Recycling

We all need to recycle, of course.  But this idea which started in the 1970’s was the go-ahead for oil companies and manufacturers to place the onus on the consumer.  It was now OUR responsibility to recycle their plastic products.  Glass and aluminum recycling worked.  When they added plastic to the equation, the world started falling apart.  Don’t get me wrong.  It’s an amazing material.  It has done wonders in the medical world.  We have made huge strides with it.  Unfortunately, it will be on the planet for generations to come.  One plastic water bottle will take 800 years to completely decompose (estimated).  Then there’s plastic chairs, plastic tables, harder plastics that will take even longer.

It’s here to stay.  Our only option is to reduce our intake, and make better purchasing decisions.  It’s an important thing to consider.  It affects our drinking water, air quality, and our source of food from the oceans, lakes, and farmlands.  Not to mention marine life.  Another estimate is that every person on the planet has plastic in their body.  About the size of a credit card.

Take notice when shopping.  Ask yourself “is there an alternative to buying plastic products?” ie. water, detergent, anything that involves plastic?  Or can you refill somewhere?  Lamphu in Lamai offers refills of soap/shampoo and other needs.  

Plastic never goes away.  It’s rarely recycled, and makes a complete mess of the environment