PLASTIC CULTURE NOW LEADING TO PLASTIC PEOPLE
These days one could argue that we are surrounded by plastic people, and it wouldn't be far from the truth.
A 2019 study conducted by the University of Victoria suggests that we are unknowingly consuming tens of thousands of microplastics each year — a figure that surpasses 100,000 for those who drink only bottled water.
Our use of plastic is so prevalent, from water bottles to food packaging to the plastic bags we use to get our groceries, that our new normal is that microplastics are present in the food we eat and the air we breathe. And unsurprisingly, the consumption of this toxic substance poses significant health risks not only to humans but to our wildlife.
Recognizing such threats, it's only fitting that here in Canada we actively support the Plastic Free July initiative (check out plasticfreejuly.org), which began as a local campaign in Australia in 2011 and has since evolved into a worldwide movement.
The website does an excellent job of putting our relationship with plastic into perspective with some startling facts. Among them: that we go through 10 billion plastic bags every week. Eight million tons of plastic enter our waters each year and at that pace, by 2050 there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish.
And most importantly on the home front: only nine per cent of plastic gets recycled. The rest ends up polluting the environment, where it doesn't break down — it just breaks up.
The website also features a host of ideas on how we can all do a better job of cutting back on our use of plastics at home, at work, or when out in public. Of these, here are three steps you can take to significantly reduce your plastic footprint:
OPT FOR PLASTIC ALTERNATIVES
Choosing not to use plastic milk bags and reverting back to glass milk containers is a good starting point. Replacing your plastic food containers, which begin to break down over time (and when used for food, contribute to the microplastics we consume), is another step in the right direction.
In their place, everything from tempered glass, which stands up well to wear and tear, to containers made from such unique alternatives as rice husk fibre, which are compostable at the end of their life cycle.
And then arguably the most important action you can take — stop using plastic water bottles or, as the current Plastic Free July campaign puts it: “Choose to refuse single-use plastics.” In the place of plastic, carry a refillable container with you. From a convenience standpoint, it's just as easy to carry, is more economical and is likely better insulated.
START SINGLING OUT SINGLE USE
By the end of this year, Canada's ban on single-use plastics will take effect, which includes plastic grocery bags, straws, stir sticks and six-pack rings. But we can all do our part by substituting the use of these items now rather than waiting until the end of the year.
So remember to bring your reusable bags along when going shopping for groceries or any other household items for that matter. If you like using a straw for drinks, get yourself a reusable metal or silicone one. And if you pick up a six-pack of beer, throw them in a reusable bag or insist, as some microbreweries have started to do, that they provide recyclable cardboard holders.
REFILL 'ER UP
The use of reusable containers in stores such as Bulk Barn was put on hold due to COVID, but encouragingly, the company has now reinstated this program in many of its stores across the country.
There's also an encouraging growth in independent stores, such as Pine Eco + Refillery Boutique in my hometown of Collingwood that stocks everything from cleaning products and cosmetics, to toothpaste and mouthwash. Not unlike the Bulk Barns of the world, you bring in your container of choice, it's
weighed empty — then weighed after being filled and your purchase price is based on the net weight of the product.
Not sure where to begin? Well, borrowing on the philosophy that you should devote just five minutes to getting started on a task you've been putting off, only to discover after five minutes that you're ready to keep going and finish the job at hand, consider tackling just one of the recommendations on the above list.
Once you start down this path, watch out — you may just surprise yourself in terms of how many other plastic reducing steps you'll be prepared to take. And with any luck, friends and family members will follow your lead.