Plastic has been one of the struggles in my new profound way of life. Plastic may be the most difficult of the conservation topics.

Here is how to push forward without it.

Plastic Vent Time

People understand what plastic is (a weird clear solid thing). The problem lies with knowledge of the production, uses, and aftermath of plastic for humans and the world. Plastic production starts generally from petroleum based substances like oil. Jeffrey Meikle has a fun book about plastic called “American Plastic: A Cultural History” (If anyone reads in this century). Plastic has cool properties as it can be formed into any shape, because it acts like a glue and hardens when cooled. And from the moment it can be used in any aspect, plastic became the new iron or coal of the world. Plastic is water resistant, can be applied to other materials like metal, it is strong, and can act as a cheap substitute for other items. Plastic is like awesome right?

I think plastic is great, just like coal and oil was great at the beginning. However, years of overuse of plastic has shown a different perception for it. Plastic once used hardly gets used again, because the value of plastic is low and gets thrown. So, plastic dominates the waste industry which end up in land fields (in 1st world countries), and anywhere on the floor in other less progressive places. Because almost half of cities in the world are coastal or close to oceans, plastic finds its way into the water. Unlike metal, plastic can be eaten without major immediate harm to digestive systems. Plastic can also break down into smaller pieces unlike metal. Marine animals eat the plastic by accidental that cause them to have complications or die from excess plastic. The point being that an overuse and waste of plastic is littering the land and seas.

Albuquerque’s PlASTIc

Albuquerque’s plastic problem has no attention. People are not eager to change their plastic views, because it does not directly harm them. Yet, it would be fairly easy to let go of most plastic consumption.

Plastic consumption can be broken into smaller avenues:
Plastic from grocery stores.
Plastic from fast food and restaurants.
Plastic from commercial.
Plastic from other.

Plastic from Grocery Stores
Plastic bags are a huge plastic waste. We only use them to carry food, and use them as trash bags later. I have seen cities tax or ban plastic bags, but Albuquerque has not. It would not cause harm for the city to do it. People might be grumpy, because they would have nothing to carry their food. It would just force people to buy cloth bags.
Another plastic observation would be plastic used to contain items like water bottles and soda. Please tax plastic drink containers Albuquerque. People can use water bottles, and sugar drinks are not good for you anyway.

Plastic from fast food and restaurants.
I have already started my own restaurant plastic ban. Plastic straws are something that needs to leave the world. Pretty simple to ban straws. It is easy to drink from the cup, and children can just learn to not use straws like back since the beginning of time. Restaurants also use plastic bags, but if people carry cloth bags in their car the solution can be applied as grocery stores.

Plastic from commercial.
This can be more difficult to regulate or force people to do. Plastics from commercial use can be from construction projects to plastic toys. Construction produces large amounts of plastic waste (from working with one) as it uses large plastic bags to gather trash. Plastic toys are an another waste because children have a plastic toys for like a week. Although toys are generally stored in the home for years, once thrown away it goes to the trash bin.
Plastic on item like electronics are used more often, but again it should be thrown or sent to recycle.

Plastic from other.
Plastic from other could be plastic that are not noticed, because the awareness is not alive or cared for. I think trash and recycle bins are viewed different. Trash goes to land fields, and recycle goes to recycle. Yet, the cheap and easy way would be to gather all trash and throw it. Albuquerque could step up the game by treating trash as “possible recycling”, since people do not throw all their plastic into recycle.

Final Thoughts
I would take plastic more serious. Albuquerque could lead an example from the small end on the path toward ending plastic reliance. It could start with easy plastic bans or taxes. People could adapt to a no plastic life. Albuquerque’s trash center may already have a process of separating trash from recyclable items, but further research would need to be done.

For now, people can begin the change. Buy several cloth bags and leave them in the car. Refuse straws. Recycle as much plastic as possible.
One tip would be to not throw your plastic bags filled with trash, but empty into the bin.

Albuquerque could become plastic free one day, and that is the goal for me.