You have all heard about the dangers of single use plastics, and plastics in general, how they contaminate our Oceans, fill our landfills, and pollute our environment. Less than 9% of plastics are recycled. You have probably heard all this. But what you probably haven’t heard is the environmental and social damage done by the production of plastics. By 2030, the emissions released by the production of plastics will exceed the emissions produced by the production of Coal in the United States. Currently, plastics production releases 232 million tons of CO2 per year, or the equivalent of 116 (500 megawatt) COAL fired power plants. New plastic manufacturing plants currently in production will release another 55 million tons of greenhouse gasses (GHGs). This is release of GHG’s in plastic manufacturing makes our climate crisis even worse for years to come.
However, there is another, more insidious outcome to this plastics production. 90% of the GHG’s emitted by plastics production goes in 18 communities, in Louisiana and Texas. The communities are composed of primarily people of color and low income families. This represents a massive environmental injustice. The area in Louisiana is called “cancer alley”. The primary responsibility falls on the Petrochecical Industry, producers of plastics. We can not continue to pollute the environment of people who can not afford to leave the area they grew up in. They didn’t ask the Petrochemical Industry to focus their pollution on their communities. We have a responsibility to these people. Along as we continue to use and misuse plastic in our everyday lives, we are adding to this injustice.
So when you hear about the evils of single use plastics, consider also the impact of their production on climate change as well, and the social injustice being done to the people who live in these 18 counties.
What can we do to help? The City of San Jose has come out with a site to help you determine what plastics you can recycle and how. It is quite an extensive list. Click here : https://sanjoserecycles.org/what-to-do/curbside/
It is the least we can do for, not only for our, but all the people in those 18 counties
Children, Grandchildren, All Future Generations and All Life.
Bill
View Libby’s playful poem on plastics here.