Ocean Wake-Up Call: Dead whale brings attention to plastic crisis

In weeks past, we’ve talked about how plastic is taking over the oceans. From the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to fish ingesting tiny pieces of plastic, it’s hard to deny the impact that plastic has had on the condition of the oceans.

Just last week, the problem of plastic oceans was broadcast worldwide as a dead whale washed ashore in Indonesia with a whopping 13 pounds of plastic in its stomach. Think about how light that plastic water bottle is in your hand, then think about how much plastic it would take to make 13 pounds of it.

Wakatobi National Park authorities who discovered the whale claimed to find bags, plastic bottles, sandals and 115 plastic cups in its stomach. If that isn’t enough, they also uncovered a sack containing more than 1,000 pieces of string. Even though the whale’s cause of death has yet to be clearly identified, the evidence found in its stomach is a clear indication of the detrimental amount of plastic pollution in the oceans.

“Although we have not been able to deduce the cause of death, the facts that we see are truly awful,” said Dwi Suprapti, a marine species conservation coordinator at WWF Indonesia, in a Time article.

Many people have seen the facts about ocean pollution, but they continue to turn a blind eye. The discovery of the whale in Indonesia is a huge indication of how poorly the world has been treating its beloved oceans. If our plastic consumption and disposal rates continue at their current rapid pace, we could see cases like the Indonesian sperm-whale more often.

In fact, a pilot whale was found in Thailand this past June with nearly 17 pounds of plastic in its stomach. Rescuers discovered the whale before it died and attempted to rescue it, but the plastic waste had already done too much damage.

While these two cases are the only ones to make international headlines, it is unlikely that these are the only ones. The amount of plastic in the oceans is astounding, so it would be highly probable for fish, whales, sharks and other marine animals to ingest enough plastic to kill themselves. It is unfortunate that these creatures are unable to tell the difference between toxic plastic and nutritious food, but that’s the sad truth.

Hopefully these whales will act as a wake-up call to many people living in oblivion to the oceans’ plastic crisis. If you’re one of those people who uses a plastic water bottle and tosses it in the trash once it’s empty, try to change your practice. Buy a reusable water bottle or simply refill the plastic one. Simple actions toward reducing, reusing and recycling could have incredible effects on the oceans. The less plastic we use today, the better quality of life marine animals will have tomorrow.

Recycling for Veterans Day: How recycled plastic can be used to help the military

Each year, the Veterans Day holiday reminds Americans to be thankful for those who have fought for their rights and freedoms. When Veterans Day rolled around this past weekend, I thought not only of those who serve and have served, but also about the military as a whole. How might this powerful force connect to the never-ending topic of plastic?

It might not come as much of a shock to learn that there is a connection. In fact, all of those plastic bottles and containers Americans throw away can be used toward manufacturing products for the military.

With over 35 billion plastic water bottles used each year, the United States’ plastic consumption isn’t slowing down any time soon. Only 25 percent of these bottles are recycled, while the other 75 percent is sent to landfills to decay over the next 1,000 years.

We know that these numbers will continue to rise, so it’s become time to think of some way to dispose of all of these plastic bottles. There are a multitude of options out there, but one of the most recent discoveries could provide help to soldiers on the battlefield.

A recent partnership between the U.S Army Research Laboratory and the U.S. Marine Corps discovered that certain plastic waste products can be used to 3-D print parts that can be used in battle. Additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, can use recycled materials in anything from “pre-production models and temporary parts to end-use aircraft parts and medical implants.”

Dr. Nicole Zander is a researcher for the Army Research Laboratory and, along with Capt. Anthony Molnar of the U.S. Marine Corps, she was able to generate fused filament fabrication from polyethylene terephthalate. This may sound complicated, but basically the recycled plastic filaments can now replace the mechanical properties of printed parts.

“In terms of mechanical properties, most polymers used in FFF have bulk strengths between 30 and 100 MPa,” said Zander in an Army.Mil article “Recycled PET has an average strength of 70 MPa, and thus may be a suitable 3-D printing feedstock.”

Now, instead of hopelessly throwing away old, plastic water bottles, toss those bottles toward something good. The project is still in the beginning phases, with new tests being run each day, but the hope is that military products will soon be made entirely of recycled plastics.

