Ban the Bag

A Neighborhood Action to Help Reduce the Problem of Plastic.

Plastic is an important part of our lives. Among a long list of useful items, plastic constitues medical equipment and child safety seats to keep us healthy and safe. With the world's population reaching 7 billion in 2011, we simply do not have the natural resources to support so many people in this world without plastic.

However, there is a tremendous problem with single use plastics.

Plastic Bags

Plastic is made from oil, which is a limited resource. Plastic bags are not made from "leftover" oil, but take material away from being used for things that are necissary for the wellbeing of our society.

Our landfills are overflowing; we are running out of room for our throwaway lifestyle. There are concerns that toxic chemicals found in plastic are leaching into our groundwater from the lanfills. This means we all will be exposed to chemicals which have links to some of today's biggest helth concerns, including ADHD, cancer, autism and obesity. Landfills are also the leading cause of methane emmissions, a potent greenhouse gas, which is the driving force behind issues of climate change we are facing now.

The earth cannot absorb plastic. We should question whether it is worth it to consume a material which offers "convenience" for hours or even days, when the waste remains for a million years.

The solution to plastic pollution lies at the source: Use Less

Plastic Water Bottles

One of the biggest contributors to plastic pollution is the single use plastic water bottle.
The strange thing is, in both taste tests and water quality tests, tap water wins hands down against bottled water.

In America, there are strict regulations for tap water, and few for bottled water. In fact, almost half the bottled water you find in the store is simply bottled tap water. The process of building a bottling plant, making plastic bottles & shipping the bottles of water to the stores is all very resource intensive for an item with questionable integrity. Imagine filling a quarter of your disposable water bottle with oil to understand how much petroleum is used in the production and transport of bottled water.

Then consider the toxins which leach from the plastic into the water only to be absorbed into our bodies. There is a long list of health concerns which are linked to these toxins. Endocrine disruptors are the root of many of these health issues. Biphenol A (BPA) & phthalates are becoming well known endocrine disruptors and can be found in the most commonly used plastics which fill our lives.

What is disrupted? Our ability to learn, to form bonds and cultivate love, to reproduce, and our ability to control our weight. Even babies, on the first day they are born, are found with plastic toxins in their bodies.

And then we have to remember the tons of waste created by the disposable plastic water bottle.
It NEVER goes away.

Disposable plastic water bottles pollute our bodies and the environment. The solution in America is easy:

Drink Tap Water

If you are concerned about the quality of your tap water, buy a filter. There are quite a few options for water filters, including pitcher filters, faucet filters and point of entry filters which filter all the water as it comes into a home or business. Water Coolers can be replaced with a Bottleless Water Cooler which plug right into your water line and reduces your risk of exposure to BPA.

Drink tap water out of glass containers.
On the go, refill a stainless steel water bottle with tap water. Buy your own Klean Kanteen

Resources

Water Advocacy Groups:
Food & Water Watch
Environmental Working Group - 2011 Bottled water scorecard
Inside the Bottle

Health Issues
Learn more about endocrine disruption
Learn more about the chemical burdens our bodies carry
Learn more about the connection of plastic toxins to Breast Cancer

Plastic Pollution:
Plastic Pollution Coalition

Documentaries:
Tapped
Bag It

Refuse - Reduce - Reuse - Recycle

The most effective way to reduce the plastic problem is simply to refuse it. With a little awareness, it becomes simple to form habits to avoid single use plastics. When plastic is unavoidable, reusing it before it goes in a recycle bin helps reduce waste as well.

Refuse
Say NO to disposable plastics!

Reduce
Reduce your plastic footprint: buy in bulk, choose products with the least packaging, look for products and packaging made from renewable resources, and avoid plastic packaging and containers. Choose products that have the least amount of disposable parts.

Reuse
Reuse preferably nontoxic (glass, stainless steel) containers and goods to make less waste.

Recycle
Recycle what you can’t refuse, reduce or reuse. Recycling is a last option because it uses energy, and there may not be a market for the refabricated materials.

Citizen's Toolkit
Consider carrying this list of items as you travel through your day to see how much single use plastics you can cut out of your routine. As people see you requesting the use of an item in your "toolkit", you may plant seeds of inspiration for them to use in their everyday lives as well.
Reusable coffee mug
Stainless steel water bottle
Cloth bag for stops at the store
Utensils for take-out
Reusable containers for restaurant leftovers or bulk items at a grocery store

Reduce the amount of Single use Plastic in your life:
Packaging accounts for a huge amount of plastic.
The way you purchase things can have a huge impact on plastic waste

Buy things with minimal or no packaging:
Much produce, for example, comes in it's own wrapper. We don't need to add another layer of plastic when we buy it.

Buy in Bulk:
You can bring your own bag or use paper bags at the bins.

Buy used:
or trade with friends

Donate used:
To keep the cycle going, donate your used items to thriftstores or homeless shelters instead of sending them to a methane belching landfill. Items like furniture, appliances, household items and clothing are useful for families who can't always afford to buy new things. It is a good way to save money too.

Buy less:
Happiness is not driven by consumerism, no matter what that ad says. Focus on what is most satisfying in your life and discern between "needs" and "desires" to get yourself off the dead-end treadmill of consumption.

The Challenge

Single Use disposable items like plastic bags and plastic water bottles are very profitable for big oil companies. They would like us to keep using plastic so they can keep making money. Because oil companies are some of the most wealthy organizations in the world, they have a lot of sway over governments. They think they can make sure plastic continues to be readily available to us.

Unfortunately, these companies think about short term profits instead of considering the effects of plastic on our bodies and how it will hurt our home. Fortunately, avoiding single use plastics is empowering because it is an action we can take in our day to day lives which tells the oil companies: NO! We will not be subjected to the destruction of our bodies and of the world.