Plastics have been an essential part of our everyday life for decades now (clothing, transportation, household, food packaging, they’re everywhere); however, there’s a big myth surrounding this material and its environmental impact on the planet. You read that right: A big myth. Plastics are usually taken as one of the most harmful materials for the environment, but this is usually a misconception and there are hundreds of studies to confirm that other materials such as oils, single-use glass, or metal, represent a bigger issue, environmentally speaking.
One of the most common myths around their sustainability is their life cycle, but when compared to other materials such as glass or metal, it’s not as damaging as it sounds. Even though we see a lot of plastic in our grocery stores, our deliveries, or just any type of business; these plastics can usually be recycled and put back into business again. There are hundreds of clothing brands that nowadays use plastic to manufacture many of their clothing garments. Take for example the famous brand Adidas and their project PARLEY, which takes plastic waste from the seas and turns them into beautiful and fashionable garments, shoes, clothing, accessories, etc.
Compared to single-use glass or metals, plastics have overall less environmental impact on our planet. Plastics have often the burden and misconception of being the most environmentally damaging material on the planet, but, it’s also usually forgotten that big companies manufacturing and extracting different sorts of resources represent a bigger impact on the health of our planet.
In the healthcare and medical space, plastic has been proven as one of the most effective, safest, and hygienic ways to approach a patient. Single-use plastics have considerably decreased infection transmission when diagnosing or treating diseases. Tools such as single-use gloves, syringes, applicators, bandages, and wraps have been absolute lifesavers in the medical field. Though most of these utensils can’t be recycled, our NAD Wartenberg pinwheel, it’s made with the highest quality of plastic and can be put through disinfection and repurposing its material.
You see, The problem is not the material and its nature. The problem is how we use it and how we dispose of it. ‘
"Waste reduction and mindful consumption, including careful consideration of the types and quantities of products consumed, are far larger factors dictating the environmental impact of an event" This valuable opinion made by the University of Michigan, faces us with the obvious reality, it’s not about the products or materials we use, is about the excess and disposal of it. Mindful consumption is always encouraged, and it’s the most effective way to care for our environment.
It’s important to pay special attention to the life cycle of the products you use, from their extraction from nature to the way it is treated after you’re done with them. This will only help you to make better decisions about what you’re using and consuming.
In this blog entry, we’re not trying to say plastic doesn’t represent a real threat to the environment, but rather, plastic is not the biggest issue for our planet. According to studies made by ‘Greenpeace’, aspects such as the generation of energy through the burning of oils, gas, and coal, represent at least 4,5 million deaths yearly, due to reducing the quality of the air we breathe.
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