Even though Veterans Day happened last weekend, while it’s fresh on your mind, take a minute to support the military and the environment by recycling your water bottles. Maybe they could be used in the production of some of the military’s most important products.

When did protecting the environment become a bipartisan issue?

As the 2018 Midterm Elections get underway today, there are many different issues that will come under fire. From healthcare to gun control, Election Day is a big turning point in American politics.

One issue that I take particular interest to, of course, is environmental protection. Political candidates have a wide range of stances on environmental policies and programs, but over the last few years it seems as though these viewpoints stand primarily on one side of the political threshold.

The environment has become a partisan issue, with an overwhelming majority of Democrats supporting eco-friendly policies. In fact, over 90 percent of Democrats think that the “country should do whatever it takes to protect the environment.” On the other side, Republicans sit at just over 50 percent agreement.

Environmental activism and conservation in politics dates back to President Theodore Roosevelt, whose love of national parks led him to make their protection and establishment a priority during his presidency. A member of the Republican party at the time, President Roosevelt was one of the most powerful political voices in the history of American conservation.

As the years went on, more environmentally-focused policies began to pass through the legislature. Politics focused heavily on the environment in the 1950s when regulations such as the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Protection Act were passed into law. The environment has since become a bipartisan issue due to the fact that legislation passed through government does a great deal to help protect the Earth.

In fact, the recent straw and plastic bag bans that have been popping up across the country and the world have appeared only after surpassing some sort of hurdle in government. Some politicians stand in favor of certain plastic-focused legislations, while others don’t think that it’s the government’s place.

“It’s not the government’s job to tell you whether or not you should use a plastic bag,” Arizona state senator Warren Petersen said in a Governing.com article by Scott Rudd. “Are we going to micromanage every decision of every consumer?”

Not all politicians see these regulations the same way as Senator Petersen. For instance, California governor Jerry Brown made California the first state to outlaw single-use plastic straws when he signed a state-wide ban into law earlier this year. Governor Brown received some backlash from citizens for his bold move, but it is predicted to make a serious impact on plastic straw use when it goes into effect in January of 2019.

Each of the above politicians clearly has a different view on plastic and environmental regulations’ place in the legislature. I’ll take this moment to point out that Governor Brown is a member of the Democratic party, while Senator Petersen is a proud Republican.

Like every issue in politics, this generalization isn’t true for every Democrat or Republican as most politicians don’t side with their party on every issue. However, there is a strong bipartisan trend when it comes to environmental policies.

So, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, you support eco-friendly legislation or you don’t; get out and vote on this lovely Election Day. Make your voice heard. Who knows, maybe you could have a hand in the next politically-influenced environmental breakthrough.

China places ban on imported recyclables: Now what do we do with all of that plastic?

For several years, the United States and other first world countries have been packaging their recycling and shipping it to China. Earlier this year, China announced that they would no longer be accepting the world’s discarded plastic products, sending the developed world into a frenzy.

China used to be the top importer of recycled goods, accepting 45 percent of the world’s plastic recyclables. In regards to the United States alone, 31 percent of our scrap commodity was sent to China last year. This amounts to nearly $5.6 billion in total exports.

That was how it worked until early 2018 when China finally said no more.

China’s reasoning behind this plastic ban was over environmental concerns, as they cited rising emissions and a rapid increase of imported goods as a means for banning future imports. In Hong Kong for instance, 10,345 tons of waste was imported daily.

These cities have officially had enough, but what on earth do we do with all of this plastic now?

China’s refusal to accept these waste products has not only created a problem for countries who have depended on this export agreement for years, but it has also opened many consumers’ eyes to the possibility that the products they diligently toss into their recycling bin may not be recycled.

With waste products piling up at recycling services across the country, businesses like Republic Services and Waste Management are looking for other ways to get rid of the recycling. Several companies are seeking options in other countries, but it is not likely that they will be able to accept products in the same magnitude as China.

The recycling crisis that we are facing now should make Americans more aware of their waste habits. The amount of plastics and other types of waste that we throw away on a daily basis is astounding. Over 50 billion plastic water bottles are used each year, but only 23 percent of that is actually recycled. However, that’s still nearly 38 billion water bottles ending up in recycling plants, with each one needing a place to go once it’s recycled.

