Author Archives: miadipietro

No more plastic!!

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Our world is filled with plastic. Plastic can be found in almost every aspect of our daily lives. Plastic is used in so many everyday products that we purchase and use it. The use of single-use plastics can hurt the environment, while some can be reused. There has been a lot of attention focused on the situation, and several legislative initiatives have been undertaken, but it does not appear that progress is imminent. It is very concerning that we cannot see that it is too late until it is too late. 

There is a prediction in an article written by the UN that “plastic pollution in oceans and other bodies of water will more than double by 2030”. While Ocean Conservancy and Team Seas are among the organizations working to clean our oceans, they cannot solve the problem on their own. Governing bodies, as well as citizens, must work together to make the world a better place.

There is a growing amount of plastic being produced every day, and since this plastic will always find a way to enter the ocean, it will cause several problems to the environment. Not only are the plastic toxins harmful to the ocean, but they act as sponges that absorb other toxins before entering the water. Because these chemicals are ingested by animals in the ocean, they are hazardous to humans. Humans consume fish and mammals contaminated with these chemicals. Initially, if governments require businesses to cover waste management costs by 2040, they will face a $100 billion financial risk. In addition, it can lead to an increase in the amount of illegal waste disposed of domestically and internationally. It can cause many problems in our society and even more plastic to be exposed to our earth. There are many more factors involved than we initially think.

 According to the UN article, plastics are also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. “In 2015, plastics emitted 1.7 gigatonnes of CO2 and by 2050, they will produce 6.5 gigatonnes.” This means that plastics not only contribute to ozone depletion but also help accelerate global warming. That is a major concern for the environment as well. The article also mentions that “In water sources, this type of pollution can cause hormonal changes, developmental disorders, reproductive abnormalities, and even cancer.” It is a scary thing that something we require to survive can be polluted and our health is put in more danger. 

In this article, the everyday person is the intended audience. It aims to shed light on the plastic problem and encourage people to push for a more sustainable and plastic-free world. Clearly, the article aims to create a more plastic-free economy and to encourage people to oppose plastic industries and make the world a cleaner place. It is a biased article because it does focus on getting people aware of these terrible problems and that we need to do a better job at fixing them. We humans started the problem, now it is our job to help clean up the problem. Even though recycling may not be enough, it is certainly a start for a safer and better free earth.

Marine debris, including plastics, paper, wood, metal and other manufactured material is found on beaches worldwide and at all depths of the ocean.

sources used:

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/10/1103692

Sustainable businesses..

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There is almost nothing around us that is not made of plastic. It seems that plastic is involved in almost every aspect of our lives. It is everywhere you go and it’s really convenient in many ways.  However, even though these plastics can be repurposed, single-use ones harm our ecosystem. Thus, it is so unfortunate how something so small can have so much negative impact. It is especially harmful to the ocean. The ocean is dominated by marine organisms, and plastic negatively impacts their health.  While the situation is receiving much more attention there are so many businesses that have been very successful at being sustainable. Even though it cannot fix the plastic pollution overnight it is important that businesses are taking these steps in trying to make a change that can help the environment. 

 

One business that is taking these steps at being more environmentally sustainable is Lush. 

Lush is a company dedicated to creating fresh, cruelty-free, vegetarian, handmade, low-waste, and effective bath, body, skin, and hair care products that are sourced ethically and without animal testing. The company leads the way in the development of solid products, which eliminates the need for packaging. Millions of plastic bottles are saved from being produced, transported, and disposed of every year by their naked bubble bars, conditioners, and henna hair dyes. In addition, when you purchase naked products, you get the best ingredients and fragrances, so your money is spent on products that are the best for your skin and hair, rather than fancy packaging that can be discarded easily. A simple change from packaged to naked can have a profound impact. Take the shampoo bars for example. 124 million plastic bottles were prevented from ever being made due to selling 41 million shampoo bars since 2005. The amount of plastic saved is about 3417 tons, which is about the weight of 30 blue whales.

