- Dianna Cohen
- Los Angeles, CA
- United States
Creative Director and Co-founder, Plastic Pollution Coalition
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How do we reduce single use and disposable plastics in our package, production and supply streams and move towards a sustainable world?.
Our use of single use and disposable plastics has spiraled out of control.
Our Ocean has become a plastic soup.
How do we turn off the faucet and move away from this careless use of plastics?
How do we reduce disposable plastics and the exposure to the toxins that leach from these into our bodies and the environment and our Oceans?
We are looking for solutions...
william lucas
Alex Smith
On a fundamental level the problem is capitalism. the real issue is that the objective of capitalism is money, not provide for the customer or improve the well-being of the human race. it is an illusion that capitalism is self monitoring. theoretically companies that provide low quality goods will go under because no one would buy them. either we need to stop buying low quality, non green goods or find a new system. as simple as that is, it is extremely difficult to achieve. a friend and I made a pact not to buy anything with a disposable plastic. it has proven to be extremely difficult. it has caused me to become almost completely a vegetarian. i don't know what I'm going to do when i have to change my oil.
Bradley Robinson
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=17&ved=0CEAQIDAGOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwebcache.googleusercontent.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcache%3AGIcU5qB8tMcJ%3Aseanmichaelbutler.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F05%2Fyour-home-is-garbage%2F%2BMonolith%2BBiocrete%2BBiobloc%26cd%3D17%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dca%26client%3Dsafari%26source%3Dwww.google.ca&ei=0ES3TefkNIPs0gGZ8pjyDw&usg=AFQjCNH0O3R3_vPEeJbNDjB81poLby_shQ
35 yrs. working in residential construction has taught me some things over the years, and the opportunities for the future in my field are as relevant now as in the past.
Waste resources are plentiful, and the architecture is exciting and bold, a mix of Indigenous and Western Knowledge to meet human scale need's, and the diversity of life we share with all others.
Like the forest for the trees, "Our built environments" can be the key to sustainable shared environments.
Waste is a Valuable Resource
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=17&ved=0CEAQIDAGOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwebcache.googleusercontent.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcache%3AGIcU5qB8tMcJ%3Aseanmichaelbutler.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F05%2Fyour-home-is-garbage%2F%2BMonolith%2BBiocrete%2BBiobloc%26cd%3D17%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dca%26client%3Dsafari%26source%3Dwww.google.ca&ei=0ES3TefkNIPs0gGZ8pjyDw&usg=AFQjCNH0O3R3_vPEeJbNDjB81poLby_shQ
Mike McKenna
In the UK, most retailers have taken positive action to reduce the number of plastic bags, if a similar approach was taken to plastic packaging it would have a huge impact. For example if we were offered drinks such as milk in glass bottles I am sure a worthwhile percentage of people would be prepared to pay a little extra if they understood that they would be helping to reduce the environmental impact of plastics.
Gerry Mann
One might break it down as follows:
1. How do we clean up the mess we've already made?
How about using our commercial fishing fleets to collect the garbage?
How about using our Navy to collect the garbage?
How about adding to the Coast Guard Mission patrol and enforcement of anti-dumping laws?
2. How do we reward recycling and re-purposing efforts to make inappropriate disposal of these elements economically unsound?
Add a tax to the raw materials and a deposit similar to the glass bottles
Add a tax credit for those manufacturers that re-process and purchase recycled materials
Expanding recycling collection stations at banks, grocery stores, gas stations and other places.
3. How do we replace these plastics in the streams with other items that do not harm the environment, serve the same purpose and are cost-neutral or cheaper?
I suspect there are a variety of approaches that can be worked concurrently on each of the three sub-problems.
I would propose an X-Prize like award to spawn global, creative, cross-discipline solutions in each of the three areas.
Here, I would propose some brainstorming focus groups on each of the topics.
There have been many fine ideas and alternative streams of thought generated by your question - maybe start by mining this conversation and building from there.
It's likely our solutions will need support of various governments through policy, legislation, prosecution and other structures.
It's likely our solutions will need support of business, industry and technology to build viable large scale solutions.
