pollution

Plastic is Poison

NPR published an article this month about plastic baby bottles shedding microplastics when heated. Years ago, I remember seeing a headline that read “We Are Drinking Our Clothes”. Since then, I’ve seen so many depressing articles about microplastics in the fog over our bay, in the air we breathe, in the water we drink. Plastic is all around us and our reliance on it is also our demise. I suppose on the bright side it’s good for the plastic problem to become more mainstream. Sad pun intended.

When Bubba was born, I was really terrified of three things: 1) him breathing in air pollution like truck or car exhaust or fertilizer (we live in a rural town surrounded by corn fields), 2) him coming into contact with the lawn spray that is so pervasive in our neighborhood and that our dog might track in, and 3) him ingesting microplastics or harmful metals like lead.

Let’s be real. I was worried about these things before he was born. But before I got pregnant, I only had myself to worry about. To bring another life into this effed up world, I feel immense responsibility to keep him safe.

Safe from plastic and toxins. This task just seems so…impossible. Unless, I put him in a bubble. Wait, is that an option?

Here is what I know about plastic:

  • All plastic erodes and becomes finer pieces of microplastic.

  • Plastic doesn’t ever leave earth. All the plastic that has ever been created? It’s all still on this earth somewhere.

  • Most of our clothing is made of plastic or some synthetic material like acrylic or polyester. Continuously washing and wearing our clothes creates more microplastic. I’m looking at you, yoga pants.

Here are the problems with plastic:

  • Plastic disrupts our delicate endocrine system.

  • A handful of big corporations are the biggest producers of plastic and thus plastic waste. Coke, Pepsi, and Nestle are up at the top.

  • Plastic pollution is nearly impossible to clean up. Microplastic especially.

To get sick from plastic, it’s difficult for doctors to diagnose plastic as the root cause. Cancers are unique to the individual, a special formula made up of small or large traces of genes, toxins, and other stressors.

Do we fight the plastic fight until something else kills us in the end? Do I fight for my child, knowing that it might give him a chance at a better life?

Yes, I believe I do. I’ll take that chance.

Gift-Giving

Over the years, I've grown to despise gifts. Period. Both giving gifts and receiving gifts. And, I'm not talking about services or cash. I'm talking about physical items as gifts. I know it's an extremely unpopular opinion and I know it makes me seem ungrateful, but the whole concept of gifts doesn't make sense to me.

When I receive gifts, 10/10 times the gift is something I don't want or need and it's usually something so completely outside of my tastes that it stresses me out to have it in the house.

The gift-giver has now given me a project. I now need to figure out what to do with the item and/or go through the annoying process of returning it. On top of this, I know most returned items end up in the landfill. I could go on about how environmentally unfriendly gifts are.

I understand that there are traditions rooted in gift-giving. The older generation who raised me insists that it is their right and their duty to give gifts. But, I don't buy it. Giving gifts out of obligation feels like a chore. Receiving gifts with a fake smile seems disingenuous. Just give me cash if you must give me something.

The downside is when I ask for cash instead, they reply with, "Well, that's not fun." Fun for whom, may I ask? I don't want my relative’s shopping addiction to use me as an excuse to drain her bank account, distract her from her real problems, and further pollute the earth. (Yes, it’s always a “her”.) Tape the $20 bill to a jar of peanut butter if you want to make it "fun".

Perhaps I'm taking it too personally when I receive a personal gift but at times, I feel like the person giving me "gifts" is discreetly trying to tell me something. For example, if you keep buying me socks as gifts, I'm starting to wonder if you think I can't buy my own socks or if you think my socks are ugly. Either way, I don't want the hint.

And when it comes to giving gifts, I'm sure the feelings are mutual. Do you really want me to spend time out of my busy day to buy a gift for you that you don't want or need? If I tell you I don't want any gifts at my birthday party and you bring one anyway, are you now imposing your tradition on mine?

I wish we were more creative in our acts of love for others. It doesn't have to cost anything. It doesn't have to be anything new. Sometimes lending an ear, paying for my lunch, or making a homemade card can mean more than a stuffie from Australia.

Thank you for listening to my Ted talk.