Is the war against plastic a distraction?

This article in The Conversation makes the interesting point that while plastic is a big focus of many environmental studies and projects, the effort put into these initiatives might be disproportionate to the overall effect on the environment, compared to other issues.

We need to keep in mind that while reducing our use of plastic, especially single use plastic, is necessary, it is not sufficient to curb our impact on the planet. Reducing our consumption of animal products, having fewer children, avoiding air travel and switching to renewable energy are all measurably more impactful in several ways.

From the article:

"Though there is widespread animosity towards plastics, they are a group of materials that we cannot live without, and that we should not live without. We argue that plastics themselves are not the cause of the problem, and that failing to recognise this risks exacerbating much greater environmental and social catastrophes."

"Society pollutes the environment in more ways than most people are aware, and has done since long before concern for plastic pollution became prevalent. Agriculture leads to nutrient over-enrichment and pesticide pollution. Electronics, vehicles and buildings require a wide variety of toxic metals that leak into the environment at the end of their lives and are blown and washed from where they are mined. Medicines that are washed down drains and not completely metabolised (used up) by our bodies can also find their way into rivers and lakes."

"These lesser known realities of everyday consumption degrade the environment and are toxic to wildlife. As chemicals, rather than particles like plastic, these pollutants are also far more mobile than plastics and, in the case of toxic metals, more persistent."

The answer is, in my opinion, to tackle both the downstream and upstream effects simultaneously. Plastic pollution, as well as other invisible pollution, are symptoms of a much larger cause - a consumption-focused, wasteful society that puts individual pleasure and success over the wellbeing of the whole. A zero-waste store like Twist and Sprout is just one piece of a very big puzzle.

Read the whole article here, or the paper on which it is based here.

These interlinking concepts are being tackled by many great thinkers, such as Nate Hagens from the Great Simplification, and Daniel Schmachtenberger from Civilisation Emerging. These are highly recommended if you wish to step back from the more specific issues of plastic pollution or climate change.

We focus on the bigger picture at Sprout Village, asking how these environmental, economic and societal issues are all linked and how we can create a better, kinder society.