It's likely our solutions will need support of education, philanthropic and not-for-profit groups to spread the word and develop the initiatives and projects to do the work.
If we build a framework, it can be done in a coordinated manner, and people can work on the parts of it that suit their talents and interests.
Thank you for keeping the conversation going
Nivek McElroy
Siew Fong Chen
Chris Faella
What are the attributes to the different grades? Which ones are easier to reuse? If plastic is made from oil, Why can't we burn it to make electricity?
I buy yougurt. It comes in "5" plastic containers. I wash and save them figuring I will find a use for them at some point. I do not buy Yoplait as the container does not stack.
When you take paper over plastic you are getting a heavier,bulkier, product that takes more fuel to ship. When you "reuse" bags to pick up after your dog you are still throwing them away and adding doggie discharge in the landfill as well. You could use paper and dig a hole. If you do not have a place for the waste, you should not have the animal that generates it.
As for sorting garbage: Where are all the unemployed? How about the prisoners? I think the prisoners should have a long bicycle generating machine they all sit on and pedal, generating electricity for the rest of us. The unemployed should sweep the streets, shovel the snow, rake leaves, mow lawns, etc. Show up to "job duty" and get your "slip" for the day to turn in for food or shelter. This would reduce out state workers and town employees. Single mothers should be housed in dorms and split up the duties, ie 3 can cook, 3 can clean, 3 can watch the kids, and the rest can work or go to school.
Am I too radical?
Chris
Revett Eldred 10+
A plastic shopping bag is made from one small drop of liquid. It's contribution to the landfill is so small as to be irrelevant. (In my city, 80%+ of landfill trash is construction materials.) The dog poop inside the bag decomposes within a few days of the bag decomposing. The typical supermarket bag is already made with recycled plastic and starts to break down within about three months of burial. You can't use a paper bag because the plastic bag acts as both the glove for picking up and the container for what gets picked. Try that with a paper bag.
The focus of reduce-reuse-recycle nazis on supermarket bags is utterly misplaced. They are a trivial part of the problem. Banning them or charging a nickel apiece is just a way for meddlesome liberals to feel sanctimonious while avoiding the real problem.
BTW, you can burn plastic for fuel. I saw something recently. You'll have to Google it because I forget where I saw/read about it.
In my area, the sorting of recyclables is done by learning-disabled people. (Is that the PC phrase?)
Daniel Lemon
Revett Eldred 10+
George Spilkov
1) Make a list of those that create or trade with single use and disposable plastics in our package, production and supply streams.
2) Ask them to stop.
3) When they ignore you - Penalise them harshly.
Good luck with this one.
===========
The alternative solution is to create machines with Genuine artificial intelligence smart enough to search through mountains of rubbish and separate materials by type... including plastic. Then we can recycle it.
We are too stupid to do it yet.
Daniel Beringer
http://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/del-monte-bananas-get-second-packaging-skin/
harvey lacey
I want to get the message out that these plastics aren't evil in themselves. They aren't trash nor are they to be recycled. They are materials needed for building homes.
One of the interesting things we've found is those in the developing nation situation don't want to consider using plastic trash for building a home. That's because it is trash and can't be used for anything, much less building a home. That is similar to the attitudes we see with those concentrating on recycling as the only answer to plastic pollution.
Both of those positions are all about negativity. We can do better than that.
The upside of seeing plastic pollution as opportunity is we give the plastic value. Value initiates collection. It also initiates consideration which inspires creativity. I like to think that our processing plastic trash into building blocks also encourages us to think about more than acquiring plastic for building a house. It also makes us consider where it came from and where it will eventually end up.
I've said almost from day one that our machine and construction will initiate the recycling of plastic where ever it is used. As soon as plastics are collected the recyclers will show up. People will then have to weigh the cash offered by the recyclers against the utility of having a great home made with little out of pocket expense. Those conversations will make more aware consumers than all the sloganeering and fear mongering ever will.
It's an opportunity. We just need to look at it that way.
Bradley Robinson
Refuse is without doubt the single most important step for keeping hazardous products from entering shared environments via waste streams.
Rey-cycle, the second step is the .01% of the hazardous co-mingled waste stream that could be collected for a premium by existing blue box programs.
