DISRUPTING

Disrupting Disposables The Drive to Banish Single-Use Plastics

Universities,sportsarenas,restaurantsandotherbusinessesare takingupthecallto“disruptdisposables”aspartofaglobalefforttodramaticallycutdownonsingle-useplastics. Theenvironmentalproblemscausedby thoseubiquitousthrowawayshavebecome amainstayofnewsreporting,andstudies onhowbesttoreducethemthroughpublic policyabound.ArecentCanadianresearch paperintheMarine Pollution Bulletin exploresstrategiessuchasbans,taxlevies andeducation.Expertsagreethatitisnot justalitterproblem,butasoberingmatter ofhumanandplanetaryhealth. Astheseplasticswindupintheoceans andlandfillsworldwide,theycanlanguish virtuallyintactforupto1,000years,entanglingandchokingmarinemammalsand terrestrialwildlife.Or,theybreakintotoxic microplasticsthatenterdrinkingwater supplies,eventuallyingestedbyhumans. Becauseplasticsaremadefrompetroleum, theirproductionalsoaddstogreenhouse gasesthatcontributetotheclimatecrisis.

Two-prongedefforts bybusinessesandindividualstodivert plasticsfromthewastesystemand replacingthemwithEarth-friendly alternativeswilleventuallypayoff, expertssay,butitwillbealongand slowprocess. However,momentumis building,spurredbyconsumerdemand andagrowingnumberofenterprising businesses,organizationsandacademic institutions. AtPennStateUniversity,agricultureandbiologicalengineeringprofessorJuddMichaelisworkingwithsports facilitiestolowerbothplasticsuseand littering;theinitiativeisworkingsowell thattheirapproachesmaybetakenupby otherschoolsacrossthenation.“Oneof myprojectsiswithNASCAR’sPocono Raceway[alsoinPennsylvania],wherethe ownersofthetrackwantedtocontinue tomakethevenuemoregreen,”hesays. “Thereiszerowasteinsuitesforthat track,andtheyareinitiatingacomprehensiverecyclingprogram.Theytrytoget tailgaterstoparticipate,aswell.” Oncampus,PennStateprovides bagsofdifferentcolorsfortailgaterswith instructionsforfanstoseparaterecyclables inonebagandeverythingelseintheother. ThatprogramwasexportedtoPocono. MichaelisalsoworkingwithPepsiCo, whichownsFrito-Lay,todevelopalternativepackaging. TheUniversityofFlorida’sefforts beganin2012,whenthecampusfreed itselffromplasticbags,gettingbuy-infrom Chick-Fil-A,Subwayandothereateries thatagreedtoswitchtoalternatives.“We’ve by Yvette C. Hammett

beenStyrofoam-freesince2012,aswell,” saysAllisonVitt,outreachandcommunicationscoordinatorfortheUFOfficeofSustainability.“Attheendof2018,weofficially switchedoveralltocompostablestraws.” Theyfeellikeplastic,butarecertifiedcompostable,shesays. UFhasengagedwithCupanion,a companythatdevelopedanappthathas a“fillitforward”program,distributing moneytoclean-watercharitiesworldwide. “Since2016,we’vebeenworkingwiththem toreducesingle-useplastic,rewarding peopleforreusingtheirbottles,”saysVitt. Interestedstudents,staffandfaculty aregivenabarcodestickertoscanontheir phoneeachtimeabottleisrefilledata campusretailerorwaterfountain.Theapp providespointsthatcanberedeemedfor monthlyprizes.“Italsoshowsyouyour personalfootprint—yourcumulativeimpact,likehowmanysingle-usebottlesyou haveavoided,”shesays. Onasmallerscale,DanaHonnand hiswifeChristinawentcompletelyplasticfreeuponopeningCaféCarmo,inNew Orleans.“Weonlyhadaboutadozenseats, butdeterminedtohaveaslittlewasteas possible.Everyyear,wewereabletobuild uponit,”hesays.

“Alotoflocalfolkshavereallychanged theirperspective.Weseealotmorecustomerscominginandsayingtheyappreciatethatweareusingcompostablecupsand compostablestraws.” It’saslow,butsteadyeffort,saysEric DesRoberts,seniormanageroftheOcean Conservancy’sTrashFreeSeasprogram. “Wehaveworkedwithanumberofrestaurantstalkingaboutwhyitisimportantto betakingactiontokeepplasticsoutofthe wastestreamandoutoftheocean.” Morepeoplearevolunteeringto cleanupandcutbackonplastics,and morebusinessesareaskingthenonprofit, Washington,D.C.-based,environmental advocacyorganizationhowtheycando theirpart.“Thereismomentum,butitis challenging,”saysDesRoberts.

Yvette C. Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, Florida. Connect at YvetteHammett28@hotmail.com.