Recycling is a mess and it’s not your fault but it’s still our responsibility

Recycling is a mess and it’s not your fault, but it’s still our responsibility.

 It doesn’t take much, a few quick searches and you’ll find videos on the huge volumes of recycled waste we produce, how plastics are the most problematic and where those plastics go. Spoiler; National Geographic reports that 91% of plastics are/were not recycled. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/whopping-91-percent-plastic-isnt-recycled/

The information is out there if you seek it so I won’t repeat what better minds have already said. For me the emphasis on us ‘doing our part’ is dangerous since it feeds the illusion that the power is in our hands. However, it’s my belief that the driving force has to come from government, large cooperations and ultimately there needs to be accountability for waste production. 

With all the infrastructure we have in place the fact remains that it’s cheaper to use virgin plastic anyway. The lower cost of virgin plastic means there is no financial incentive to use recycled plastic. 

We can help by taking recycling seriously (sorting and washing as best we can) but ultimately we need to get the cooperations that can affect change the most to take it seriously too. This is where the challenge lies, how can we use our collective power to influence change?. I’m sat on my arse in the hope this does, but I fear it won’t. 

Fauna and Flora International just launched an international petition with the celebrity support of David Attenborough, Stephen Fry and others. I find it important for my spirit to end on a positive call to action so I ask that you have time and patience for the specialists fighting around the world. Life is hard so forgive yourself if you don’t have the energy for activism but support those that try.

This video by NPR illustrates these point well.