Ref-use, The third step is 99.99% useful too and for Built Environments, five waste streams Solid Atmospheric Liquid Energy and Life,Three Perspectives Social Environmental Economic,Two Choices, the future and the past,One World
Please look at my site as it may prove helpful.
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=17&ved=0CEAQIDAGOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwebcache.googleusercontent.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcache%3AGIcU5qB8tMcJ%3Aseanmichaelbutler.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F05%2Fyour-home-is-garbage%2F%2BMonolith%2BBiocrete%2BBiobloc%26cd%3D17%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dca%26client%3Dsafari%26source%3Dwww.google.ca&ei=0ES3TefkNIPs0gGZ8pjyDw&usg=AFQjCNH0O3R3_vPEeJbNDjB81poLby_shQ
Rosella Hart
Bora Seo
harvey lacey
However, we have this great lever that will do all of our screaming of facts and threats of doom won't. it's their children.
I believe we need to initiate programs that teach children about plastic pollution and what it means to their future. I see Ubuntu-Blox (google it) as a great way to do that. We explain to them that foam plastic cup or container isn't trash, nor is it something they need to recycle to make the earth better. We teach them that cup, tray, or container is needed for housing for kids just like them that are living in a developing nation. We give them something tangible they can relate to and they will become engaged. Their parents will too, just the way it works.
james morgan
This subject falls under a greater heading. People these days have become used to things to an extent they think they need them. Like people say they "need" to get some cigarettes or "need" coffee or "need" to turn on the air conditioner. You simply don't need to. It is an addiction that you would be better off without.
Sky Fenton
Vishnu Tallapragada
http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/mar/310311-polythene-bags-less-than-40-microns.htm
Samuel Leggett
Alan Bishop
Harald Jezek 50+
Reason for that:
1) glass bottles are about 12x heavier than plastic bottles, which means, although the production of plastic has a higher carbon footprint/lb, the footprint per packaging unit is much lower.
2) energy (fuel) demand for transportation is far higher for glass bottled stuff than for plastic bottled.
3) Setting these shortcomings off a bit is the fact that glass is easily recycled for reuse in glass bottles. Recycled plastic is rarely, if ever, used for bottles because it's far more expensive than virgin plastic
Bottom line is, plastic bottles have a smaller environmental impact than glass bottles.
Revett Eldred 10+
On a smaller scale, yes, we should all try to do our own little bit. I have two large dogs. I reuse plastic grocery bags. (Further explanation unnecessary.) You would be amazed how many plastic grocery bags have small holes in them.
Harald Jezek 50+
Valeriy Vislobokov
To address two questions folks will ask immdiately:
-Carbon output is negligible for cetain types of plastics. One or two of them is noticeable but certainly nowhere near coal's.
-This still leaves open the question of the consumer responsibly recycling plastic. However, if it is used as a fuel, I think power plant companies would offer incentive for giving your plastic to them.
All the information is up on the web; google Plastofuel PSU Jim Garthe.
Tiffany Burnette
There are also other factors into why our packages are created larger than needed. Theft is an issue, the smaller the package the easier it is to steal. This jacks up prices in stores because they take the hit on stolen property. Also our perceived value changes when we see less packaging. I think we are in the midst of this idea changing because people are actually concerned with the environment, but this will take longer to catch on in terms of our perceptions and reactions because I believe it is already ingrained in us. Packages are often created to protect the contents inside, this sometime leads to using more material, such as cardboard, or plastic as different types of plastic create a stronger, more durable package. If we were not shipping these products all over the world we may not need to create super durable packaging. Now this seems like an entirely different conversation. The distribution and supply chains would have to change, this would reduce pollution, packaging, and allow for things to be created and used within our communities.
Teresa Ambrose
Tiffany Burnette
Teresa Ambrose
I think eliminating plastic in the first place is better than recycling.
Harald Jezek 50+
I agree partially with your comments.
1) yes, there are standard sized packaging, but there are many different ones to choose from. So, having a pill bottle that's twice the size it needs to be isn't really a good idea. The reason behind that is most likely that the company selling these pills, prefers to minimize the number of items in their stock. So instead of stocking 5 different sizes of packaging, they just use 1 to fit all, even if that means in some cases half the bottle is empty.
