Yes, the world is a disaster. It is being dominated by many very evil men and being ravished by effects of climate change. It is hard to be optimistic for the future. but our own mental health depends on doing something good for the earth and taking good care of ourselves. So, this October do something good for yourself and something good for our planet. Start by using less plastic, use less sugar, drive less and spend more time outside. But most important GO VOTE!
“ExxonMobil lied to further its record-breaking profits at the expense of our planet and possibly jeopardizing our health” Attorney General Rob Bonta
Plastic is harmful to our earth and to our bodies. The producers of plastic should be held accountable.
“For decades, ExxonMobil has been deceiving the public to convince us that plastic recycling could solve the plastic waste and pollution crisis when they clearly knew this wasn’t possible. ExxonMobil lied to further its record-breaking profits at the expense of our planet and possibly jeopardizing our health,” Rob Bonta, Attorney General, California
A coalition of environmental groups have joined together to take ExxonMobile to court. Surfrider Foundation, the Sierra Club, Heal the Bay, and San Francisco Baykeeper are taking on the world’s largest producer of single-use plastic polymers for their claims about plastic.
The lawsuit was filed in San Francisco, California and states that ExxonMobile knowingly hid the truth about the harm caused by plastic and misled the public about its recyclability.
Niall McCarthy, partner at the law firm that is representing the coalition, said:
“Some of the greatest progress in American history was caused by civil lawsuits holding the powerful accountable for their actions. This is another such case brought by the most prominent environmental nonprofits in California who are willing, for the public good, to take on a company worth billions. The case will expose the devastation caused by single-use plastics and the deceptive recycling myth pushed by plastic producers such as ExxonMobil. The case, at its core, is about accountability. ExxonMobil’s promises of being a good corporate citizen are divorced from the reality of its conduct. As detailed in the complaint, ExxonMobil’s single use plastics are smothering California’s environment.”
The ground-breaking feature documentary Plastic People investigates our addiction to plastic and the growing threat of microplastics on human health. Almost every bit of plastic ever made breaks down into “microplastics.” It was first shown at SXSW and this is one of the first community showings in the country.
Date: Wednesday, September 25th
The doors open at 6:00 for tabling and the film starts at 6:30.
There will be a short discussion following the screening lead by Lucy Mullany with Eureka Recycling and Mary Kosuth, who is finishing a PhD in microplastics at the University of Minnesota and is a featured scientist in the film.
The film is free.
The location is Hamline University, Drew Science 118, 1536 Hewitt Ave, St Paul, MN 55104.
Let’s get real about plastic. Plastic is made from fossil fuels and toxic to the environment and human health. We cannot recycle our way out of our plastic problem. Watch the video below:
We have a plastic problem. Manufacturing plastic creates air pollution, single-use plastic ends up in the ocean, toxic chemicals, and microplastics find their way into our food and water. Plastic permeates our lives, and we would all be healthier by reducing our plastic use.
Make it fun this month as you try to reduce the plastic you expose your family and yourself to plastic. See below for ideas to reduce your plastic exposure.
We all see plastic litter that is harmful to our waterways and our environment, but we might just be learning that plastic contains harmful chemicals and that it breaks down into microfibers. We can’t see the chemicals or the microfibers that can harm our bodies.
Plastic contains thousands of harmful chemicals that are especially harmful to children. These chemicals leach from plastic containers into our food and bodies. Plastic contains serious hormone disrupters that can cause obesity, diabetes, cancers and birth defects.
Water from plastic bottles has about double the microplastic level of tap water on average, according to a 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Chemistry. So unless your tap water is contaminated with unsafe elements, such as lead, it’s probably best to drink tap. Fill up a metal reusable bottle for when you go out. You can always filter your tap water. Depending on the filter, that may further reduce microplastic levels. (Check CR’s ratings of water filters.)
Do: Heat food in or on the stove, or by microwaving in glass. Don’t: Microwave in plastic.
Some heated plastics have long been known to leach chemicals into food. So if you’re warming up food, use a pan in the oven or on the stove, or if you’re microwaving, use a glass container. Also, avoid putting plastics in the dishwasher because of the high heat involved in cleaning.
Do: Buy and store food in glass, silicone, or foil. Don’t: Store food in plastic, especially plastic that may contain harmful chemicals.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has said that plastic food containers with the recycling codes 3, 6, and 7 may contain potentially harmful chemicals, unless they’re labeled “biobased” or “greenware.” Don’t store food in these types of containers. Instead, use containers made of glass or silicone, or wrap your food in aluminum foil. If you’re storing food in or eating food out of plastic containers, know that plastics with recycling codes 1 and 2 are more likely to be recyclable—though they are usually recycled into lower-quality plastics. And there still may be harmful or unknown chemicals in any type of plastic.
Do: Eat fresh food as much as possible. Don’t: Rely on processed food wrapped in plastic.
