People are talking about a circular economy now. Which is not exclude market economy at all. But consumerism occurs when (for instance) the petro-chemical industry which is forced to take part in the energy transition (because it has become obvious that renewable energies will be even more affordable in the future) is now pushing people into extreme plastic consumption. In some instances I am receiving about three plastic packages one within the other for a single item I purchased on the internet. And how many times have I asked the waiter not to bring a plastic straw and have it brought to me anyway.
Today there are techniques like chemical recycling that can almost transform these items into petroleum. But these are new methods. 90% of our plastic is ending up somewhere in nature, and it is probably going to stay there for 500 – 1000 years (while disintegrating into micro and nano plastics which will easily make their way into our own bodies via the food chain).
So China used to be a good example of that. They used to import plastic in order to sort it out and recycle it. Today, the madness of our system is that the production of new plastic is simply cheaper and more efficient than the recycling of plastic.
So in a market economy, governments should take the lead and push people into using less plastic, banning single use plastics altogether and promoting things like doing the farmer’s market shopping with reusable bags etc. Today when I go to the farmer’s market I receive on plastic bag for each item I am receiving.
So the industry is literally pushing these items into our hands and is greenwashing it by making us believe we can overcome this issue just by recycling plastic items. I think alternatives to plastics must be promoted as quickly as possible.
Today there are techniques like chemical recycling that can almost transform these items into petroleum. But these are new methods. 90% of our plastic is ending up somewhere in nature, and it is probably going to stay there for 500 – 1000 years (while disintegrating into micro and nano plastics which will easily make their way into our own bodies via the food chain).
So China used to be a good example of that. They used to import plastic in order to sort it out and recycle it. Today, the madness of our system is that the production of new plastic is simply cheaper and more efficient than the recycling of plastic.
So in a market economy, governments should take the lead and push people into using less plastic, banning single use plastics altogether and promoting things like doing the farmer’s market shopping with reusable bags etc. Today when I go to the farmer’s market I receive on plastic bag for each item I am receiving.
So the industry is literally pushing these items into our hands and is greenwashing it by making us believe we can overcome this issue just by recycling plastic items. I think alternatives to plastics must be promoted as quickly as possible.
