Fact Friday: The Plastic Problem by Rachel Salt

Image: Firefly Books Ltd.

The Plastic Problem by Rachel Salt. 80 p. Firefly Books Ltd., September, 2020. 9780228102311. (Review of finished purchased ppb.)

Fact Friday features The Plastic Problem by Rachel Salt. If you're a regular reader of the Daily Book Talk, you may have noticed that plastic pollution is on my mind. Did you know that only 9% of plastic is recycled? According to this book, 79% goes into landfills, where it will sit for hundreds of years leaching chemicals. Much plastic ends up in streams, rivers and ultimately our oceans, where the wind and wave movements break up the plastic into tiny pieces, which marine life then eat mistaking it for food. The physical plastic in an animal's stomach can't be digested, takes up space and eventually leads to death by starvation or obstruction. The chemicals in microplastics are absorbed by the animals, which are part of a food chain and may end up on our dinner plates. Plastic has been around for about 100 years but, while good things have been possible thanks to plastic, other types of plastic, such as single-use plastic should be rethought. This attractively designed, easy-to-understand book explains it all and suggests ways that individuals can help using the 6 Rs. We know about the 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Consider 3 more - Refuse, Rethink and Repair. So look around your house. Do a plastic audit. Do you really need to buy cases of bottled water when you can refill a Swell bottle? Do you need plastic utensils and wrappings in your lunch box? Think about it and have a great Independence Day weekend!

PS: If you're having a get-together, try to avoid disposable party ware!