Petition: US GOV'TS MUST DECLARE PLASTIC & STYROFOAM HAZARDOUS when RELEASED into the ENVIRONMENT
Read this petition and learn what you can do to reduce plastic/Styrofoam pollution and protect our planet from this ominous global threat to our health, the environment, and our future.
At the bottom of this post, you'll find the 14 habits that every individual should adopt every day!
1. The world’s oceans, and our planet, are in grave danger! They are being polluted with our single-use plastic trash, plastic packaging, and Styrofoam cups/containers and packaging. Single-use items are bags, bottles, silverware, cups, lids/caps, straws, dishes, food containers, etc. In addition, to plastic disposable items like cigarette lighters, razors, markers, and many more.
2. However, there are many other harmful products- in addition to plastic trash- that is devastating the world’s oceans. Here are some of the major ones; discarded fishing nets, deflated balloons, pesticides, herbicides, toothpaste, cosmetics, sunscreens (that contain microbeads- tiny pieces of plastic), high level of CO2 emissions (pollution from fossil fuels; coal, oil and methane gas- used in auto vehicles/factories)- these are causing ocean acidification- the bleaching (or death)- of corrals. In addition to sewer waste, loaded with microbeads (tiny pieces/particles of plastic)- which are found in; face scrubs, women's cosmetics and in toothpaste and some liquid soaps. Thank God the governments of Canada and the US have banned microbeads. The US ban will be effective this year, in July 2019. However, many cities in China, India Indonesia and Africa flush their sewer waste directly into rivers, which carry it to the oceans. Microplastics (tiny pieces of plastic, 1/5 of an inch) are also released from motor vehicle tires, which get washed into the oceans, by rain, and via the sewer system! And from electric clothes washers/driers when they are used to wash/dry synthetic clothes (made with polyester/plastic fibers)! Microplastic now is also in the air we breathe and the water we drink! In addition, overfishing has depleted marine life and so has seismic air gun blasting (noise pollution from oil exploration), and noise from Navy sonar- are also killing marine life. Radioactive waste, from nuclear reactors, has entered the food chain. Hot water from power plants and some factories is dumped directly into rivers/streams- killing many marine animals because of sudden changes in temperature. And finally, acid rain from air pollution is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.
3. The reason for all this plastic pollution is because we, in the USA and in many other countries, do not recycle enough. In fact, according to National Geographic and Green Peace’s only 9% of our plastic trash is recycled (in the USA). Most of it -79%- is accumulating in landfills or sitting in the natural environment. This means, that at some point, much of it ends up in the oceans. And if present trends continue, by 2050, there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic – that's a rubbish truck full every minute.
4. Ocean plastic is estimated to kill millions of marine animals every year. Marine species, from zooplankton to whales, now eat micro plastics (tiny pieces smaller than one-fifth of an inch across), which has broken down into smaller pieces, after years of floating in the ocean, and/or sitting in the environment. In addition, scientists estimate that anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of seafood has micro plastic in it. And other sources tell us that 94% of all drinking water in the USA is polluted with plastic, and 70% of the world’s water contains plastic too!
5. If you’re wondering how all of this trash gets to the ocean- the culprits- the causes- according to Ocean Conservancy, National Geographic and Greenpeace, are garbage dumps located near bodies of water, creeks, rivers and lakes. Hence, the harmful chemicals released from plastic, as it sits in the soil, seep into the ground water, and eventually they reach the oceans. Much of this plastic trash is also transported to the seas by the wind, the sewer system and water bodies.
6. It is clear that one way to reduce plastic pollution is to ban all single-use plastic and Styrofoam containers/packaging, and declare them both environmentally hazardous. If this is carried out by governments, then the whole business of plastic/Styrofoam production will be controlled/regulated (enforced with education, warnings, signs, fines and enforcement personnel), so that this huge amount of trash can be better controlled, and prevented from reaching the environment- hence avoid high level of contamination- the pollution of fresh water, of the soil and of the oceans. In addition, other solutions are also effective, as charging fees for plastic bags! In Ireland plastic bag use fell to 90% after a tax of 37 cents/bag. In Los Angeles County, a plastic bag ban and a charge on paper bags reduced single bag use by 95%! Shoppers simply switched to reusable bags! Sweden made reasonable increases in deposit fees for bottles and cans (depending on their size), from 5 cents to 30 cents. This increased recycling/return rates to 97%!
7. So, as consumers we have a powerful positive effect- when we put into action the 7Rs, the following 7 environmental steps. First, apply, the 4Rs (4 concrete steps at home, at work and everywhere 24/7) of; Reducing, Reusing, Refusing and/or boycott (stop purchasing/using) all kinds of Styrofoam cups/containers and single-use products, like plastic bags, bottles, cups, straws, stirrers, dental picks, swabs (aka q-tips). and last, but not leas is Recycling.
Second, boycott products that are disposable, as cigarette lighters, markers, disposable razors, etc.- and replace these items with ones that are degradable, made from natural materials/fibers (paper, wood, food- as edible cutlery/silverware/dishes, etc).
Third, we must educate the public; our own families, our students/children, and teach them the 3Rs (environmental behavior steps) of; Respect, Responsibility and Reaction (toward the protection of the Earth). Society needs to be encouraged and educated in avoiding products that harm the environment and instead purchase/use biodegradable products. This will be expensive in the beginning, but it will eventually drive down prices, and it will help transform the economy to a circular/clean/sustainable one- an economy that will concentrate on reducing waste by recycling it, and put back materials back into the economy, instead of dumping them into the environment. Not to do so it will certainly bring the eventual destruction/degradation of the planet, which will be a lot more expensive! California and the European Union are prime examples of this new sustainable and profitable model!
