RANTS: THE PROBLEM OF PLASTICS, AND LIVING IN THE FUTURE'S PAST

I thought I would make a brief post and pass on an interesting (sadly!) article I found while touring about the web. It’s an interview by the American webzine publisher Robert Sheer of Truthdig.com with Dianna Cohen of the Plastics Pollution Coalition. He and Cohen discuss the impacts plastic has on our environment, and according to Cohen it is a global problem: 


"It is one of the major polluters of oceans; it is not the sole polluter of the ocean. But because of particular qualities that plastic has, it either floats or it sinks to the bottom, or it begins to get algae and things growing on it, which attract sea life and wildlife to it–they smell it, and they believe it’s edible, and so they eat it or they’re attracted to the colors of it. Pelagic seabirds, like Laysan albatross and other seabirds, also collect plastic bits and pieces thinking that it’s food or krill, or things that they normally would collect and feed to their babies. And then they bring it back to the nest and they regurgitate it, they feed it to the babies, and these babies die with their stomachs full of plastic."

     They discuss other aspects of plastics pollution, including the need to examine domestic recycling efforts in the United States (but I think it is reasonably safe to assume this holds true for the developed world in general) and how they must evolve a higher order of efficiency, given the recent Chinese policy of no longer accepting the world’s plastic waste for their factories to use (apparently they now have enough domestic plastic waste to meet their manufacturing needs. That’s progress for you!) Cohen and Sheer’s discussion is a wake-up call about the 'dream-product' of the 1960’s and how it’s turning into something of a nightmare. 
     I was going to put in that really gross picture of the sea turtle as the plastic straw is being pulled from its bleeding nostril that most of us have seen, but I thought, instead, that I would put this—strangely beautiful—picture of a sea turtle confronting a piece of floating plastic wrap. It reminded me of what Sheer says about the original ‘message’ of plastics. “You know, I’m hooked on plastic; it’s been there, as I say, it’s been this wonderful, shiny, supple, easy, cheaper thing that has informed my entire life.” 
Here this 'wonderful', floating plastic sheeting looks light and gentle—almost natural in the water; like one of those jelly-fish bobbing along with the ocean currents. But like some jelly-fish, it can give a nasty sting and a whole world of pain for those who encounter it, like this sea turtle, who may live to regret ever running across it. Plastic is ubiquitous in our world today, but if you look at photos from the 1960s, most things still came in paper wrapping, glass or tin, or whatnot, so it's a relatively recent phenomenon. And yet, can we even begin to imagine what our world would be like without it? (I hope we can.)

     Cohen mentions a recent documentary film produced by the American actor, Jeff Bridges: Living In the Future’s Past, which I am putting on my to-watch list. I love Jeff Bridges (and to be clear: not in a creepy stalker way, but more like a a bro-pal or man-crush.) He also narrates the film, and it looks like it’s worth having a look at. (By the way, if you don’t find Bridge's 1998 flick, The Big Lebowski, a movie where you will laugh until you pee your pants, then you really need to get some therapy or else join a circus.) 

 Cheers, Jake.