When you think of plastic you might think of cheap toys from China, packaging, and plastic bags. The 20th century saw the emergence of plastic as a go-to product when Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first synthetic plastic derived from fossil fuels. And the plastics race, at least plastics as we know them, was on.
Synthetic plastics have the advantage that they are adaptable; they can be durable; and even last forever. No organisms have evolved that are capable of digesting these complicated and alien materials. But those advantages are, of course, also a great disadvantage. Plastic will sit in a landfill, or litter a street for thousands of years without decomposing. But we continue to depend upon plastic for everything from car parts to a cover for leftovers!
When we keep in mind that the United Nations estimates that more than 8 million metric tonnes of plastic enters the oceans each year we all know that something must be done.
Manufacturers are exploring ‘bio-derived plastics’ which introduces us to the use of natural materials such as sugar cane, and eliminates those nasty fossil fuels in making plastic.
But in the spirit of footprint reduction, we here at the Camp are asking ourselves what can WE do? How can we reduce OUR dependence?
Life Without Plastic: The Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Avoiding Plastic to Keep Your Family and the Planet Healthy is a book (with a very long title), and a blog that can help all of us make a transition. Written by wife and husband Chantal Plamondon and Jay Sinha, the book tells you how to assess your dependence, and offers tips for alternatives. The couple were recently featured in a Toronto Sun article which drew our attention. Check them out, and grab that book…without taking it home in a plastic bag!
