Single-use Plastics 101

Recycling isn’t the perfect solution you might think it is — it’s not even close. Why aren’t most plastics recycled? What’s wrong with plastics recycling? In this episode, I answer these questions, and cover the inherent flaws of plastics recycling and why you didn’t know about them sooner.

The issue of single-use plastic can’t be solved by just one person: we need societal change and systemic action. This episode talks about what larger steps governments, organizations and large groups of people need to take to solve this problem.  

Once you’ve recognized the dangers of single-use plastics, how can you make an impact? Even just as an individual, there’s a lot you can do. In this episode, I review how to figure out how much plastic waste you make, replacements for single-use plastics, which replacements actually have merit and more about your role in resolving the single-use plastic problem.

Plastic waste breaks down into smaller particles, called microplastics, and these particles are so ubiquitous that we even consume them. In this episode, we’ll cover how microplastics are produced, how they affect other organisms, how they get into our bodies and more, with the knowledge of Dr. Jesse Meiller, an environmental toxicologist and professor at American University.

After just one or a few uses, single-use plastics end up thrown in the trash, contributing to plastic waste. Plastic waste is a huge problem that we need to address: plastic pollutes many habitats and hurts the organisms living there. With the help of Adam Roberts, Bethesda Green’s Executive Director, this episode describes where plastic goes after its thrown away and how plastic waste affects the environment. 

Ever wondered what single-use plastics are and why they’re so important? Or how plastic is produced? Plastic production is a complicated process. The plastic we see today mostly comes from fossil fuel sources. But how do plastics change from oil or other fossil fuels to what we buy at the store? This episode discusses these questions and more about the environmental impact of making plastic.