Outback Mate

Solid, naked products have been a hallmark of Lush for decades since they don’t require any synthetic preservatives – this means that they are completely self-preserving. The product recipes are designed so that there’s little to no water required for bacterial growth, and instead, we substitute honey and salt, natural preservatives that don’t contain synthetic chemicals. Offering unpackaged bath, shower, and body products encourage others to become innovative and reduce their packaging usage too by raising awareness of the overuse of disposable packaging.

When Lush can’t eliminate packaging completely (like in the case of liquid body washes or gift sets), they use materials that are recyclable, reusable, compostable, or post-consumer recycled, like their 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles and pots. In a way not every big business is going to be 100% plastic-free so in a way lush might be greenwashing some of their products. Overall they seem to be doing a good job at trying to be sustainable for the environment. It’s also cool that Lush has also been experimenting with using ocean plastics in its packaging. The removal of plastic from the ocean would be economically beneficial while supplying packaging made from post-consumer plastic. 

I think their attempted effects on trying to become more sustainable and making an impact on other businesses,  are very good, especially the fact that they try to eliminate as much waste as possible which can be very good for the environment. 

Nature, Earth, Sustainability, Leaf, Arrows, Caution

 

Toxic Plastic Life

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The act of creating art in public spaces is a key way to bring important issues to the attention of large audiences. A good piece of art can be moving, stimulating, even disturbing, but most of all, it should provoke thought. The installation by PPC Artist Ally Alvaro Soler Arpa, Vida Tóxica (Toxic Life), encompasses all of these traits. Millions of travelers will be confronted with the issue of global plastic pollution as they pass through Espai Merce Sala Metro station Diagonal in, Barcelona, Spain, and at Terminals 1 and 2 of the city’s airport, El Prat de Llobregat, 08820 in Barcelona, Spain.

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Throughout Soler Arpa’s universe, there are numerous animal bones, wires, and even our own waste, plastic, and rubbish that are used to create these fictional creatures. An ordinary bone becomes something extraordinary when he joins it with another bone, adds plastic to it and slowly it becomes a work of art. By doing so, he is making a political statement about plastic pollution and climate change. His concept of “contemporary dinosaurs” is inextricably linked to fossil fuels, the common element that links plastic pollution to climate change. In total, he created fourteen sculptures using bones and plastic waste to illustrate how runaway plastic pollution is affecting ecosystems and individual animals. Plastic pollution negatively impacts animals across the food chain, as approximately eight million tons of plastic are discarded each year. Throughout human history, our environment has been destroyed continually, and he represents the state of the world we have created. Ultimately, the materials that Arpa chose for the final work as a whole, directly reflect the overall agenda of the message he was trying to get across.

In order to effectively show how plastic pollution affects our environment and the animals in it, Arpa displays this model to show the audience the dense amounts of waste and plastic pollution within our environment. He also shows the results of society’s irresponsibility and human actions which have damaged our Earth.  The work he produces emphasizes the need for addressing global plastic pollution. Arpa’s purpose is to make people aware of the pollution on our planet, and he does a great job at showing that.

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Despite my belief that it can be easy to agree with an issue of any kind, trying to influence someone cannot be easy, and I feel that Arpa nails all those components trying to influence people who see his work. He uses plastic to make these animals as a way to show how plastic pollution has affected the planet. This work incorporates material that explores the impact plastic has on the environment and lives within it. Arpa’s agenda was very specific, noting that “What I’m aiming for, is to draw people’s attention to the pollution of our planet. We, humans, are so proud of our rationality and have done great things, but for about a century we have also been the dirtiest animal in all the history of creation. The cancer of the Earth is becoming irreversible….”  

