60X40 - New Math or Old Problem?

Why would anyone be interested in a dimensional pairing of numbers on Earth Day? Well, it's all about the Global Wave to Halt Plastics sponsored by Earthday.org for the year 2024. The message behind the paired numbers is the organization's goal to demand the reduction of the use of plastics by 60% by the year 2040. 

Old problem with new consequences. The 2024 campaign "Planet vs Plastics" is really about a rapid expansion of plastic production and use in so many phases of our daily lives, and the problem didn't just happen overnight. The production and use of plastics started decades ago, but according to Earthday.org, today's reality reflects that "plastic production now has grown to more than 380 million tons per year. More plastic has been produced in the last ten years than in the entire 20th century, and the industry plans to grow explosively for the indefinite future." If this expansion continues, the volume of plastic that is generated - that journeys into not only landfills but litters our oceans and waterways - will continue to degrade into microplastics, ending up in our water supplies, posing a huge threat to every form of life on our planet. 

What can we do? It would be easy to fold our arms and say there is nothing we can do to stop this eventual outcome, but there IS something each of us can do. First, we can stop the purchase and use of plastic water bottles. According to Earthday.org, the reality is that it takes 6 times more water to produce the plastic container than the volume of water in the container itself! Another impactful area is the clothing industry. "Approximately 85% of garments end up in landfills or incinerators, with only 1% being recycled. Nearly 70% of clothing is made from crude oil, resulting in the release of dangerous microfibers when washed and continued contribution to long-term pollution in landfills."

The Challenge - let's learn more and DO more now. Let's think about our consumption and the convenience that's being marketed into our daily lives and take those small but impactful local steps to change our future. Be a voracious reader about this mounting plastic problem. Be a change agent. Take an action today to make tomorrow better.