{"id":20427,"date":"2013-12-31T18:37:27","date_gmt":"2013-12-31T18:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecowatch.com\/?p=316777"},"modified":"2013-12-31T18:37:27","modified_gmt":"2013-12-31T18:37:27","slug":"new-years-resolution-refuse-disposable-plastics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leedpoints.com\/green-building-blog\/new-years-resolution-refuse-disposable-plastics\/","title":{"rendered":"New Year\u2019s Resolution: Refuse Disposable Plastics"},"content":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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The Plastic Pollution Coalition<\/a> launched a campaign this month aimed at reducing single use plastic in 2014. Through Resolve to Refuse<\/a>, the Plastic Pollution Coalition is urging people to sign a pledge to follow the “Four Rs” of sustainable living—refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle—in the New Year.<\/p>\n

Disposable plastic items have become so commonplace that they are literally everywhere—from ubiquitous plastic bags<\/a> and bottles to plastic straws, lids, bags, cups, utensils, plates and packaging.<\/p>\n

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“Our plastic pollution is literally entering the food chain, getting into our food and potentially exposing us to toxic chemicals,” said actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr.<\/a>, one of the celebrity activists that signed the pledge. “We need to change our disposable habits now.”<\/p>\n

Disposable plastics never biodegrade, but they do breakdown<\/a>. As they do, any toxic additives they contain—including flame retardants, antimicrobials and plasticizers—are released into the environment. Many of these chemicals are hormone disrupting<\/a>, posing a risk to the endocrine systems of both animals and humans.<\/p>\n

Many U.S. cities<\/a> have enacted bans on the use of plastic bags, but the federal government has yet to pass similar regulations. In December, New York City banned styrofoam food containers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Every bit of plastic that has ever been produced still exists, according to Plastic Pollution Coalition<\/a>, including the small amount that has been incinerated and has become toxic particulate matter.<\/p>\n

“Plastic bottles have got to go,” said actor Jeff Bridges<\/a>. “The bottles take a large amount of energy<\/a> and fossil fuel to produce, then leach chemicals—phthalates and BPA<\/a>—into the beverage, and will last forever. What is convenient about that?” <\/p>\n

Visit EcoWatch’s BIODIVERSITY<\/a> page for more related news on this topic.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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