Make a Change This Earth Day: Use the Plastic Calculator
Did you know that in 2023, the US sold more than 100 billion single-use plastic beverage containers? Or that it takes several times as much water to manufacture a plastic water bottle than fits inside the bottle?
Planet vs. Plastics is this year’s Earth Day theme. Here at Waste Not, Want Not, we’ve written before about plastics in your water and plastics in your food, the unfortunate fact that recycling plastic doesn’t work well, and the need for us to reduce our plastic use instead of continuing to manufacture so much material we can’t effectively or even just safely dispose of. The End Plastic Pollution campaign has compiled a terrific toolkit of resources to help people rise to the challenge of ditching plastic!
Making a change is easier when you can see your results, which is why End Plastic Pollution offers a plastic calculator. If you buy an average of two plastic water bottles a week, that’s 101 bottles a year! If you use an average of 1 Ziploc® bag a day, that’s 365 bags a year! Looking at it from this perspective, you can see why it matters enough to remember that reusable bottle or container. (And if you’re having trouble remembering to use it, then try placing it in a location that makes it easier to remember!)
The End Plastic Pollution campaign also has their own blog dedicated to plastic pollution. Check out their articles on reducing plastic consumption in the bathroom, how microplastics affect babies’ health, how the manufacture and consumption of plastic disproportionately affects marginalized communities, and more!
The New York Times’ Wirecutter has great advice for people who want to cut back: focus on one routine first, and then another, instead of trying to do it all at once. For example, focus on your laundry or dishwasher first: powdered detergents are significantly more environmentally friendly than liquid ones (which are encased in heavy plastic and comprise mostly of water). Next time your detergent runs out, can you buy a powdered version?
Or, if you drink coffee, you might focus on your coffee routine. The disposable cups used by coffee shops—even if they seem like paper—are actually made of plastic in order to be waterproof. Can you carry a thermos to put your coffee in? Many coffee shops, such as Starbucks, will put your order in your own cup if you ask!
If you’re looking for an event to attend this Earth Month, there are great options. The Park District, the Cleanup Club, the Friends of Chicago River, and the Cook County Forest Preserves run groups to pick up litter. On April 24, the League of Women Voters of Wheaton and the Upper Mississippi Region are hosting a virtual presentation on how to protect our watersheds. And on April 25, the Illinois Environmental Council will host State Reps Kam Buckner and Kelly Cassidy to talk sustainability and watch a Cubs game!
Email questions to the Environmental Action Committee at environment@lwvchicago.org! We meet on Zoom the third Monday of each month at 4 pm.