This Earth Day, I want to talk about plastic.

credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/-4bD2p5zbdA

You might be aware of how microplastics are created by the degradation of plastic in places like the ocean—for example, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where they make up about 8% of the total mass. And you might be aware that this is the result of plastic in environments long term: since they don't biodegrade or compost, they simply become smaller and smaller particles that linger perpetually in the environment. However, did you realize that your petroleum-based fabrics, such as polyester, also end up creating microplastics that end up in our water supply? In fact, PLOS finds that "the average person ingests over 5,800 particles of synthetic debris” per year.

These plastic particles are in our food and in our water. They're now circulating as part of our global water cycle and ending up in the most remote places on Earth—such as Antarctica and the Mariana Trench.

In addition to just, simply, existing, microplastics have negative impacts on soil and drinking water—things that, in
addition to hurting wildlife, directly impact human health and reproduction.

Now—this is the important part—we need to do someTHINGS about it:

Holding Companies Accountable for the Plastic They Produce

NPR listeners have probably already heard how companies shifted the blame for plastic pollution onto consumers and how ineffective recycling plastic is. We need to start lobbying our government to make companies and industry accountable. The onus is on the producers of plastic; simply, the less we produce the less we have to deal with.

Please LOBBY YOUR REPRESENTATIVES.

Opt-ing Out of the Hype-Machine

Instagram is full of pricy yoga leggings, fancy costume jewelry, dinosaur purses, and so on. It's easy to look at these slick, pervading ads and get FOMO: "That's so cute" or "I need new shoes anyway" or "I, too, wish to embody the qualities of a young TikTok star." But, if you stop and think, have you ever really bought anything that changed your life that much? Sure, things like houses or cars or that really, really special pen you wrote your whole dissertation with are important. But did any one purchase really turn your whole life around? Probably not. Will this give you the life you imagine yourself having after buying that product? Probably not.

It's OK to want things, and it's also OK to recognize that products are objects—nothing more, nothing less. No one (except for that one girl) ever died because they didn't get that pony for their birthday.

Reducing, Repurposing, and the Right to Repair

Recycling was always meant as a last resort. In fact, the slogan used to be, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" So let's talk about some ways you can reduce, reuse, and fix the things you already own!

Reduce
Buy secondhand & use co-ops (tool libraries, regular libraries, clothing swaps, hand-me-downs, etc) There's many advantages here, from fashion's cyclical nature (so, trust me, you will be able to find whatever's in vogue secondhand) to saving on cost & storage space. Also, in using hand-me-downs, I love that whenever I cook a meal I think of my grandmother (they're her pots and pans), my mom (the flatware she bought for her first apartment) & my friends (the cups and bowls given as gifts.) My loved ones are all around me: this cup, that plate mean so much more than a price tag or aesthetic ever could.

Repurpose
Those old t-shirts or towels that are frayed, stained, falling apart? What better to clean your house with: there's no shame in a good rag. That's what they're there for—the messy things. You can also DIY lots of things into other things, but don't get all 5-minute-crafts about it.

Right to Repair
You've already heard me talk about the importance of finding a good local tailor and cobbler. You've also probably heard about the push for "right to repair" in electronics. Both are important aspects of fixing what you already have ("make it do.") Fixing things doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, and can end up being a cool hobby (look up the Visible Mending subreddit for an example!) Don't mourn that your favorite shoes or shirt or jacket is on its last legs—repair it! I have shoes that I've had half my life. Quality items can be repaired over and over again. There's no reason to throw it out.

Sustainable Swaps
In the past few years, the "eco-friendly" industry has really had a Moment. Dr. Bronner's is everywhere. Bamboo sheets, toilet paper, plates, socks, etc. fill Amazon search results. Even large companies are boasting about how many waterbottles they’ve “saved” from landfills.

A lot of it is hype—for example, eco-conscious clothes as discussed by Hasan Minhaj—but you can find effective ways to swap something for its more sustainable counterpart. Here are some things that I do, personally, that I've found to be just as effective & cheaper (!!) than their regular options:

• Swedish dishclothes instead of sponges. I bought a 10-pack of these dishclothes (which are made of cotton and cellulose) last year. I cut one of them into four and have used these pieces in lieu of sponges all year. Once a week, they go into my laundry with my other linens (they're also washable in the dishwasher) where they get cleaned and sanitized. They're also compostable.
  Total cost: $20 for 10, $1 for the half a sheet I've used so far.

• Bar soap. There's no evidence that bar soap is less effective or more germy than liquid soap. It requires less packaging and is way cheaper (3 pack of Kirk's Castile Bar Soap, ~$5 at Walgreens).
  Total cost (over one COVID year): used 1.5 bars of soap, $2.50

• Bar shampoo & conditioner. Liquid soaps have more water in them—that’s what makes them liquid. By switching to a bar you get all shampoo, no water. That means a more concentrated soap and less packaging. They’re also travel-friendly, which in my book is always a win.
  Total cost: $8-12/bar, depending on the brand

• Scrubby washclothes. Admittedly, I bought these from Daiso years ago so I’m not sure what they're called. It's—gasp!—nylon, but does just as good as a job as a loofah at scrubbing and soaping. And (you guessed it!) can also be thrown into my laundry to be cleaned and sanitized. While this is plastic, I can reuse it until it's deadDEAD, instead of buying a new loofah every 3 months. I bought a three pack, and I've used one for about a year and a half.
  Total cost: ~$3/4

• Lastly, I'm eager to try growing my own loofahs this year, thanks to seeds from family friends.

We only have one Earth. Nature is everywhere: the possums, crows, and raccoons are just as much "nature" as John Muir woods. If you don't care about the birds and the trees, maybe you care about people—your neighbors, your friends, yourself. We're all part of the Earth. This matters. So do you. Thanks for reading <3