2) about glass bottles vs. plastic: Yes, I remember that time too, when everything came in returnable glass bottles. On the surface, that might look like the right thing to do from an environmental perspective, however, reality is a bit different. The fact is that glass bottles have to go back to the factory to be cleaned. Not only does that cost energy but it also uses a lot of chemicals that again go back into the environment together with the labels that are removed from the bottles. So, comparing glass bottles to plastic bottles I'm not so sure what is better for the environment.
3) I agree that we should try to avoid plastic wherever we can. There are many opportunities for that. If we cannot avoid it, then we should try to recycle and reuse. For example, you could cut plastic bottles in half and use the lower half as a planting pot. Btw, I also use cardboard boxes as planting posts and after that the go to the compost heap.
4) food dispenser in stores. Yes, this is a good idea and it already exists in some places. However, the problem is hygiene and liability. Let's say you get your milk from a dispenser in the store and fill your own bottle and then get sick. Who is responsible ? Was the milk in the dispenser contaminated or your bottle ?
5) as I pointed out in my other post, the term "plastic" is a very wide term and can mean a lot of stuff. Not all of them are bad. So we also need to define what kind of plastic we are talking about.
Alan Bishop
Kapil Nevatia
samantha bollocks
I think the question we should be asking is how to properly dispose of it.
Lillian Bradley
Harald Jezek 50+
1) When I was a kid, soft drinks, milk, beer,....came in glass bottles for which one had to pay a deposit. In other words, they rarely landed in the environment. Why not doing the same for plastic bottles, or, going even a step further, for any kind of plastic packaging ?
2) Increase the concept of refill. Example: A large Brazilian Cosmetic company sells refills for most of their products. Not only, is a refill cheaper than the original packaging, but also reduces the associated waste.
3) Put more research into sustainable forms of plastics. There are natural and biodegradable polymers around that probably can replace the "bad" guys such as polyolefines, PVC, etc.
4) last but not least, be more conscious in our purchases. Avoid buying stuff that comes with a lot of plastic around it.
Consumers also should educate themselves more on the different types of plastic and where they are used.
Plastic is a very generic term and not all the stuff called plastic is equally bad.
harvey lacey
One of the things i like about my building block is we remove the plastic completely from the stream of either recycling or polluting.
I believe it's four percent of our petroleum use is for making plastics. The best we can do with everyone recycling plastic would be to cut that by one fifth. Most plastics can't be made with more than fifteen percent or so of recycled raw materials added to virgin resin. So even if we had 100 percent recycling we wouldn't see much of a dent in the cost of new plastic products.
By removing it from the stream we force a tax on the plastic industry and everyone who uses plastic just by having them use more petroleum. That is a bad thing I agree. But it is also a good thing because it forces industry and consumers to weigh the real cost of plastic.
Another problem we have is the chemical industry is very active in defending their industry. You can google plastic pollution and half the sites will be defending plastics and attacking conservationists.
Bradley Robinson
Your Home Is Garbage : Sean Micheal Butler... 5 Jan. 2009
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=17&ved=0CEAQIDAGOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwebcache.googleusercontent.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcache%3AGIcU5qB8tMcJ%3Aseanmichaelbutler.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F05%2Fyour-home-is-garbage%2F%2BMonolith%2BBiocrete%2BBiobloc%26cd%3D17%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dca%26client%3Dsafari%26source%3Dwww.google.ca&ei=0ES3TefkNIPs0gGZ8pjyDw&usg=AFQjCNH0O3R3_vPEeJbNDjB81poLby_shQ
Recently I have been raising my voice to articulate and make available my current results, Monolith Biocrete Biobloc
which are controversial because of their abstract nature, and I agree the comment's are important to a broader discussion
about Refuse...Ref-Use maybe...
http://www.google.ca/search?q=Monolith+Biocrete+Biobloc&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivns&ei=s0S3Tab9I-Ts0gGV0LHkDw&start=10&sa=N&biw=1128&bih=1238
Diana Voto