The Plastic Age Is a Feature of the American Zeitgeist

craigshieldsPosted on May 14, 2021 Posted in Sustainability

The illustration here comes from “The Story of Stuff” project, whose efforts in environmental and social justice are legendary.

This civilization is having the devil’s own time dealing with waste plastic. There are now 4 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans, soon to outnumber the entire population of fish.

The issue is a blend of corporate greed and consumer indifference.

Americans used about 50 billion plastic water bottles last year. However, the U.S.’s recycling rate for plastic is only 9 percent (and declining), which means over 40 billion water bottles – more than $1 billion worth of plastic – are wasted each year.

Bottled water companies keep pumping them out, and consumers keep buying them. One side or the other, preferably both, need to back off. Unfortunately, that’s not part of the American zeitgeist right now.

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