Under things I didn't know...Also, that the Philippines are among the world's worst plastic polluters.

And that it hurts the animals too.

Related to recycling thread.

We just HAVE to find and use other packaging materials besides plastic. I mean, what's so hard about that?

Surely, there's something biodegradable and sturdy enough to hold up, to replace it. Burlap? (Woudn't you know the Philippines worst offenders are large plastic rice bags?)

Analysts shocked by dead whales' stomachs ~ 90% "dead of plastic"

Sorry, HOW to make the image smaller?

From "Freedom Island" in Manilla Bay (ironic title much?)

I'm finding myself distressed these days about the seeming indifference of so many people. Although I know a lot of people really care, when you start taking a close look one sees that plastic permeates every nook and cranny of modern life.

I was in NYC these past few days and, as usual, bought lunch at food court. It's so depressing. I purchased food from the hot buffets and took the sturdiest plastic container they had (they had 2 styles, one cheap one-use-only and another that was reusable) so I can reuse them at home as refrigerator containers.

I stopped at Starbucks near where Dartmouth Coach makes it's pickup on 42nd St. Got a bagel and cream cheese and instead of a big vat of cream cheese for the counter people to spread, the cheese came in a separate small plastic bin. 1) That's awful service (I had to spread my own bagel!), and 2) how ridiculously wasteful. (Not to mention that it was absolutely horrid cream cheese, chock full of gums and stuff. Yuck.)

I'm feeling discouraged about all this. So few seem to be paying attention. It seems the food industry is the worst offender when it comes to utilizing single-use plastic.

I tried to make up for my sins by stopping at Lush and buying a shampoo bar--no more plastic shampoo bottles are coming into this house. I also picked up some toothy tabs (a toothpaste alternative) but was disappointed they came in a plastic bottle. I'm going to write them about that, they seem like the kind of company that will at least listen. Last month I bought an all-metal safety razor to replace the plastic muck I had been using. When my toothbrush wears out, I'm going to get one of those made of bamboo. And I'm starting to take my own bags shopping. More to do. More to do.

Good for you, Bernard.

I know what you mean, about feeling despair about this (alas, not only this issue. Pesticides and more).

No way would any future behavioral economists (if we still have any, or much of anyone else), won't say that if we as a society really cared, we would tackle this remediable problem and solve it fast.

It's not as complex as climate change. Abolishing plastic and styrofoam (etc) use is entirely doable. It's a matter of incentivization.

One first step would be to fine factories using plastic in manufacture and storage, a significant enough amount for them to be motivated to find substitutes.

Likewise, re other food packaging usages. Kind of sickening to realize the cut-off point to get people to bring their own shopping bags is charging at most 20c/bag for plastic store bags. No need for education and rules. Just charge people. I myself "forget" to bring all my own bags, and know perfectly well if I was charged, I wouldn't.

Remembering my backyard neighbors in Haifa, concentration camp survivors, very frugal, they saved everything. Back then they DID charge for plastic bags in Israel (unsure about now). I used to see rows of their bags blowing from their clotheslines regularly. No reason to think they were exceptional ecologists.

It's not as if the wildlife consuming plastics had a choice, while we certainly DO. What's more, even after they die, the plastic stays in our ecosystem (and can be eaten all over again.)