In addition to capturing an objective or message, art can also create an impact on society as a whole by serving as a medium for presenting it. It is often art that pushes people that require an improvement in their realities because it shows a new perspective in all economic, cultural, and political aspects in our society. Additionally, I feel like the media can be biased because a lot of the media focuses on certain scenarios and doesn’t show the full scope of the problem of plastic pollution. In addition, I feel like it gives the people what they want to see and does not present the whole picture. Therefore, by showing it through art, we are able to explain what might otherwise be difficult to convey with the media. I also believe that even if people show the horrible impacts of plastic pollution in many different ways, nothing will change unless everyone takes the time to address this problem. It can also be challenging especially with businesses that use plastic materials. So even showing this art, hopefully, makes a difference and helps people even try to find alternatives for plastic. 

As someone who loves to paint and draw it is nice seeing how much an impact someone else’s work can really affect a person. It can show a whole new message to people and I find it fascinating. I really do think it is important to take what you see through art and try and also make a change for a bigger and brighter future. Let’s help make the change.

 

 

 

Plastic Alternatives

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Considering most people live busy lives, it can be hard to avoid plastic especially because it can make life more convenient. Plastic and pollution are definitely not on many people’s minds, even mine, but as humans, we tend to consume tons of products not really knowing what they are made of. We tend to buy things that we want just to keep up with trends and don’t realize the impact it can have on earth and even on us. What really matters is whether someone would change if given the chance and resources to do so. I want to believe that most people would definitely try.  I am willing to take the necessary small steps to become less plastic-dependent on Earth since I have the capabilities to do so. Especially learning about it in depth through my college in a class called Swimming in plastic soup, I think it is important to try and take the steps and try to live a plastic-free life to the best of my ability.

 I cannot deny that I use plastic products. But there are some things I do already, to help be more sustainable for the environment. I use

a water bRecycle, Eco-Friendly, Recyclable, Sustainabilityottle like a thermos flask instead of using plastic water bottles. I also use my own bags or just carry the stuff without a bag when I go to the store. I also have just recently bought cloth masks that I can reuse and wash instead of buying disposable masks. It’s not much and the amount of plastic items I use definitely doesn’t compare but I like to believe that starting somewhere is better than not doing anything at all. I am willing to make as many changes as I can. I think by starting off, I can make little changes by informing others about plastic and what they can do to limit how much plastic is used, like convincing others to buy a water bottle and refill it, instead of buying the plastic bottles or going to farmers markets and bringing your own reusable bags or even buying bar soaps instead of plastic bottle shampoo bottles. The List can go on. Informing other people can also help me start to change my lifestyle and what plastic alternatives I can use. Starting off slow is a great way to a bigger and brighter future in sustaining the earth and making it a safer place for not only humans but for the environment itself.

 

I have come up with a list of items for my class and even added more to that list of items that I am willing to change for a less plastic alternative. Most items that I use are personal care items. Some that I am willing to change are my Deodorant, hair masks, and even my toothbrush.  I use the brand Degree for my deodorant which has extreme plastic packaging. I heard that LushJason And The Argan Oil, which is a handmade cosmetics store, sells deodorant, hair masks, even shampoo and conditioner soap blocks that are not wrapped in plastic packaging. It will be easy for me to switch to using products like this because I have used their products before for a decent amount of time. I would also use hair masks there as well but I feel like instead of buying more products and spending more money I could try to make my own hair masks with many ingredients and put them in glass containers for multiple uses.       

For my toothbrush, I use the brand Colgate which is made out of plastic.  I heard of a brand called Bite which not only has toothbrushes that are 100% plant-based but all of their products are not made oundefinedf plastic. This includes deodorant and toothpaste capsules instead of the plastic packaged ones. I also use a lot of other items that are made of plastic packaging, specifically food items.  I feel like one of the hardest things to get rid of is the plastic packaged meals that I keep in my dorm room. It can be very difficult to try and live a plastic-free lifestyle at college because as a college student who is struggling financially and doesn’t have access to a car, it can be challenging in many ways to access certain materials like fresh food items which can be more expensive. Also living in a dorm I have very limited space in the mini-fridge they provide us especially living with 3 other girls there really isn’t that much space. Having packaged food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated is very convenient for me.

