The Climate Change Collective is an initiative where the blogging community unites behind a common goal. As Plastic Free July wraps up for another year, this month’s lead post is from Alison at A Sustainably Simple Life, who provides an informative look at the lifecycle of plastic and why it’s a problem for the environment.
Exploring the lifecycle of plastic
One of the reasons humans love plastic is its durability. But that durability is also its biggest problem. It never goes away. Whether we use it for a few seconds or a few years, plastic stays on the planet for hundreds of years after we dispose of it.
In this month’s Climate Change Collective lead post, Alison from A Sustainably Simple Life takes a comprehensive look at the lifecycle of plastic and the ways it hurts the environment. Starting with the extraction of raw materials, through to production, manufacturing, distribution, usage, and disposal, the potential for damage throughout the lifecycle is great.
Being a mindful plastic consumer
Along my journey to sustainability, I’ve learned that it is virtually impossible to eliminate plastic from my life. However, I’ve also learned to be more mindful about my use of plastic.
Being mindful starts with considering the utility of a plastic item and asking myself a few questions.
- How long will I use this item for?
- Why do I need it?
- Is there a packaging-free option?
- Can I buy this product at a bulk store or refillery using my own container?
- Can I reuse the item?
- Is it recyclable?
The first questions get to the heart of the plastic problem. Our desire for convenience means we use many items for a few seconds or minutes and then throw them away—things like plastic water bottles, single-use beverage containers, and plastic shopping bags.
Beyond single-use to packaging-free and durable
In my opinion, the only valid single-use plastics are sterile items used in the medical field. Every other single-use plastic item can, and should, be eliminated and replaced with packaging-free, reusable or durable alternatives.
Replacing single-use shopping bags with reusable bags is one of the simplest swaps, and there has been a definite change in consumer behaviour in this area. But what’s disguised as progress isn’t always a better alternative. As an example, during a recent trip to California I noticed the “reusable” shopping bags sold in supermarkets are just heavier plastic versions of the single-use plastic bags that have been banned in many areas. I had to wonder how many of those bags actually get reused, and how many just get tossed in the trash, causing more harm than good.
There is no such thing as away. When you throw something away, it must go somewhere
Annie Leonard
At the opposite end of the spectrum are truly durable goods made from plastic. When we replaced our deck and reinvented our outdoor space last year, we invested in new patio furniture made from recycled plastic. It’s sturdy, durable, and I expect it will be the last patio furniture we ever buy.
Learn more about the lifecycle of plastic
Learning and knowledge is one of our biggest weapons against climate change. Please take a few minutes to read Alison’s post.
The end of a piece of plastic’s life cycle isn’t the full story of plastic’s damage to our planet; there is a lot more to the creation, distribution, and use of plastic.
Alison, A Sustainably Simple Life
Looking Into the Life Cycle of Plastic
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About the Climate Change Collective
The Climate Change Collective started when I left a comment on a blog post by Jamie Ad Stories. Jamie and I wanted to find a way to keep environmental issues top of mind for everyone, so I posted on social media to see what kind of interest there would be in a climate-change-related blogging collaboration. The Climate Change Collective was born!
For over three years, the members our group took turns writing a monthly blog post sharing their unique perspective about climate change. After the lead post was published, the rest of the group kept the conversation going by sharing a link to the post on their blogs along with their thoughts and ideas.
More Climate Change Collective posts
Check out Two years of the Climate Change Collective series for a recap of the posts we published in the first two years.
Latest posts in the series
- Meet the Climate Change Collective members and learn about the topics we covered in year three in Celebrating 3 Years of Climate Change Awareness and Environmental Education.
- Food storage tips that will reduce waste and save you money
- Racing Towards Green: How Formula 1 is Embracing Sustainability
Thanks to Alison for being part of our Climate Change Collective and for providing insights into the lifecycle of plastic.
What steps have you taken to reduce your single-use plastic use? Tell me your thoughts below.
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Plastic is a really complicated construct. We use it too much but they still need to work on some alternatives. I make sure I use paper straws but often find that half way through the drink they go soggy and I can no longer suck up the drink (this happened in the cinema recently).
I hope they pump money into finding good sustainable alternatives and soon. I will use them.
I agree Jamie. There are alternatives to plastic but some need to be perfected. I rarely use a straw but I find our paper straws here are pretty good. I was so shocked in the United States recently that plastic straws…and plastic cutlery…are EVERYWHERE! I have to remember to say “no straw” when ordering a drink and I always forget.