We have something that's biodegradable already, it's called paper, and beyond that, we can stop wrapping every single thing in plastic. That PBS video is an echo of the move to put a "recyclable" triangle symbol on all plastics, regardless if there was a viable means of doing that recycling. The triangle fostered a belief that plastic waste would be used to make fresh plastic, reducing garbage and waste. That hid the fact that the petrochemical industries were making and promoting ever more plastics and making a killing in the process. Now here comes the next wave, biodegradable plastics. This will still require fresh plastic and even if it did work, the break-down product, CO2, will go straight into the atmosphere.
Long story short, do not create 'new plastics' or even new uses for old plastics. Eliminate plastics!
A lot of my students seem to agree with you. More students than ever have picked plastic pollution as the subject of their class projects this semester than any semester I can remember.
I chose acid rain when I was a student. Plastic pollution in the oceans and microfiber plastics everywhere is much more impressive. I am not surprised at the popularity of the subject. ^_^
Plastic is much more personal, as it's all around us and takes thought and effort to reduce and avoid its use. Acid rain is much more removed. Unless one works for the electrical utility, one does not personally burn the coal that becomes acid rain hundreds of miles away.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2021-08-21 10:18 pm (UTC)Long story short, do not create 'new plastics' or even new uses for old plastics. Eliminate plastics!
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Date: 2021-08-22 04:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-08-22 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-08-23 03:41 pm (UTC)