This document summarizes the issue of plastic pollution and efforts to address it. It notes that plastic consumption has increased dramatically but much ends up polluting the environment. Several initiatives are highlighted to reduce plastic usage, such as France banning single-use plastics by 2020. The zero waste lifestyle adopted by one family is also discussed, showing it can save money while reducing environmental impact. Companies like Patagonia are working to produce sustainably and raise awareness. Overall it advocates reducing plastic use to protect the planet for future generations.

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Plastic Pollution: What’s Being Done, and What We Can Do About it
Teresa Scalley
“Marine debris – trash in our oceans – is a symptom of our throw-away society and our
approach to how we use our natural resources,” said UN Environment Program Executive
Director Achim Steiner. When we wake up in the morning, the first thing we do is brush our1
teeth and take a shower. Our toothbrush is plastic; our toothpaste is packaged in plastic; our
shampoo, conditioner, body and face washes are all packaged in plastic. When we go grocery
shopping, we wrap our fruits and vegetables in thin plastic bags. The cashier/bagger then puts
that bag into another plastic bag. Can modern life exist without disposable plastic?
Disposable items are also known as single-use plastics which include bags, bottled drinks
and food packaging. Richard Thompson, a lead editor on a report said that “plastics are very2
long-lived products that could potentially have service over decades yet our main use of these
lightweight, inexpensive materials are as single-use items that will go to the garbage dump
within a year, where they’ll persist for centuries.” These plastics are in everything we consume3
and they are damaging the environment and, are not economically sustainable.
Global plastic consumption has increased from 5.5 million tonnes in 1950 to 299 million
tonnes in 2013, and approximately 10-20 millions tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans each
year damaging marine ecosystems, costing $13 million in externalities. Our trash goes to4
"Trash in World's Oceans Threatens Wildlife, Economy and Human Health, UN Warns." UN News Center. United Nations, 251
Mar. 2011. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37894#.WD98maOZPR1>.
"Plastics, the Environment and Human Health: Current Consensus and Future Trends." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal2
Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <https://
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19528062>.
"The Environmental Toll of Plastics." The Environmental Toll of Plastics — Environmental Health News. N.p., n.d. Web. 133
Dec. 2016. <http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/dangers-of-plastic>.
"Global Plastic Production Rises, Recycling Lags." Worldwatch Institute. Worldwatch Institute, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://4
www.worldwatch.org/global-plastic-production-rises-recycling-lags-0>.

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landfills and can take 1,000 years to decompose. Many materials that end up as waste never
break down, like styrofoam. These plastics contain toxic properties and release greenhouse gases.
Those gases are then emitted and trapped in our atmosphere causing “global warming”.
Scientists later proved that the world isn’t just warming- the climate is changing. Human
existence has sped up the Earth’s natural processes to absorb and reflect carbon dioxide.
However, the increasing amount of plastics that don’t biodegrade quickly means that our landfills
are the collectors and emitters of copies CO2. Our oceans are absorbing the heavy volume of
CO2 but in turn causes marine ecosystems to fail over time.
Plastic waste is a problem because it is not biodegradable, poses a significant danger to
wildlife and uses millions of barrels of petroleum oil every year for production. It takes 12
millions barrels of oil to produce 100 billion plastic bags in the U.S. every year, but the average5
use of plastic bags are 12 minutes. Paper bags aren’t a good alternative either because it costs the
U.S. 14 billion trees per year due to deforestation. Every single plastic item mass-produced6
since the early 1930’s is still in the U.S and this cycle will continue, unless we change our habits.
To many, a transition away from plastic is unavoidable. Plastic consumption has become
the societal norm and seems too big for people to tackle, but it’s not impossible. We can make
strides to consume less because it will save us money and reduce our ecological footprint.
Governments must regulate the plastic supply chain to monitor stronger recycling methods.
The Plastic Bag Problem." Sustainable America. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.sustainableamerica.org/blog/the-5
plastic-bag-problem/>.
Thompson, Anne. (12/31/1969). "Paper or Plastic, What’s the Greener Choice?" MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18538484/.6

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Companies must switch to a greater use of recycled and biodegradable packaging. Consumers
must increase their participation to remove plastic waste from their daily lives.7
Our children will not experience the same environment and society we are today. Fossil
fuels are estimated to be measurably depleted by the next century. At the rate we are consuming,
the current, disastrous impacts on the environment should serve as a wake-up call that our
disposable culture isn’t sustainable. “As more and more people understand what's at stake, they
become a part of the solution,” Al Gore reminded us. Unless all of humanity wants our planet to8
suffer, we ought to rethink what our values are as individuals, communities, and as nations.
Climate change is easily the greatest problem our planet has ever faced, and the fact that
people don’t think it’s real out of a lack of education or carelessness fathoms me. We only have
one planet and whether or not we want to acknowledge if climate change is real, we must forgo
our current consumer habits and work to create a resilient planet for our children. I don’t want to
be part of the generation that could have done something. I want to be part of the generation that
could have done something and worked to change the current system. Thankfully, there is hope.
Governments, companies and individuals all around the world have been taking small and
monumental steps to reduce carbon footprints, introduce new/repurposed products and introduce
policies to work in favor of preserving the environment.
Bea Johnson and her family of four live out in Mill Valley, California and have adopted a
zero waste lifestyle since 2008. “It’s not about complicating your life, it’s about simplifying it to
"Global Plastic Production Rises, Recycling Lags." Worldwatch Institute. Worldwatch Institute, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://7
www.worldwatch.org/global-plastic-production-rises-recycling-lags-0>.
"The End Of Fossil Fuels." The End Of Fossil Fuels - Our Green Energy - Ecotricity. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <https://8
www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/energy-independence/the-end-of-fossil-fuels>.

