- Plastic pollution is one of the most talked about
environmental problems.
It seems like every day, I hear about some new idea
that could magically solve things like vacuum cleaners
that suck the plastic off the ocean floor
or bacteria that can digest it.
And while those make for really exciting headlines,
they're also wildly unrealistic,
even beach cleanups or making toothbrushes out of old bottles.
These don't address the real problem.
We just make too much plastic.
We went from producing 2 million tons in 1950
to 368 million in 2019.
And the industry is planning on tripling production by 2050.
So how do we identify the solutions
that can get to the root of the problem?
There are three questions we can ask ourselves.
Number one, does the solution reduce plastic production?
We're talking big picture, systemic change.
A real solution has to work towards ending our dependence
on plastic, period.
Imagine the plastic crisis as an overflowing bathtub.
A false solution is like bailing it out
one spoonful at a time.
It's never gonna work no matter how hard we try.
A real solution would be turning off the water.
So, first, we've got to look to the source of plastic,
which if you didn't already know is actually petroleum.
Plastic is now responsible for four and a half percent
of global greenhouse gas emissions,
which is more than all of the world's airplanes combined.
So when we're fighting to end fossil fuel extraction,
we're not only pushing climate action,
but also making it harder for big polluters to drown us
in cheap plastic.
Or what about discouraging companies from making plastic
by forcing them to clean up the pollution
their products cause? Or, better yet,
encouraging refill systems that enable companies
to reuse their packaging?
These types of things already exist.
An example I like to use is this one in Oregon
where a bunch of breweries work together to take back
and reuse their bottles instead of making new ones.
A real solution aims to redesign the throwaway culture
that created the plastic crisis in the first place
and reduce the amount of plastic we produce overall.
That's why reduce comes before recycling in the three Rs.
Number two, will this solution benefit both people
and the planet?
Plastic pollution obviously affects more than just wildlife.
People are harmed all along the plastics
of the supply chain too,
like those who live near polluting petrochemical facilities
or people whose livelihoods, like fishermen,
are being destroyed by waste.
So when we're looking at a proposed solution,
we should ask ourselves,
Does it give power back to the people and communities
most impacted by pollution?
Will it provide good jobs with fair wages
and safe working conditions?
For example, the global recycling system
is highly dependent on waste pickers,
people who collect, sort, and process plastics.
Waste pickers, especially in the Global South,
are often working over toxic fires all day long
for little pay and without protective equipment.
So in order for recycling to be ethical,
waste pickers have to have a seat
at the decision making table
and workers' rights and protections at the forefront
of the conversation, which brings me to my third question,
Is the solution accessible?
A lot of solutions sound good on paper,
but aren't actually doable in the real world.
In order for a new system to really work,
it needs to be available to everyone.
Real solutions benefit all people
regardless of where they live or how much money they have.
If it's a new technology,
can you scale it to reach more people?
If it's a new product, will everyone be able to afford it?
If we get creative enough, we can often find solutions
that address the problem while saving money.
An example I like to use is companies like this one
who found that selling cleaning products without any water
significantly lowers their costs
and cuts out the plastic bottle,
allowing them to offer more affordable products
that are also packaging-free.
Okay, so let's review.
Real solutions, one, go to the heart of the problem
by reducing how much plastic we make in the first place.
Two, they're better for people and the planet,
ensuring that the rights of those most impacted
by plastic pollution are prioritized.
And, three, they're scalable and accessible,
meaning most people can participate because they're cheaper
and more widely available than the polluting alternatives.
The good news is innovative solutions
to environmental problems already exist.
We're already seeing them in the real world.
And it's helping us imagine what a more sustainable
and equitable future can look like.
It's gonna require all of us, but we can get there together.
(bright music)