Hope for a dying planet awash in plastic

[T_aquaticus]

@beaglelady

If anybody thinks that cotton bags must be used 6 million times to be more environmentally friendly than single-use plastic bags, I’d like to know why cotton only becomes bad when we use it for bags.

Missy Elliot was ahead of the times:

[beaglelady]

And what is this?

[T_aquaticus]

@beaglelady

And what is this?

Missy Elliot saw the wisdom of your argument and replaced her cotton clothing with plastic bags.

[beaglelady]

@T_aquaticus

Missy Elliot saw the wisdom of your argument and replaced her cotton clothing with plastic bags.

I wasn’t arguing against cotton.

[jpm (Phil McCurdy)]

It does make you wonder, much of our clothing these days is a form of plastic: polyester, spandex, nylon, etc., so how much of the microplastics are clothing and fabric fibers? Technically, they call anything less than 2mm a microplastic, but in the body, I would the think the micro-microplastics would be of greatest concern.

[Paraleptopecten (Timothy Campbell)]

@beaglelady

Some glass jars, e.g. peanut butter jars

I’m not sure if peanut butter in glass is available in the local stores. I haven’t paid close attention (nor, for that matter, have I looked at the peanut butter section in a few months).

[T_aquaticus]

@jpm

Technically, they call anything less than 2mm a microplastic, but in the body, I would the think the micro-microplastics would be of greatest concern.

Technically . . . DNA/RNA are polymers just like plastic, so our cells are already loaded with microplastics.

[beaglelady]

@jpm

It does make you wonder, much of our clothing these days is a form of plastic: polyester, spandex, nylon, etc., so how much of the microplastics are clothing and fabric fibers? Technically, they call anything less than 2mm a microplastic, but in the body, I would the think the micro-microplastics would be of greatest concern.

Yes, I believe much of microplastic pollution comes from textile fibers being dried in the dryer. I always hang-dry my fleece wear. I’m interested in getting one of those things you put in the dryer to catch the fibers. Maybe there will be regulations concerning dryers in the future.

[beaglelady]

@Paraleptopecten

I’m not sure if peanut butter in glass is available in the local stores. I haven’t paid close attention (nor, for that matter, have I looked at the peanut butter section in a few months).

Spaghetti sauce jars?

[beaglelady]

@Kendel

I have been reticent to follow this trend, because silicone items often leave a residue on my hands. And I have not done any research yet what that could be or even on silicone safety in general.
Have you done any? What have you learned?

I have sleep apnea and must use a CPAP machine at night. That includes a mask, made out of silicone. So I’m assuming it’s safe.