Ever since Mr. McGuire offered the single word ‘Plastics‘ as his form of advice to Benjamin Braddock in the movie, The Graduate, one could say that’s it’s been downhill for Earth’s ecology. The problem, as it turns out, is sheer numbers. Non-biodegradable plastic has been used ever since – that movie came out in the 1960′s – in billions of ‘disposable’ items. In 2009 alone, in excess of 5 billion pounds of plastic bottles were used. That raises the question: What does disposable mean? It means you can throw something away, presumably with little fear of consequence.
The problem with ‘disposability’ has become apparent. ‘Disposed of’ plastic bottles have congregated into an enormous floating morass that lingers in the confluence of currents of the Pacific Ocean. It’s called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Enormous? Think about it as being as large as the 51st, 52nd, and 53rd states, combined. But which sized states, you might wonder? How about California, North Dakota, and Illinois combined. It’s bigger than that; there would still be room for plenty of oceanfront acreage on this island! That’s disturbing. Even more disturbing is that this isn’t a topic of daily conversation across America. Terrorists, including the head guy, Osama bin Laden, could easily be living on this island in plain sight, because everyone just wants to ignore it and look the other way.
But we recycle, so what’s the problem? For every person that recycles plastic bottles, four others don’t, that’s the problem. Look into it – that’s a cold, hard fact. So while you blissfully believe that you’re doing your part – and you may well be doing so – many others around you are not pulling their own weight. The new ‘part’ of the enlightened might involve spreading the word..
You might wonder why more people don’t recycle in this, the Information Age. This truth is also startling: in 2007, it was revealed that as many as 72% of Americans don’t know that plastic is an oil-based product. Further dismaying comes the revelation that 40% of United States citizens believe plastic biodegrades. Not in your lifetime. That’s a pretty big fail.
Since plastic contains BPA, or Bisphenol A, which leaches into fluids that it touches, there is yet another aspect of this that’s disturbing. The oceans are becoming contaminated with BPA, as are the creatures who drink ocean water. Can you think of one sea creature that doesn’t drink water?
In the Information Age, awareness should make unlined stainless steel a more viable reusable beverage container alternative than ever before. And, maybe because it’s a heavy metal (rock on, dude!), a lot more people recycle steel than recycle plastic. As in everything, one need not go the completely stainless route overnight to begin making a positive impact on the Earth. Just think about it before you buy that next package of bottled water at Costco or anywhere else - Will your action do more harm than good? Are your actions helping to sustain the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
Why write about such a topic on an action sports website? Pretty simple. Athletes, including me, consume mass amounts of hydrating products. We’re often far from a water faucet, and thus must bring our own beverage along to quench our thirst. Athletes are, perhaps more than most, the ones who should be spearheading a movement away from one-use, or even recyclable, plastic bottles. Because ‘disposable’ just doesn’t mean what it once did. And ‘recyclable’ often doesn’t lead to recycling…
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