The city of Seattle's ban on plastic bags has been in effect since July 1, 2012, and yet if you walk down any grocery aisle you will encounter the seven basic types of plastic. Every sandwich, vegetable (frozen or fresh), sack of fruit, snack, beverage (pop, water, juice), is shrink-wrapped or encased in plastic.
If plastic shopping bags are illegal, then why are we entombed in plastic? Everywhere we shop, plastic is in abundance. From the minute we get up in the morning until end of day, most of what we touch in the way of consumables is wrapped in plastic.
There is bad plastic, very bad plastic and not-so-bad plastic, so how do you tell the difference? There are several reputable guides found online. One is published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. Called the Smart Plastics Guide, you can take a technical walk through healthier ways to use plastic.
The source for the fountain of all plastic is big oil. The one thing that all plastic shares in common is that it is petroleum-based product. And all plastics contain a certain amount of toxicity, even if at the lower levels it is judged to be safe. A good rule to follow would be to minimize the use of plastic, especially when you are eating or storing food, or drinking beverages. Public safety guides emphasize the importance of using paper, wood, metal or glass instead of plastic storage containers, plastic bottles and plastic cups.
Let Them Eat Plastic
By Patricia Vaccarino