I’ve heard a lot of rumbling over environmental issues recently especially
when it comes to plastic waste, water waste, and lack of energy-producing capabilities.
So, I decided to do a little research, and this is what I learned.
The history of plastic bags goes back to 1959 when a Swedish engineer by the name of Gustaf Thulin came up with the concept of plastic bags to save the trees in the forests of Europe that were used to make paper bags. Plastic has quickly become public enemy number one of our planet, causing massive pollution and harm to our environment. Although, plastic bags were created with good intentions - to save the planet. The durability of plastic bags meant they could be reused multiple times, unlike paper bags which quickly deteriorate. Despite their initial purpose, plastic bags have now become a major contributor to environmental issues, with their disposal causing harm to oceans, wildlife, and even human health. It's a stark reminder of how good intentions can sometimes have unintended consequences.
Let's break the cycle of wastefulness when it comes to plastic bags! Did you know that around 40% of plastic produced is used for packaging, only to be thrown away after a single use? Let's take a page out of history and start reusing our plastic bags just like the inventor's son's father did back in the '70s and '80s! Carry a folded-up plastic bag in your pocket and return it to the store for reuse - it's a simple act of conservation that can make a big difference! Let's be mindful of our plastic usage and work towards a more sustainable future together!
Did you know that plastic bags became super popular in the 1960s and quickly took over the market in Europe? By the late 1970s, they were dominating 80% of the bag market there. Not to be left behind, major US supermarket chains like Kroger and Safeway started using plastic bags in the early 1980s. And by the end of the decade, plastic bags had become the top choice globally, beating out paper bags in popularity. It's crazy how something so small can have such a big impact on our environment! Let's all do our part to reduce our plastic use and help protect our planet.
In the US Americans use almost one plastic bag per person per day? That's a lot of waste! In contrast, shoppers in Denmark only use an average of four plastic bags a year. The UN reports that one trillion plastic bags are produced annually worldwide - that's mind-blowing! Many countries have already banned plastic bags to combat this issue. The problem is that most plastic bags aren't recycled and end up in landfills, taking up to 1,000 years to decompose. Let's make a change and opt for more sustainable alternatives. It's time to rethink our plastic bag usage and make a positive impact on the environment.
It's worth considering that alternatives to plastic bags may not be as environmentally friendly as we assume. While opting for paper or cotton bags may seem like a sustainable choice, they come with their own drawbacks. According to the UK Environment Agency, a paper bag must be used three times to match the environmental benefits of a recycled plastic bag. This is due to the higher resource consumption in the production of paper bags, such as energy and water, as well as the increased weight for transportation. Cotton bags are even less eco-friendly, requiring a staggering 131 uses to equal the environmental impact of plastic bags. Perhaps there's merit in my father's advice to simply reuse what we already have, rather than constantly purchasing new bags.
Now if we look worldwide to other countries and how they’re recycling and turning their garbage into energy and other products, we must turn to Singapore and Dubai as examples.
Did you know that Singapore boasts an impressive 60% recycling rate, leaving the U.S. rate of 34.7% in the dust? Dive into a new study from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources to uncover the secrets behind Singapore's stellar recycling success. The study, conducted from August 2012 to January 2013, surveyed 2,500 households and held five focus group discussions. Results revealed that a whopping 95% of respondents reported recycling, with newspapers, old clothing, magazines, plastic bags, and plastic drink bottles topping the list of recycled materials. What can America learn from Singapore's recycling habits? Instead of looking to build electric cars, they should build a power generation facility that can reduce waste to produce aggregate products, building materials, clean water, and air, plus produce enough electricity to light up an entire city or two or three.
It seems like the majority of people in Singapore are really on board with the Karung Guni recycling program, using recycling bins, or having their recycling picked up right from their doorstep. But surprisingly, a good chunk of folks is choosing to reuse items instead of just tossing them in the recycling bin. Over 17 percent of respondents mentioned that they either reuse recyclables themselves or pass them along to someone else for reuse before they even think about recycling. This means that the recycling rate might be lower than we think when you take into account all the reuse going on. The same mindset is occurring in Dubai at the same time. These two countries are neck and neck in their power generation programs wherein they use recyclables to produce clean energy to light their communities, clean their water, and produce aggregate materials such as asphalt, and building materials from ash produced by the recycling facility. While many people are motivated by a desire to help the environment (64 percent of respondents said they recycle for this reason), convenience and awareness also play a big role. Most folks know where the nearest recycling bin is (nearly 65 percent) and find them to be conveniently located (69.8 percent).
It's impressive to see how informed Singaporeans and the citizens of Dubai are about recycling materials. While Tetra Paks had the lowest recognition rate at 68%, over 80% of residents knew where to recycle other items. This shows a high level of familiarity with what can be recycled in their local programs.
In the U.S., recycling availability varies widely by location, with new items being added to accepted lists each year. This leads to many Americans not knowing what can be recycled in their area.
One major barrier to recycling in the U.S. is the lack of access to curbside programs, but the good news is that curbside recycling is becoming more common. In 2011, there were over 9,800 curbside programs, compared to 8,875 in 2002. There is no Up-to-date data on either country's recycling and power generation activities, but they are the same as in 2011.
Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Pheonix University in Business Management, then a degree in Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology, her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. In her spare time, Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, Gouache, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 6 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, and opinion or history pieces each week.
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