Sustainable living is living in such a way that the earth will be able to support life for
future generations. The disposal of waste, especially plastic, is a big issue in sustainability today.
If you do not consider it so, wake up and smell the landfill. In America, 55% of trash rests
underground, while the UK tops the charts, burying 90% of their waste in landfills. (Freudenrich,
Ph.D., Craig. science.howstuffworks.com) We, as a global community, are sending a message:
“Out of sight, out of mind.” One place our trash goes “out of sight,” is hundreds of miles away,
in the middle of the ocean. Billions of tiny “trash islands” are floating in the middle of the
Pacific and Atlantic oceans, consisting mostly of plastic. Plastic, unlike most other trash items,
does not biodegrade. It simply floats on or just below the surface of the water, causing serious
harm to marine life. Tiny plastic pieces broken down by the sun may appear to have vanished,
but in reality they have become more deadly. Marine animals and birds consume these
microscopic hazards, which work their way up the food chain to humans. This harms not only
sea creatures, but life all over the planet. (McLendon, Russell. MNN.com) (Q. 1) (Q. 5 – effect is
reversed if biodegradable plastic is used)
Clearly, this manner of living opposes every principle of sustainable living. Because it is
not an obvious issue to most people now, many have a tendency to overlook the plastic waste
crisis and the potential future problems it may cause--will cause--if something isn’t changed.
However, there are those who have noticed the problem and have taken steps, such as recycling,
to make a difference in the environment. However, only 32.5% of U.S. trash is recycled, and
figures are much worse in some other countries (Freudenrich, Ph.D., Craig.
science.howstuffworks.com), which means we’re still discarding most of our plastic. This
suggests that recycling, though slowly becoming more effective, may not be the sustainable
solution we are seeking.
What is the solution, then? What makes plastic waste so much more hazardous to our
environment than other trash is its inability to biodegrade. The lasting solution to the problem is
clear: make plastics that do biodegrade. There is a rapidly advancing field of science that deals
with the biodegradation of plastics, making plastic resins from plant materials (Q. 2). These
scientists’ work should not be put to waste. But would it be possible, making the mass change
from current plastics to new biodegradable ones? To the incredulous critic I would say, brush up
on your history. Plastic hasn’t been around forever. As a matter of fact, it’s relatively new.
Everything that is packaged in plastic today used to be packaged in glass or other containers.
Plastic was seen as a cheaper, easier, safer material than glass. So while it is true that it might not
be easy for the world to make the change to biodegradable plastics, history has shown us that it is
possible. (Q. 3)
But wouldn’t thousands of people in the plastic industry be put out of their jobs? The answer to
this question is to view our solution not as the collapse of plastics and the rise of biodegradation,
but rather as the transformation of the plastic industry into the biodegradation industry. (Q. 4)
How can I make a difference to promote my solution now? I hope I already have. It is my
hope that the readers of this essay will take the knowledge they have gained and share it with
others. It is only through the raising of our population’s awareness that a difference can be made.
I can promote my solution by sharing with others the crisis we face as world citizens, and in that
way help raise up a generation of people concerned about our environment, with a desire to find
solutions. I can promote the study of biodegradable plastics among my peers and teachers. As an
adult, I may choose to work professionally in one of the many fields relating to biodegradable
plastics, be it science, business, or product promotion. (Q. 6)
Clearly, the switch from common plastics to biodegradable ones will have a great and
positive effect on the environment. No longer will plastic bags and bottles discarded into
landfills and oceans leave the earth unsuitable for its future populations. Rather, they will
biodegrade and become something the earth can use to sustain life. Although it is just one aspect
of the way we live, the change to biodegradable plastics would be a big step towards the ultimate
goal of maintaining a truly sustainable environment.
Works Cited Page
Freudenrich, Ph.D., Craig. "How Landfills Work" 16 October 2000. HowStuffWorks.com.
<http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/landfill.htm> 07 December
2011.
McLendon, Russell. “What is the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?” 24 February 2010.
MNN.com. <http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-uncle-sam/stories/what-is-the-greatpacific-ocean-garbage-patch> 10 December 2011.