Folk singer, Pete Seeger, got it right, “If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production.”
I certainly hope that after spending millions of dollars to clean up the air and water in Chattanooga we don’t end up with a plastic factory. Don’t be fooled by those who want you to mindlessly over-consume. Depending on the item, it can be wasteful to use something briefly, then spend money and energy to break it down to turn it into something different.
Read about the chemical composition of the plastics being collected in your recycling program. Are there environmental and health hazards in the chemical production of those plastics? What are workers being exposed to?
Instead of demanding more plastic recycling let’s come up with better options. How wonderful it would be to see new, environmentally safe, local businesses that replace some plastics, and support all those Rs, like repair, rebuild, refurbish, refinish, and resell.
Convenience is wonderful, until it becomes a cancer. Maybe it’s time to rethink some of our consumer habits. Who benefits from over-consumption?
Louise Mann