In modern life, one of the things we can hardly avoid is plastics. From product packages, to the soil and air we breathe, to the urine of newborn babies, plastics are present. According to Judith Enck, there is a way to reduce its use and change the current situation.
According to his book “The Problem with Plastics”, half of all plastics ever produced has been produced since 2007, the year the iPhone was released. While eliminating single-use plastics is a major challenge, there are positive steps at the state and local levels, such as New Jersey’s “Skip the Stuff” law, which requires disposable utensils to be provided only upon request.
One of the big issues, according to Enck, is the “myth” of plastic recycling. In the United States, only five to six percent of plastics are recycled. Many types of polymers are used in consumer plastics, making widespread recycling impractical. Despite this, plastics continue to be produced and consumers are often given increased responsibility.
Even more dangerous, every year an estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic end up in the ocean, which is equivalent to two large garbage trucks every minute. Microplastics and nanoplastics are harmful to marine life and can end up in our food. Studies have also shown that people with microplastics in their bodies may have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and early death.
However, it's not too late. According to Enck, a combination of personal action and collective pressure is needed. From choosing refillable products, avoiding plastic coffee pods, to lobbying the government for new legislation, change can begin. What is important, according to him, is systemic change – laws and policies that will reduce plastics in our daily lives.
