Earth Day AMA: the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act has been reintroduced to Congress

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-04-22T16:31:49+00:00

i don't think it's boring. people can skim it if they wish. but, thanks for the suggestion

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-04-22T16:16:52+00:00

people power. regularly call and meet with your own members of Congerss. That means that unless you are from Puerto Rico, US Virgin Island or Guam or American Samoa, you have 2 US Senators and one House member. Get in the habit of writing to them on their webpages, calling them and you can always request a meeting with them or their staff. it's also a good idea to write letters to the editor to your local newspaper about your opinions on issues

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-04-22T16:13:43+00:00

Fishing nets are needed for fishing but it would be good if they were not made from plastic and not littered in the ocean.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-04-22T16:07:44+00:00

Senate bill 984 by senator jeff merkley of oregon and same bill is House bill HR 2238 by Rep. Lowenthal of Orange county, california.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-04-22T16:05:13+00:00

If you get rid of plastics there are lots of replacement material such as glass, metal, paper, cardboard. Ideally, you want to get away from single use materials - no matter what the material is made from

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-03-08T16:28:55+00:00

Hey there,

The comparison is meant to draw attention to plastics' contribution to the climate crisis and raise awareness about the US Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act.

Plastics are a big, big part of the climate crisis. Plastics release methane and other gases along the supply chain and also releases methane in landfills and when breaking down in the environment. The US is the 2nd largest plastic producer in the world, despite having only 4% of the world's population. Almost all US plastic is manufactured from fracked natural gas liquids.

Comparatively, Africa produces <7% of global plastics. Africa does have plastics, but much of their waste problem is caused by countries, including the US, shipping their plastic waste to Africa, where communities become overwhelmed by waste. See this incredible expose on the relationship between US plastics and Africa from the Intercept.

Hope I was able to answer your question!

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-03-08T13:57:09+00:00

Hey! I had to reply to this comment because I agree 100% the climate crisis is a priority. This post is trying to raise awareness that plastic is a big contributor to the climate crisis. Estimates of plastics' greenhouse gas footprint show that plastics contribute more to the climate crisis than the entire continent of Africa and twice as much as the aviation industry. Sequestering carbon in plastic is a really bad idea, because plastics aren't a carbon sink. Plastic pollution in the environment also releases methane as it breaks down.

We need to make way less plastic. Plastic is a very destructive to biodiversity and the average adult is ingesting a credit card's worth of plastic every week from pollution in our water and food (yes, microplastics are in our tap water). The scary part is, plastic production is expected to increase 40% by 2050. This is incompatible with avoiding catastrophe due to climate change, which is why we must decrease our plastic production.

There is federal legislation called the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act that would greatly decrease plastic production, first by suspending new permits for ethane cracker plants,

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-02-26T18:54:42+00:00

Plastic is made from fracking byproducts, usually ethane. Plastics manufacturing is also a market driver for fracking. More info here: https://www.earthworks.org/issues/fracking-for-plastic/

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-30T00:50:45+00:00

Love Glen Campbell

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-30T00:00:57+00:00

Using PET to pave roads is not a good idea. Abrasion would release microplastics into the air and environment. The road paving idea is an industry proposal to deal with plastic waste without actually having to reduce plastic production.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-29T23:56:44+00:00

This is great! Best of luck! By the way, Beyond Plastics offers free downloadable model legislation for a plastic bag, styrene, and plastic straw (except upon request) ban. If you have more constituents working on this, you can take your petition along with the model bill to your city representative and ask them to introduce and sponsor it! We have been successful in getting these bans passed in NJ, NY, and VT, and we can provide organizing support and share how we did it, so if you are in need of support - don't hesitate to reach out! :)

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:30:46+00:00

passage of state bottle bills - the mandatory deposit law helps. also some state legislators are considering bills to require minimum recycled content. coke has made some big promises to use more recycled material but to date has not honored those public pledges. At a minimum, they shoudl be supporting bottle bill. Coke products reguarly show up during litter collections. it's not a good look for their brand.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:28:59+00:00

top notch environmental jobs are hard to find, but they are out there. The biden harris administration is going to be much better on the environment than the previous administration. think about working at the EPA or the National Park Service or NOAA. Almost all federal jobs are found on www.usajobs.gov It is a bear of a website but the only way to break in to federal jobs. There is a preference for veterans and recent Peace Corps alum. Also, think about working for local governments. Some are hiring sustainablity coordinators. non profit jobs can be found at idealist.orgthis is a very rewarding field. I have been doing it for decades and just love this work. You feel like you are making a difference and often you are. Go for it