Yes, it’s better to toss a plastic bottle into the recycling bin rather than the garbage can, but maybe we should try to reduce the amount of plastic and other products we throw away in the first place. Aiming to reduce rather than just recycle could help lessen the burden faced by waste collection services across the country.

As the United States continues its hunt for an alternative to sending recycled waste to China, it is our responsibility, as the consumers who collect and create a large portion of the waste, to cut back on the amount of excess recycling and garbage we produce.

Are you eating a whole bunch of little pieces of plastic?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question is probably yes. After findings from a recent study were published last Tuesday, many people are becoming aware of the existence of microplastics in some of the foods they eat the most.

The study, conducted by Incheon National University and Greenpeace East Asia, found that microplastics are evident in more than 90% of packaged, food-grade salt that is found in grocery stores. Samples were collected from 39 different table salt brands in 21 different countries, spanning from China and the Philippines to Germany and the United States. Of these 39 different brands, traces of microplastics were found in 36 of them.

These discoveries come as a major shock to many consumers who mindlessly sprinkle salt on their food every day. Through normal consumption of table salt, the average adult could be ingesting nearly 2,000 pieces of plastic every year.

After reading about this disgusting reality, I wondered if there is evidence of microplastics in any of the other foods Americans enjoy nearly every day. As can be expected, my search results did not provide very promising answers.

We’ve covered in recent weeks the detrimental affects that plastic pollution is having on our world oceans. From the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to pesky plastic straws, there is an unfortunate amount of plastic floating in the oceans. Over time, the plastic never decomposes, but it does break down into smaller and smaller pieces. This is how microplastics form.

Microplastics can pollute animals and resources in the ocean even easier than a plastic bottle or straw because of their small size. Traces of plastic wind up in table salt after the salt is harvested from seawater that is polluted by plastic. This is how salt is winding up in other foods we eat as well.

Fish who swim in plastic-polluted oceans mistake these little plastic bits for food and eat them; meaning that when humans catch these same fish and bring them home dinner, they are inadvertently eating microplastics too.

All of this is part of a nasty and unfortunate chain that comes back to humans in a full circle. Humans are careless with their plastic waste and much of it ends up polluting the oceans. The plastic breaks down into tiny pieces, further polluting the ocean’s most valuable organisms and resources. Then, when humans want something to eat, they get it from the same ocean they polluted with their trash.

Basically, humans are polluting the oceans and, in turn, harming themselves.

However, this problem has a simple fix—cut back on plastic pollution. If we can reduce our waste and take extra care to keep it out of the ocean, then we can prevent ourselves from ingesting plastic pieces in table salt, fish and many other foods we eat regularly.

Hurricane Michael leaves trail of waste in its wake, a pattern we’ve seen before

The Florida panhandle and parts of Georgia were ravaged last week when Hurricane Michael made landfall on Wednesday morning. The massively powerful storm washed ashore as a category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest storms to hit Florida in recent years.

The hurricane strengthened as it moved across Florida and Georgia on Wednesday and Thursday. The storm struck land with 155 mile-per-hour winds and flash flood warnings for parts of Georgia, North and South Carolina and Virginia. Hurricane Michael made landfall as the one of the top-ten strongest hurricanes in United States history.

Hurricane Michael was no exception to the destruction and debris that powerful hurricanes have been known to leave in their wake. Many communities were left unrecognizable with most places completely underwater from the storm surge and heavy rainfall.

With this destruction comes tons and tons of debris and waste. The initial impact from a hurricane is disastrous and scary for those who must endure it, but the lasting impact comes after the winds have slowed and the rains have subsided. The storm’s destruction leaves communities with months and years-worth of clean-up.

In a time when many Americans are attempting to reduce the amount of debris and waste in the oceans, hurricanes negate these efforts by flooding communities and sucking plastic waste and other debris back into the ocean. Many organizations attempt to get ahead of this consequence by leading clean-up efforts in communities, but people are often unable to prevent the large amount of waste that is filtered into the oceans.

One of the biggest issues with waste created by hurricanes is the cross contamination in these piles of waste. Most of the flood waters are contaminated by chemicals, preventing many waste materials from being recycled properly.

