First off, I want to apologize if things are sounding a bit repetitive. I have yet to make videos, which I do plan on doing at some point. Until then, we are left to a bit of reading. There is a huge focus on refusing more, recycling less, and buying less in general. I understand the concept behind refusing items you do not need, but does that help? Not exactly. When you refuse an item, the manufacturer doesn’t go back and make one less item because you have refused it. If it is a freebie, the company doesn’t provide less because you refused it. Refusal may give you some internal satisfaction, but refusing doesn’t do nearly as much as other actions, such as writing to a company. You can write and discuss why items are unnecessary or provide suggestions on changing their freebies and/or packaging to something more environmentally friendly– whatever the situation calls for.

I have mentioned recycling before. Where we live, I am able to recycle cans and bottles in order to get the CRV (California Redemption Value) back. In reality, it’s not the full amount, but something is better than nothing. There are quite a few items that we are able to recycle, that will vary depending on where you live. Recycling may not be the answer, but here is how it helps. First off, regarding plastics, they are lightweight. Transporting plastic to a recycling facility reduces the amount of vehicle carbon emissions because of the lesser amount of weight that is being transported. Recycling also saves from harvesting more raw materials (EPA, 2020). Recycling plastics, and anything else recyclable, means that the material can serve multiple purposes (Osmanski, 2020).

While recycling is a wonderful start, it takes all of us to make sure that the most life comes of its creation. This means not allowing it to go into oceans, creating a way to ensure that the plastics (and other trash) cannot be picked up by winds that land it in/on other waterways/land, creating more programs that are the same across the board and available to everyone, etc. Before recycling the plastic so it can get the most out of its life, reuse/repurpose it. Plastic bottles, cutlery, tableware, detergent bottles…even the disposable cups from Starbucks, can all be reused.

Plastics Make it Possible provides a guide to recycling, reusing, and repurposing. Plastic lasts virtually indefinitely, so using any plastic you have as much as possible, and responsibly recycling it whenever possible, are important. In a perfect world, there would be the perfect, durable plastic replacement. Finding alternatives and creating replacements for plastics must be done carefully since everything is done at a cost. We don’t want a plastic repeat, nor do we want to create something that affects already dwindling resources, such as rainforests. There is much more to recycling, but hopefully this has helped you out. Be sure to check out all of the resources that are available to you about your area and beyond.

Peace & Love, always!

Resources and Further Reading

Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Recycling basics. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics

Joyce, C. (2019). Plastic has a big carbon footprint but that isn’t the whole story. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2019/07/09/735848489/plastic-has-a-big-carbon-footprint-but-that-isnt-the-whole-story

Osmanski, S. (2020). Why is it important to recycle? Retrieved from https://www.greenmatters.com/p/why-is-it-important-to-recycle

Plastics Make it Possible. (2018). The ultimate guide to recycling, reusing, and repurposing plastic items. Retrieved from https://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/plastics-at-home/the-ultimate-guide-to-recycling-reusing-and-repurposing-plastic-items/