The more processed or packaged a food is, the higher the risk that it contains worrisome chemicals. Food cans are often lined with bisphenol A (or similar compounds). Buy fresh food from the supermarket, and—as much as possible—try to use refillable containers if your market allows. (Of course, with shopping made difficult by the coronavirus pandemic, prioritize your health and shop however is most feasible and safest.) Certain markets let you fill up cardboard or reusable containers with bulk items and weigh them, or you can use your own mesh bags for produce. Raw meat and fish need to be kept separate for safety reasons, but ask the store fishmonger or butcher to wrap these foods in wax paper instead of plastic. Take cloth—not plastic—reusable bags to the store to take your groceries home.
Do: Vacuum regularly. Don’t: Allow household surfaces to get dusty.
The dust in your house could be loaded with microplastics and chemicals that are found in plastic, such as phthalates. Cleaning up dust may help reduce the amount of plastics you inhale, especially if you are stuck inside for long periods of time during a period of social distancing. CR recommends vacuuming regularly with a HEPA filter, which is best for trapping dust. (Check CR’s ratings of vacuums.)
Do: Work with your community. Don’t: Assume your impact is limited to what you do in your personal life.
Legislation to limit the use of single-use plastics and plastic production may pull the biggest levers, but joining forces with community-level recycling groups can truly make a difference. Look for so-called zero-waste groups, which can offer guidelines for how to recycle or compost all your garbage—and which lobby for local rules that can restrict throwaway items. When possible, shop at markets that source goods locally, so they don’t require as much packaging and shipping. Seek out groups such as Upstream, a nonprofit working to create reusable takeout packaging for restaurants. And when possible, educate yourself about and support any city, county, and state legislation limiting single-use plastics.
My list to reduce plastic:
Always carry a reusable glass or metal water bottle, and reusable shopping bags with you.
Learn to refuse single-use plastics, such as plastic water bottles and coffee cups, straws, plastic bags and plastic utensils.
Purchase fruit and produce in the bulk section, and don’t place items in plastic bags.
Always search out products in glass jars instead of plastic containers.
When you must buy plastic products, choose ones that you can recycle rather than ones you must put in the trash.
Bring your own containers and shop the bulk section of your local food coop.
We all can make a difference by reducing our plastic footprint.
The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Planet VS Plastic. The hazards of plastic are great, and we all need to take steps to reduce the harmful effects of plastic pollution in our environment and bodies.
What will you do to help our warming planet?
Greenpeace has nothing to do with this post.
Things you should know about plastic:
Plastic is made of fossil fuels and contains many toxic chemicals that are harmful to our health.
These toxic chemicals leach into our food from plastic packaging.
Plastics break down into microplastic. We each consume about a credit card of microplastic a week from our food and environment. These microfibers are found in our lungs, brains, blood and arteries.
When plastic is recycled it becomes more toxic.
40% of plastic is single-use.
The production of plastic continues to increase.
If plastic were a country, it would be the 5th largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Much of plastic’s pollution affects minorities and people without power.
Clothing with polyester and nylon contain plastic.
The producers of plastic should be held responsible for the harm they create in the environment and our bodies.
By banning the worst forms of single-use plastic, holding plastic producers accountable for their waste, getting wasteful packaging off store shelves, and more — a future beyond plastic is possible.
We need the United States to support a strong plastic’s treaty. Use the link below to demand strong leadership from the USA for this treaty.
We need swift and urgent action. Plastic pollution is a global problem in need of global solutions. Plastic production, use, and disposal threaten Earth’s communities, air, water, biodiversity, and soils. With the UN’s Global Plastics Treaty negotiations now underway, the US government (USG) has the unique opportunity to play a key role in the change we need on a worldwide level: instead of leading the world in generating the plastic pollution crisis, it’s time for the USG to lead by forging ambitious solutions. Read full letter at this link: Letter to U.S. Government Officials involved in UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations
Producers of packaging need to be held responsible for how they are exposing consumers to harmful chemicals.
Chemicals in plastic packaging can leak into our food. Also, the plastic breaks into tiny particles (microfibers) that we consume when we are eating. None of this can be healthy for the consumer.
Harmful material in our food is upsetting. Producers of plastic need to be held responsible for the packaging they use. Corporations think they should regulate themselves. That is clearly not working! We need tough standards for our food packaging, but also in cosmetics, toys and other packaging as well.
Consumer Reports sent a letter to General Mills this week over relatively high levels of plastic chemicals called phthalates found in several products, including Cheerios, Yoplait, Progresso vegetable soup and cans of Annie’s organic cheesy ravioli.
Phthalates are “plasticizers” used in the production of plastic to make them stronger and softer and are commonly used in vinyl flooring, shampoos and plastic packaging. Health impacts in humans need further study, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but scientists have found strong associations between chronic exposure and issues with reproductive systems and child development.
Health4earth 