Waste totals for Hurricane Michael have yet to be released, but the amount of destruction and debris caused by the storm is nothing new. Back in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana, the massive storm created 100 million cubic yards of debris, most of which was sent to landfills. Not only does this waste create a problem for landfill control, but it is extremely expensive to clean up. Katrina clean-up totaled an estimated $2 billion, and Michael is expected to have similar totals.

Obviously, plastic waste and debris is not the most important aspect in the wake of a destructive hurricane like Michael. Many people lost their homes and some lost their lives. This type of destruction is irreversible and devastating.

However, the waste and debris created by these storms is still important. If volunteers and area residents work together to help clean up the destruction and debris left by Hurricane Michael, much of the waste can be prevented from filtrating into the ocean and creating lasting effects on these habitats.

Slowly but surely, plastic straws are disappearing across the country

If you’ve been paying attention to the environmental headlines lately (or this blog), then you know that plastic straws are taking some heat. Bans on plastic straws are sweeping the country and some are ecstatic, while others are standing their ground against the bans.

I know we’ve talked a lot about plastic bans in the last couple weeks, but they’re the talk of the plastic movement. Without the bans, it would be hard to make any progress toward a more environmentally friendly country.

Plastic straw bans are picking up steam, appearing in a number of local and chain restaurants as well as taking over several cities and a handful of states. A full list of U.S. cities that have placed a ban on plastic straws can be found here or check out the map below.

When looking over the map, it’s easy to notice that the west coast is far ahead of the rest of the country in straw legislations. There is a large clump of straw bans in California, as well as a few in Washington. However, only a handful of bans scatter the east coast, with the only bans appearing in cities along the coast.

It is common for straw bans to appear in coastal cities first, but there are still a ton of coastal locations that have yet to place city or state-wide bans on single-use plastic straws. While many restaurants and local beaches in these seaside towns have announced their own bans on plastic straws, the declaration has yet to make it to the city as a whole.

It may seem like a ban on something as little as a plastic straw won’t do much to help the plastic crisis in this country, but cutting back on this simple luxury pushes us toward making a bigger dent in plastic waste.

This is where the spillover effect comes in. Environmentalists hope that as straw bans pick up steam, more Americans will realize how much single-use plastic they go through on a daily basis. As this realization reaches more and more people, it is anticipated that plastic use as a whole will see a decline across the country. Just think, all of this is going to come from a simple plastic straw.

Fighting the plastic or fighting the ban?

As we’ve learned in previous weeks, plastic bans are sweeping the globe. Cities, countries and corporations worldwide are picking up on the new trend and vowing to put a stop to their own plastic use habits. These efforts are an attempt to put a dent in the outrageous plastic waste numbers that have been published in recent years, but not everyone is as excited about plastic bans as we might think.

While most of these bans – from Kroger and Starbucks to California and Red Lobster, the country’s most recent business to hop on the bandwagon – are greeted with support from local communities, there’s another demographic that doesn’t see plastic bans as the environmental victory for which they are being herald.

Some of the biggest arguments against plastic bans center around plastic bag bans, especially since these bans are some of the most prevalent today. Environmentalists argue against the use of plastic bags for many reasons, but one of the biggest is that the simply don’t go away. Plastic bags are made of polyethylene, which takes over 300 years to decompose. In that time period, the bags can be swept into animal ecosystems, potentially harming the animals who live there.

However, as plastic bag bans have become more popular, a number of people and organizations have also stepped up to offer their opinion as to why these bans may not be the best option. One of the biggest worries is convenience. While this seems self-centered, there is legitimacy behind it. As Americans, we are constantly on the go, and plastic bags make our hectic lives easier, even if we don’t want to admit that. Plastic bags are light and easy to transport, making their use in grocery stores and other retail areas a no-brainer.

Also, plastic bags are not the only thing we use that could be considered bad for the environment. A multitude of man-made items are comprised of products that could harm the environment around them, so why the big war on plastic bags? Those who argue this way believe that if we’re going to implement bans on plastic to help the environment, we need to take a look at other products we use that have a potential to harm the world around us.

You can agree or disagree with the so-called “Stop the Bag Ban” movement, but here’s the thing—no matter whether we attempt to implement bans or keep consumption at its current pace, plastic usage is going to increase. The global population is steadily increasing and with a rise in humans, comes a rise in the amount of goods these humans are consuming. And plastic is most definitely one of these over-consumed goods.

