Plastic Bags Win Again! #1 Pollution Item!

Congratz to plastics (again)! This article from an Aussie news source fingers (mainly) plastic bags as the #1 item littering our ocean environment. They also finger reusable plastic bags as a start for a SIMPLE solution...long in the making.

San Diego RAP update: Last year, two of our local County Supervisors, Pam Slater-Price and Greg Cox, showed their understanding of the plastic bag plague by giving our chapter enough money to distribute thousands of quality recycled-cotton-made-in-USA reusable bags in their districts. We passed out the final 600+ yesterday in Imperial Beach! More good news: we just heard that we may be getting more money for this specific use in the next month or so. WOOT! See if your local "electeds" have any similarly-expendable bux for your campaign - the oceans will thank you, and so will the bag-receiving constituents!!

Plastic-Eatin' Microbes?

That's what they say in this article!

Apparently some teenager has done what assorted Phd's were unable to do - find (well, it was actually found by multiple players around the globe) a microbe that speeds the "breakdown" of plastics...and he wonders if there is a way to get the microbes to multiply more quickly than they already do naturally.

Rightly, the author is cautiously optimistic but wonders if the process creates other unwanted by-products, etc. An *unstated* but certainly unwanted by-product will be the feeling that we can now all enjoy single-use plastics and toss them into the microbe bin for disposal.

The process is promising, but really...it's really just a way of fooling Mother Nature to handle a problem that we've created for ourselves - and we all know that it's not nice to fool Mother Nature...!

History of Plastic... use it wisely

I beleive that knowledge is power. And information is the weapon I use to destroy ignorance and create understanding which then becomes a vehicle for positive change.

Enough silly talk. What I am trying to say is that when I do something for the environment that is considered "out of the norm" to the general massess (like refuse seafood, print on the back side of used paper, carry items with my hands instead of plastic bags, etc) I will often be asked why I am doing what I am doing.

I have found that if I do not do a good job explaining my actions, the person questioning me has a strange look on their face, as though they are thinking "weirdo". That is ONE reason I do my best to research and learn as much as I can about the issues I am concerned about.

Responding with "because it is good for the planet" doesn't really do much except excuse the "abnormal" activity I am engaged in. BUT giving a quick, precise and understandable response can actually change someone's mind and foster real positive action to improve the world we live in.

I have several examples of where this has worked but I have more where I do not reach people with my explanations but the only thing I can do is be proactive myself and respond to inquiring minds the best way possible.

SO... with that in mind I found a great resource with lots of information about the history of the one thing this campaign is centered around... plastic. My hope is that you will read the information contained in this site (and links) and use that information in a way that leads to reduction of plastic use for a better future on this planet.

History of Plastics

Plastiki - Another "Junk" Boat!

You're probably been hearing about this - a rich kid making a fuss about plastics in the ocean. A boat (catamaran?) made of "repurposed" plastic bottles (I hope JunkRiders remind them to glue the caps on!) making a trip to the North Pacific Garbage Patch. The more attention the problem can get, the better - everyone's got their fingers crossed for a safe crossing - and it looks like they are about to embark.

Read about it in the online magazine, Good.