 

I can be very scared of change. Being new to college and still getting the hang of things, more change can be very intimidating. However being in this class has made it an intention to try and live a plastic-free lifestyle, not only for myself but for everyone around me. The advice would give is definitely should try to find multiple plastic alternatives and help out your environment. It doesn’t hurt to try!Earth, Smiley, Space, Clouds, Sun, Moon, Planet, Smile

 

 

Credits for images:

Bite toothbrush:

Bamboo Toothbrush by Bite – All Natural + Sustainable. Zero waste.

Lush Bar soap: Jason And The Argan Oil | Shampoo Bars

Can find both of these on their website ^^

The world of plastic.

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Growing up I always used plastic but never kept track of how much I used nor did I know how bad plastic can really be.  For 24 hours, I have kept track of what I have touched that are made out of plastic materials. Even the disposable items I have used. Some of these items include:

  • plastic water bottles
  • Ziploc bags
  • disposable coffee cups (k cups)
  •  body wash(container)
  • garbage bags 
  • mechanical pencils
  •  drink cans
  •  dish cleanser
  • toothpaste
  • toothbrush
  • hair comb
  • mouse(computer) 
  • keypad(computer)
  • gel pens
  •  calculator 
  • plastic plant
  • eyeliner packaging
  •  plastic bowls
  • plastic utensils
  • plastic cups
  • some of my clothes
  •  many food wrappers

(Disposable items I collected from one day in the picture)

Because I have had a pretty repetitive day since I have come up with a routine for myself,  I use the same amount of plastic from day today. This includes most of the disposable plastic I have listed. I learned that disposable plastic I use can vary from time to time because I don’t go out every day but when I do I notice I use a lot of plastic. I also noticed that I dispose of a lot more plastic than I do with plastic that isn’t usually disposable. I also learned that many of the things I touched, I didn’t realize that they were made out of some type of plastic. It definitely shows that more and more things are made with plastic and most people don’t realize it. Even me.

Compared to my total plastic footprint using disposable plastic can differ. With disposable plastic, I am only using it once and then getting rid of it. With usual plastic items, especially the ones I have never realized were plastic, I continue to use them over and over in everyday use. Most people would usually get rid of disposable plastic and not reuse them. Unfortunately, I have done that many times. 

While living through this experience,  I’ve also noticed that when moving around on the outside of my dorm I touched more plastic items than I did on the inside of my dorm. I feel like it also depends on the day. The first day I kept track of the plastic, I didn’t touch that much because I was in my dorm all day, but when I walked around outside and even went to my classes I touched a lot more plastic. Obviously, I touch and use a lot of plastic as most people do, but I feel like depending on the day and what I do each day, also has an effect on how much plastic I use or touch. 

I definitely want to try and reduce the amount of plastic intake I use. I also want to know more about where I can put the plastic after I use it. I have noticed that around campus there are a lot of trash cans that are labeled, trash, compost, and recycling. I have been using that to my advantage and making an effort to take care of the plastic that I use. I have also learned that there are many ways that can help decrease your plastic footprint. You can carry your own reusable cloth shopping bags, compost food waste to reduce your use of plastic garbage bags, recycle, look for clothing made from natural fibers and shoes that don’t contain plastic, and educate other people to maybe try and do the same. (Priesnitz) .

 

When reading Beth Terry’s book as well she says in her book that “Guilt is not encouraged.” I definitely agree with her because having too much guilt in your life, especially with using plastic, can have a bad effect on your life. Instead, try doing things from here on out to try and change things for the better. 

 

Citations: 

Priesnitz, Wendy. “Twenty-five ways to reduce your plastic footprint.” Natural Life, Jan.-Feb. 2013, pp. 22+. Gale In Context: Science, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A368471916/SCIC?u=cofc_main&sid=bookmark-SCIC&xid=f74d39b0. Accessed 17 Sept. 2021.