While there are adequate arguments on either side of the conversation, there is no denying that our plastic use has gotten out of control. Bans and taxes may not be the best answer right now, but it’s important that we find somewhere to compromise so that our great-great-great-grandchildren aren’t living in a world made of plastic.

Phased Out: California’s new straw ban greeted with mixed reactions

California governor, Jerry Brown, signed a full ban on single-use plastic straws into law last Thursday. The new law, which will officially go into effect on January 1, 2019, prohibits California restaurants from automatically offering plastic straws to customers. Those who still wish to use a straw must request one from their server.

Upon passing the law, California became the first state to fully outlaw plastic straws. The state falls in line just behind Seattle, Washington, who became the first city to place a ban on straws in July. Together, California and Seattle’s declarations are working to encourage the nation to follow suit by setting an environmental example for the whole country.

With 500 million straws used daily in the United States alone, a single state’s ban on a famous plastic nemesis could make a huge impact on the total amount of discarded plastic waste. The entire west side of California borders the ocean, so much of its garbage can easily end up in the Pacific. By passing this regulation, California restaurants will be doing their part to decrease the amount of waste that ends up in the ocean.

However, California’s ban has been met with some criticism on both sides of the argument. While environmentalists are happy with California’s effort to reduce the state’s plastic straw waste, a limitation on the law doesn’t make it as great as people think.

The new law only applies to full-service restaurants. So, while customers will have to request straws from servers at their favorite sit-down spots, they’ll still be able to get as many straws as they please at fast food establishments, delis, cafes and the like. Fast food chains are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to plastic straw consumption, so there is still work to be done when it comes to California’s new straw ban.

California’s ban has also caused some heat among the elderly and disabled communities. Many people require a straw in order to drink a beverage independently. The new ban, while it won’t make it impossible for these people to acquire a straw, will certainly create an obstacle for those who must use a straw. Governor Brown and California have been accused of ignoring these demographics when passing this new law.

The backlash following California’s new straw ban is acting as a warning flag for the new “no-straw” movements. While many people are refusing straws and encouraging others to do the same, the reactions from many Californians shows us that progress in this movement could be further away than we thought. It’s evident that there are a few kinks that need to be worked out before other U.S. cities pass plastic straw bans into law.

Phasing Out: Travel Companies and Single-Use Plastic

This week we’ve focused on companies placing bans on single use plastic. From Starbucks and the straw to Ikea and plastic silverware, each company is trying to do its part to reduce plastic waste around the globe. In addition to the companies we’ve covered this week, a handful of travel companies are joining the trend by placing their own bans on plastic products.

As global entities, travel companies have the opportunity to make an impact on plastic consumption and waste in a variety of exotic locations. Airlines, cruise lines, hotels and travel corporations are introducing bans on anything from plastic straws to drink stirrers to silverware in an attempt to reduce the waste produced by their businesses.

Just as we’ve talked about in earlier “Phasing Out” posts this week, one of the biggest impacts of these travel companies’ bans is the amount of attention they will generate across the globe. For those who have yet to join the plastic-free bandwagon, these bans will likely open the eyes of these customers, causing them to think twice about their own plastic consumption.

Think about how many people purchase airline tickets from American Airlines or book cruise packages with Royal Caribbean. Each of these people will be exposed to the single-use plastic crisis that is sweeping the globe.

Not only will travel company plastic bans make an impact on their own rate of consumption, but they will also spread the word about plastic waste. Hopefully this will encourage more people to be conservative when it comes to plastic use.

However, as we’ve seen with other plastic bans and phasing out plans throughout the week, travel companies’ bans still have a way to go before they reach completion. In fact, claims are popping up on Twitter concerning American Airlines giving out plastic straws to customers. This claim came through this week, but American Airlines announced their ban on plastic straws in July. The airline supposedly plans to complete this phasing out plan by November, but they are still offering straws in-flight.

Just like many of the other companies we’ve discussed this week, American Airlines and other travel companies still have some work to do in order to follow through on their plastic bans. In order for them to reach these ambitious plastic-free goals, they will have to take a good look at how their employees and locations are treating plastic waste across the globe.