Fourth, communicate with local municipalities, and ask them to improve the waste collection/recycling system to reduce plastic pollution and other harmful waste from reaching the environment.
Fifth, contact political leaders at all levels; the municipal, county, State and federal government levels; and demand that they do all they can to make the plastic and food/beverage industry accountable. All governments must also accept responsibility by passing/enforcing regulations/laws, with the aim of educating the public (in schools, with signs/posters,environmental personnel: inspectors/managers, and with rewards/recognition, but also fines/sanctions when needed, etc). These actions will protect the planet from the threat of plastic/Styrofoam trash, and all other types of pollution that are mentioned above, which threaten our existence on planet Earth- our only home.
Sixth, governments must mandate recycling of all entities in society; from individuals, to families/households, to businesses (both public/private). Everyone should be mandated to recycle all plastic, and do it correctly; without contaminating it- no food/liquids and no trash, no unreciclable items like straws, stirrers and no plastic bags in single-stream recycling bins.
Seventh, hold corporations accountable for the harmful waste they produce. The oil/plastic and food industry should be responsible. They must work to reduce their waste (not just increasing their profits), otherwise they should pay more taxes- depending on the level of harmful waste that they produce. Therefore, corporations/industries/businesses and public entities (schools, hospitals, prisons, etc), should share in the responsibility of controlling/recycling their waste, by paying a carbon/plastic/Styrofoam tax. Governments must support/regulate them, so that solutions and alternative products, that are not harmful to the environment and all living things, will be found. Many US cities have already banned single-use plastic/Styrofoam products. California and many countries/cities in the European Union are prime examples of this sustainable model. We should study/imitate them and quickly implement the best methods and/or improve upon them. Communities/corporations' goals should be ZERO-WASTE.
Eight, we must join forces and support environmental groups and organizations because these lobby our governments for us. Here are some of the effective/reliable ones I know- you can find them online; Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), Earthjustice, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Oceana, Ocean Champions, The Climate Reality Project, National Geographic, and Sierra Club. Ninth, we must pray for our planet and for humanity, for peace, for tolerance, for social/environmental justice and love toward our planet and one another.
8. Latest update, as of 5-26-19. According to The Guardian, on march 27, 2019, the European Parliament voted to ban single-use plastic cutlery, cotton buds, straws and stirrers as part of a sweeping law against plastic waste that despoils beaches and pollutes oceans.The vote by MEPs paves the way for a ban on single-use plastics to come into force by 2021 in all EU member states." To read the whole article, click on this link: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/27/the-last-straw-european-parliament-votes-to-ban-single-use-plastics?fbclid=IwAR3LurgUFtQl1wNbkgoLE-GNMEfhnWTnaaGLuwJNIi3TEkAzhaVTHQSrNq8
9. The information for this petition was extracted from: A Plastic Flood in an Ocean of Troubles. What we Society Needs to do in order to Save our Planet (c) (c) Ottavio Lo Piccolo, 2018. Expected to be published by World Ocean Day, June 8, 2020, or sooner.
10. EARTH DAY & WORLD OCEAN DAY CELEBRATIONS AT OUR SCHOOLS, HOMES and WORK PLACES! Click on the links below to access educational/ activist activities for all:
b. This is the official UN site:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/world+ocean+day+activities/FMfcgxwCggCNxgsvKvGKFtQpHGqsJLbW
c. This is to access my activities:
https://ottaviolopiccolo.blogspot.com/2019/02/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html
d. This is an excellent video reportage in Italian and some in english, by the National Italian TV show Le Iene.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=435177533694005&id=416079542270471
TO SIGN THIS PETITION
"U.S. House of Representatives: All US GOV'TS (States, Counties, municipalities) MUST DECLARE PLASTIC HAZARDOUS TO THE ENVIRONMENT"
Our goal is to reach 1,500 signatures and we need more support. You can read more and sign the petition here: http://chng.it/XyMZHSh8Hz
Here are the habits which every individual should adopt in daily life
Ocean Pollution Solutions
- Reuse plastic if it is possible. Don’t use plastic materials like straws, lids, plastic cups and plastic containers. Carry your own utensils which should be made of wood, steel or any other materials.
- Avoid using plastic utensils.
- Visit your nearest restaurants and give them the advice not to use plastic.
- And give them an alternative which will be beneficial for them. Advise them to use ceramic coffee cups instead of using plastic cups.
- Use reusable coffee mugs, containers, bottles etc.
- Tell your nearest supermarket to avoid excessive plastic objects.
- Make a garment bag for your vegetables and fruits whenever you go for buying some vegetables and fruit use that bag instead of using plastic bags. Use that bag for a whole month before replacing it.
- Avoid such products which are wrapped in an excess amount of plastic.
- Also, you can take action for those companies which use an excess amount of plastic for wrapping products.
- Replace your plastic items of home with alternatives which are less harmful.
- Whenever you see plastic in nature, collect it and give it to your nearest plastic recycling company.
- Promote awareness of oceans pollution with your friends and family share this website with them so that they can take an action about this harmful pollution.
- Promote them by rallies or social awareness walk.
- Share videos and photos about oceans pollution on your social media.