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what matters most in your life.” Her motto is simple: “Refuse what you do not need, reduce9
what you do need, reuse by swapping anything thats disposable for things that are reusable,
recycle only what you can not not refuse, reduce and reuse, and compost the rest.” Their family
had saved 40% of their overall spending within the first year because they consumed less. “It’s
complicated at first: to declutter your life, to figure out a system and to adopt this lifestyle,” but it
has proven to be the best thing she and her family have done.
Patagonia is a social mission business whose mission is to “build the best product, cause
no unnecessary harm and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental
crisis” by creating clothes that last for alpine sports. This company realizes that business10
activity creates pollution, therefore they work to reduce emissions by using organic materials to
produce their clothes sustainably. Patagonia brought in $10 million on Black Friday in 2016 and
is donating it all to grassroots environmental groups fighting climate change. The sales were five
times than the company had estimated and Patagonia is “humbled to report the response was
beyond expectations.” Their creative approach to clothing manufacturing and design brings11
awareness to consumers about a transparent work environment and that it’s possible to make a
difference.
France has recently put a policy in place to be enacted in 2020 that bans all plastic bags,
plates, cups and utensils. This addresses the problem that France currently throws away more
Blog post. Zero Waste Home. Bea Johnson, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.zerowastehome.com/about/bea/>.9
"Patagonia’s Mission Statement." Patagonia Mission Statement - Our Reason For Being. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://10
www.patagonia.com/company-info.html>.
Significantly, More. "Patagonia Brought in $10 Million on Black Friday -- and Will Donate It All." CNNMoney. Cable News11
Network, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/29/technology/patagonia-black-friday-donation-10-million/>.

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than 4.7 billion plastic cups every year and that only 1% is recycled” and will also address the12
issue of pollution and heavy energy used from plastic manufacturing. By banning plastic, French
President, François Hollande hopes that this will promote a “circular economy of waste disposal,
from product design to recycling”.13
There has been opposition from packaging companies saying that this ban “violates the
European Union rules on the free movement of goods.” The ban was originally meant to be14
introduced in 2017, but opposers to this measure deemed it to be “anti-social” to the families
who regularly use disposable tableware as a means to financial struggles. Another challenge for15
reducing plastics is that people believe that banning and taxing plastic bags threatens jobs and
hurts small businesses. Plastic bags provide more than 24,000 jobs in the U.S. and opposers16
fear that banning these products will result in further unemployment and struggle.
The tricky part about growing the environmental movement in the States is because there
are not enough people willing to give up part of their lifestyle, are not educated about the
options, or they don’t believe it’s worth the investment. The transition to a non-plastic lifestyle is
possible and the regime is simple: reduce plastic-packaging. The benefits of switching to less
"France Becomes First Country To Ban Plastic Cups And Dishes." Huffington Post. Huffington Post, 19 Sept. 2016. Web. 1312
Dec. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/france-plastic-cup-plates-ban_us_57df66d4e4b08cb14096812c>.
McAuley, James. "France Becomes the First Country to Ban Plastic Plates and Cutlery." The Washington Post. WP Company,13
19 Sept. 2016. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/09/19/france-bans-plastic-
plates-and-cutlery/?utm_term=.2854f13efdfc>.
Ibid14
"France to Bid Adieu to Plastic Dishes with Controversial Ban." Fox News. Fox News, 12 Sept. 2016. Web. 13 Dec. 2016.15
<http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/09/12/france-to-bid-adieu-to-plastic-dishes-with-controversial-ban.html>.
Society of the Plastics Industry, “Size and Impact of the Plastics Industry on the U.S. Economy,” December 2015.16

