Earth In Crisis: A Pox On Plastic
This Earth Day, Imagine An Unclogged Planet
By Tracey MacDermott
For the GPHN
Earth Day is Monday, April 22 and this year’s focus is committing to end that ubiquitous and pesky plastic pollution problem that we humans have created.
Organizers are demanding a “60 percent reduction in the production of plastics by 2040 and ultimately building a plastic-free future.” It’s a huge goal considering that our lives are immersed in plastic — all of which is impacting our health, clogging storm drains, killing wildlife, threatening ecosystems. Unfortunately, plastic is rarely recycled.
The bottom line, recycling plastic is not the answer. Of course, I am not telling you to stop putting acceptable plastics in the recycle bin. However, if we are to solve this problem, we need to just stop using the stuff altogether. What can we all do?
Start by refusing single-use plastics. This ranges from water bottles, clam shell food containers, condiment bottles, coffee lids — and on and on and on. What changes are you making now that you could share?
Did you know that many of the clothes you wear are made of plastic? Today’s fabrics — a whopping 69 percent — are made of oil-based plastics. Fast Fashion (low priced clothing made quickly to meet current trends) contributes to fully 10 percent of global emissions. Many of these clothes are worn on average only 10 times and then tossed aside for the next trendy outfit. And, the fibers shed when you wash them. That adds more microfiber plastics to our waterways. Not only are marine animals choking on this stuff, so are we.
“Our reliance on plastics could be the biggest gamble in the story of human health, in history,” notes Kathleen Rogers, the president of EARTHDAY.ORG. “We are all ingesting and inhaling microplastics. They are everywhere. Are we just hoping they are safe, or is even the remotest possibility they might be toxic so terrifying, that we can’t contemplate it?”
Yes, this is a scary thought, but we do have the ability to change. Start today by simply saying, no more. Educate yourself. Take an inventory of the amount of single-use plastic at your home, your office, where else you go, and begin having a serious conversation about making changes. Get creative and ask yourself if you really need that single-use plastic. Is the harm it causes worth it?
The world around us can at times seem defeating, and a bit hopeless, with so much to do to solve the climate crisis. Yet, this month, as we mark 54 years celebrating Earth Day, change is happening all around us — and much of it in a good way.
First, people are increasingly aware and concerned and want to do their part. At our Greater Park Hill Community headquarters at 2823 Fairfax St., the sun is shining on the rooftop. That means we are generating energy from our new solar panels — and it means every day is Earth Day at your community building. Your registered neighborhood organization is currently converting our building to 100 percent electric. We have been recognized by Denver’s Green Business Program and Colorado’s Green Business. Every month this award-winning paper continues to keep the climate crisis at the forefront and delivers necessary conversations to your doorstep.
In recent years we have made it a priority to be mindful of our whole business, and committed to making green-friendly adaptations. Everything from who we purchase office supplies from, to promoting composting, to considering new ways to reduce waste, is constantly being fine-tuned. We are not perfect, but we will keep striving to lead and show our community what is possible.
On Saturday April 20, come out to celebrate Earth Day with us as we engage in an annual Colfax clean-up. We’ll work the stretch between Colorado Boulevard and Yosemite Street from 9 to 11 a.m. Look around and adopt any other area of the neighborhood that can use help picking up plastic and other trash and recycling what can be recycled.
In the months to come we will be sponsoring additional regular neighborhood clean-ups. Email me at traceymacdermott@gmail.com to sign up for Earth Day and other actions. We will supply the tools.
Happy Earth Day!
Tracey MacDermott is an at-large member of the board of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017, and is currently the Statewide Co-Chair of the Climate Reality Project for the 100% Committed Campaign. Email her at traceymacdermott@gmail.com.