Plastic is not our enemy
Not all plastic is bad! Wait…what?!
Plastic itself is not the problem, it’s what we choose to do with plastic that’s the problem. Sometimes..plastic is actually pretty great.
I was hanging with a group of friends not too long ago when one of my friends asked me about plastic. I didn’t have a chance to go into the weeds about it with her and briefly chatted about a few reasons why plastic is necessary and even a good option. Today I want to share that with you guys.
Plastics and Transportation
Because plastic is both lightweight and durable, it makes an ideal material for manufacturing cars, trucks, and other vehicles. As plastic technology advances, using more plastic to lighten the weight of cars and trucks can make them more fuel-efficient. For every ten percent reduction in weight, a car or truck will save five to seven percent in fuel usage. Reduction in vehicle weight translates into a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions: every pound of vehicle weight that can be eliminated means 25.3 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions are saved over the vehicle’s life. Isn’t that great?
Plastics and Energy Efficiency
Plastics can make your home more energy-efficient. Plastic sealants and caulks can seal up window leaks and plastic foam weather stripping can make doors and windows draft-free. Many brands of high efficiency LED light bulbs are made from recycled plastic. Plastic insulation in the walls, floors, attic, and roof of your home keeps heat in during the winter and out during the summer, which saves you energy (and money) on your heating and cooling.
Plastics in Sports
Plastics are used in many sports to increase athlete efficiency and safety. i.e. plastic helmets, mouth guards, and plastic foam. Even the turf of a football or soccer field may be made of plastic, which reduces water and fertilizer use and is recyclable. Plastic has many other uses in sports—from tennis players’ lightweight and strong rackets to beach volleyball’s wound nylon and plastic ball and runners’ shock-absorbing shoes.
Plastics and Medicine
Plastics increase the efficiency and hygiene of medicine from the surgery suite to the physician’s office. Plastics also improve patients’ quality of life and even go as far as save lives. Plastic syringes and tubing are disposable to reduce disease transmission. Plastic intravenous blood, fluid, and medicine bags let health care workers more easily view dosages and replacement needs. Plastic heart valves and knee and hip joints save lives and make patients’ lives more comfortable. Plastic prosthesis help amputees regain function and improve their quality of life. Just to name a few.
Plastics in Electronics
Plastic’s strength, light weight, and malleability have revolutionized electronics. Plastic cables and cords on everything from computers to paper shredders keep electronics powered. Plastic insulation for cables and electrical equipment keeps equipment cool and protects users from over-heating. The liquid crystalline plastics in LCD flat screen televisions give beautiful pictures and save energy, using less power than traditional cathode ray tube screens. The touch screens on mobile phones, computers, and other electronics are made of polycarbonate film. Handsets and earpieces are lighter and more comfortable because of plastics.
Plastic gets a bad rep within the low waste community, but it can be pretty incredible too. We just need to learn to use it responsibly.