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plastic far outweighs the negatives because you save money from not paying for the embedded
packaging costs.17
Plastic packaging is undoubtably harmful to the environment since as many as “1 million
sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die every year from getting trapped in
six-pack rings. ” Saltwater Brewery, using wheat and barley beer waste, innovated a18
biodegradable and edible six-pack ring for the beer industry. If the rings end up in the ocean, it
begins breaking down within a few hours, which eliminates the issue of animals getting stuck. ”19
In March of 2016, the company produced 400,000 units and three months later they organized
for a second assembly. Saltwater Brewery says that their beer prices will increase by 10 to 15
cents, but they hope that if bigger breweries latch onto this design the manufacturing price will
decrease- the market becoming more competitive. 20
It isn’t enough for businesses to offset their costs by using more recyclable and
biodegradable materials, it has more to do with consumer waste. It doesn’t matter if people are
educated, that recycling is important, if they don’t have access to recycling bins in their
communities. In America, the recycling rate has stayed at around 34% for two decades because
of low landfill fees and from an incomplete waste-management system. Making cans from21
Why I Live a Zero Waste Life. Perf. Lauren Singer. TedxTeen. Youtube, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/17
watch?v=pF72px2R3Hg>.
@colewitz. "Saltwater Brewery’s New Six-pack Rings Are Compostible, Biodegradable, and Totally Edible." Digital Trends.18
N.p., 18 May 2016. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/edible-biodegradable-six-pack-rings-save-
ocean/>.
@dezeen. "Saltwater Brewery's Edible Six-pack Rings Protect Wildlife." Dezeen. N.p., 08 June 2016. Web. 13 Dec. 2016.19
<https://www.dezeen.com/2016/06/08/edible-bio-based-six-pack-rings-saltwater-brewery-we-believers-packaging-recycled-
sustainable-protect-marine-wildlife/>.
Portillacportilla@miamiherald.com, Christian. "Could This Beer's Six-pack Rings Help save Sea Turtles?" Miami Herald.20
Miami Herald, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article83937817.html>.
"In the Bin." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/21
democracyinamerica/2015/04/recycling-america>.

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recycled aluminum “requires 95% less energy and creates 90% less greenhouse-gas emissions”
than regular plastic manufacturing yet America throws away “$11.4 billion worth of recyclable
containers and packaging annually. ” It’s not a surprise that it seems like modern life cannot live22
without disposables: we have created a culture where it’s normalized. Between inconsistent
landfill regulations, ancient machinery and lack of access to collection systems, recycled
materials have a higher price than traditional packaged materials.
With today’s systems and technologies, our efforts to reduce our waste have had an
undesirable impact. Our natural systems are being degraded due to excessive leakage of plastics,
especially in the ocean and it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than marine life
in the oceans. Six percent of the global oil production is dedicated to the production of plastics
and in “2012, the greenhouse gas emissions amounted to 390 million tonnes of CO2” released
into the atmosphere. Not only is this harmful to marine ecosystems, but it is detrimental to the23
human economy. There needs to be stronger infrastructure and systems put in place in order to
drastically reduce plastic packaging. Natural resources, such as oil, are finite materials which
means they are not sustainable. In order to create a large-scale lifestyle to be less dependent on
restricted resources, we must implement innovative solutions.
In January 2016, The World Economic Forum delivered a report that introduced a new
way of thinking. The agenda called for “The New Plastics Economy” which explained a “circular
economy” (WEF, page 17). The main principles suggest that to create an economy where plastics
"In the Bin." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/22
democracyinamerica/2015/04/recycling-america>.
"The New Plastics Economy Rethinking the Future of Plastics." Ed. Dame, Ellen MacArthur, Dominic Waughray, Martin R.23
Stuchtey, and Mogens Lykketoft. World Economic Forum, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www3.weforum.org/docs/
WEF_The_New_Plastics_Economy.pdf>.

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have multi-purposes, we must adopt renewable systems in any hope of reducing environmental,
health and economic externalities. This report also indicated that plastic packaging companies in
the United States and Europe account for 85% of all production (WEF, page 22). From that,
these countries would be obligated to redesign their current products and make their materials
sustainable in order to evolve their throwaway cultures to a culture of repurposing. With Asia
leading 80% of the total plastic leakage into the ocean, the best strategy for them is to “improve
basic collection infrastructure” (WEF, page 22). Asian countries would be responsible for
ensuring preventative methods of disposing it’s waste before it meets waterways and increasing
measures to collect trash from consumers. What works in Asia will not work in North America or
Europe; thus; geography plays a huge role in explaining waste disposal practices.
Changing a culture may seem daunting when international policies should not be
uniformed for each country and with the media and scientists describing how we’re doomed.
“We must manage plastic waste while minimizing the amount of waste entering the system,” said
Nick Mallos, Director of Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Oceans Program. With any24
movement, change must happen from within the system. The root cause of plastic pollution is
that consumers in developed nations are wasteful. The future of managing disposables requires a
lot of commitment from world leaders and governments, as well as on the ground action.
Individual behavior results in significant impact when millions of people around the world take
action together. Our planet is suffering from human activity. If we want to live on a resilient
Earth, we must evaluate our habits and work towards creating sustainable communities.
Annie Shapiro, Mongabay.com Thursday 9 June 2016. "How Do We Keep the Oceans from Becoming the World's Plastic24
Trash Can?" Eco-Business. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2016. <http://www.eco-business.com/news/how-do-we-keep-the-oceans-
from-becoming-the-worlds-plastic-trash-can/>.