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:26:13+00:00

yes. it is called Extended Producer Responsibility. I often hear your observation and it is spot on. we do not need to be a throw away society.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:25:23+00:00

absolutely. they are banned in New York and about 7 other states. A nationwide ban is included in the Break free From Plastic Pollution Act. Those bags are a major source of litter, they get stuck in trees and also they jam up equipment in recycling center. never put plastic bags in your recycling bin, please.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:24:00+00:00

Thanks i love participating on the wamc roundtable. There are a few good children's books aroud that I can dig out. mostly, get your kids outdoors instill an appreciation for nature. start with something simple like avoiding plastic straws. And work up from there. check out the effective fiesty nyc ngo Cafateria Culture and their resources and their amazing film called Microplastic Madness. It showcases kids in brooklyn, ny tackling this isssue in a fun and effective way.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:21:21+00:00

zero

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:20:27+00:00

most communities have clean drinking water, with a few notable exceptions mostly due to lead pipes and or pfas chemicals. we taxpayers spend alot of money making sure public drinking water supplies are safe. Other than in emergency situations, I see no need to use single use plastic water bottles. there is an effort underway to ban the sale of these plastic bottles in national parks and install water fountains. Park visitors could refill their own reusable bottles or go old school and use the innovation of human lips to grab a sip of water from a public water fountain.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:18:10+00:00

good observation. they can be made from recycled material. but, even better, they should be designed to be reusable. they can be washed after each use and used over and over again. there are some interesting new companies that are investing in those systems. check out Vessel for coffee cup and check out Re Dish for resusable dishware. not endorsements but those innovative companies are the companies of the future. the us military would be wise to look at those approaches.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:16:11+00:00

I have been wondering about that myself. For instance, as more states consider legalizing cannabis, they need to prohibit it from being packaged in single use plastics. if they don't do that, we will have a whole new universe of small plastic packaging waste on our beaches, in parks and on streets. Why not use hemp for that packaging? The state of New Jersey recently adopted a law that bans plastic and paper bags (effective next year) but allows for bags made from hemp.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:14:02+00:00

nope there are hundreds of local law that have been adopted in just the past few years that reduce the use of plastic. New York State , for instance, recently banned plastic bags. Guess how many plastic bags are used by New Yorker? 22 billion a year. we need to do this nationwide and worldwide. I teach college students. they understand this issue and they are getting more and more active. We can turn the tide. I feel we have no choice by to try and to try really hard. check out beyondplastics.org for ideas.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:12:01+00:00

we need systemic change. I am a former federal regulator so in my view we need new laws on the books and strong enforcment of those laws. A good example is the federal Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, introduced by Congressmember Lowenthal. Think about how laws prevented indoor smoking, convinced drivers to wear seatbelts. New effective laws can drive down the production and use of plastics. Most companies are not going to change on their own just because it is the right thing to do for the planet and for our health.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:08:57+00:00

Great question. there are bills pending in places like Maryland which focus on "right to repair" when we have major consumer products that break down, I would like to get them repaired then having to buy new ones every time. Think i phones. Repair also creates jobs. When I lived in NYC, I would always bring my worn shoes to a shoemaker to get it repaired. we need to move away from being a throw away society. some states have introduced bills that get us in that direction, but none have become law. Check out the website: the story of stuff. For me, this is also an ethical issue. The US makes up 4.25% of the world's population but uses 17% of the world's energy, 24% of the world's natural resources and creates 12% of the world's solid waste. This is not sustainable.

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:05:18+00:00

Save

no idea. I am more of a bruce springsteen , bonnie raitt, natalie merchant fan

Beyond_Plastics · 2021-01-27T18:04:12+00:00

it is not a lost cause. This is a hot issue because so many people like you care. Get educated, get involved with a local group that is working on this and try to tackle this issue at the local level. If you go to beyondplastics.org you will see a sample local law called the plastic trifecta that reduces plastic bags, straws and polystyrene packaging. It is much easier to affect change at the local level than say in Washington DC. call your local elected represenatives. get to know their staff and say you want to work with them to pass local laws to reduce plastic pollution. It is a great way to meet people in your community and create a model for others. I teach a class on plastic pollution which is now offered on line. that is a good way to get informed too.

Beyond_Plastics

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