does just the fact that they break apart easily mean they are suddenly safer?
Pete - Exactly. They ban things of either some use or what makes them "feel good" while not truly following them out to the logical (and as you point out, more useful conclusion).
ReplyDeleteAnd yes - if you really wanted to get into the weeds, how can movie stars feel good about themselves when they movies they release in theaters have to be driven to and valuable resources spent to make the theater go? Why not just release things on DVD, or even streaming (You know the answer, of course)?
We do as you - minimize packaging. Hard to do in the world of Amazon.
Tewshooz - me too, and paper bags before they were banned.
ReplyDeletePaper straws are making a comeback, for what it is worth.
Linda, if they serious banned plastic much of modern life would be over. Completely. And they know it.
ReplyDeleteNo, plastic rings were not banned to my knowledge. Still prefer my beer in bottles if I can get (but harder to come bay, anymore).