Sustainability

Sustainability

ISSUE

Plastics productions and its prevalence within the human lives is unmatched. It offers versatility in numerous ways and thus commanding a massive demand from the consumers. Over the last decade, the production of plastics has doubled in production. However, despite its importance within human lives, this material is slowly destroying the planet earth (Reisser et al. 2013). The problem of plastic pollution has become a thorn in the environmental sector. This material poses negative impacts on the environments form its onset of production. Plastics are churned from fossil-based materials using crude oil and natural gases as raw materials plastics bear a finite character. Pollution of plastics seems to be an issue that will affect generations to come if solutions are not modified promptly (Joyner & Frew, 1991). Despite numerous practices being undertaken to curb plastic pollution, several chemical wastes are still being deposited in various points on the Earth. The oceans currently hold close to 50 tons of plastic waste, with more of this waste material being deposited daily (Eriksen et al. 2013). The degradation of plastics brings in the existence of macro-plastics and micro-plastics. These fragments are dangerous when ingested in the aquatic ecosystems. These waste from plastics are hard to dispose of without impacting the environment due to the chemical material used in production. Alternative materials to plastics will aid in the need for the plastics and be sustainable.

Desired outcomes

Plastic is not in any way ecologically sound. These products are hazardous and cause harm to the environments and existing ecosystems. They form part of the most significant waste materials that are present in the ecological setup, and they are a threat to the living organisms present in our environments (Hopewell et al. 2009). Plastic is not decomposable, therefore ensuring they exist through generations while shaping their existence. The production of these plastics also is a major player in environmental degradation.

These plastics are economically feasible, bearing various economic advantages. They are a valuable product in the manufacturing and packaging sector and act as conduits in different commercial platforms. Humans find the efficiency of plastic to be an essential asset in using plastics. Plastic companies are churning profits from these ventures, and it has led to mass job creations and employments across the globe. The production of the plastics has doubled across the decade signify a boom in the economic aspect.

Plastic materials are socially equitable with the prevalence of the synthetic product available in all corners of the globe. The lower prices of these products enable every individual to have access to these plastic materials anywhere (Eriksen et al., 2013). The existence of various types of plastic products ensures that all individuals are accounted for in chemical productions.

Decision-making criteria                           

Alternatives

Reusable plastic bags

These bags are derived from many environmentally friendly materials and act as an alternative to the single to use plastic materials. These bags are reusable and come in many shapes and sizes to their consumers. As compared to plastic, the reusable bags have a friendlier notion, and the bags are accessible. These bags can be produced from canvas, woven, cotton, and even leather.

The significant advantages of the reusable bags are the environmental friendliness and the safe material used in its production. These reusable bags offer a longer-lasting alternative to single-use plastic bags and are considered the best packaging bags (Trimarchi et al., 2020). They are also cheaper, and its durability means that consumers will not use more money in acquiring other bags. These reusable bags are also useful in saving spaces in the house and thus advocating neatness

The kits, however, require a lot of energy in their production. They are also not suitable products for the preservation of food materials it carries.

Glass

This alternative is made from sand and is eco-friendly as compared to the fossil fuel used in making plastic materials. The use of Glass was prevalent in the past before being usurped by the plastic material. Glass offers a reliable alternative to the menace of plastics on the planet earth (Trimarchi et al. 2020).

The use of Glass ensures that the environment is kept safe since it is environmentally friendly. Glass is also recyclable, with most manufacturers taking in recycled Glass to reuse. The reduction also does not require much energy and is durable in its functioning. Using Glass ensures that the environment is kept clean and that there is an element of recycling within the society.

One major disadvantage of the Glass is the bulkiness it brings to the consumers. Glasses are somewhat more cumbersome and thus reduce the efficiency of the user and its overall performance. This demerit gives the consumer a lax mindset in taking up this alternative. When broken, Glass can lead to the health risk of the consumers. This poses a danger to consumers by inflicting injuries or cuts.

Milk protein (casein)

The improvement in science and technology has seen scientists devise ways of obtaining milk proteins and using them to create plastic alternatives. Casein is a water-soluble and biodegradable pellet- thermoplastic that is retrieved for the milk proteins. These materials offer a sustainable alternative to plastic materials and are more efficient to consumers. The casein is mixed with clay to create a foam plastic-like material. The option is made up of 80% casein with a blended clay mixture added to the content to create a robust plastic alternative. This substitute uses the infinite resource- milk found across the globe (Clancy, 2019). This material is durable and offers the world an option to the use of plastic materials

These materials are environmentally friendly thanks to the products that are used to create it. Therefore, this material does not pose any threat to the environment and the ecosystems in the environmental setup. This material also is efficient and thus will enable more comfortable use by the consumers. They are also less bulky, thus influencing its use by the consumers positively.

The biodegradable foam requires a lot of input in its production. Requiring the extraction form milk and the mixture with clay makes this product very expensive. This means that the material will be costly to obtain among most of the households. The foam also takes only 18 days before it decomposes, making its lifespan short. Consumers will incur a lot of costs in replacing these alternatives on several occasions (Patni et al. 2013). The production depends on the milk production being constant and thus would face massive problems should here be a global shortage of milk across the globe.

Preferred alternative

The best alternative to the use of plastic materials is reusable bags. It offers the qualities that the plastics provide in line with what the consumers are used to getting. Reusable bags provide the best materials to replace the plastic bags by meeting all the sustainable criteria. Reusable bags are economically feasible, socially equitable, and ecologically sound, making it the perfect alternative to plastic materials. The materials that are used in creating reusable bags are environmentally friendly. Unlike the plastic materials which are threatening the environment, the reusable bags are friendly and do not pose any threat to the ecosystems (Trimarchi et al. 2020). The longer-term use of reusable bags ensures that every consumer can save up on their money. The acquisition of these bags is also cheap, and this will ensure the social equity of the consumers. They are efficient and thus make it easier for consumers to use them. Reusable bags are also easier to make and requires raw materials that are already present in societies. Hence, consumers can tap up this idea and create employment opportunities. Making these bags requires not learned skills and thus can be done at the most straightforward levels. Reusable bags bring in the best alternative to this growing menace from the global perspective.

Mitigation and management 

• Create global awareness of the importance of recycling plastics and the impacts they have on the environment.
• Set up strict rules and regulations to limit the production and the use of plastic materials across the globe.
• To emphasize the need to recycle the already existing plastics within the Earth’s ecosystems and devise ways of destroying plastics.
• Encourage mass production of the Reusable bags that are affordable to each social class.

Conclusion

Plastic materials have faced numerous sustainable challenges and their failure to meet all the three pillars of sustainability. These materials have caused mass pollution rates in the globe, and more are being deposited as days go by. This has made the plastic materials unsustainable thanks to the impact they pose on the planet and the fact that they are not decomposed y micro-organisms. Alternatives to the plastic materials such as the reusable bags glass and biodegradable foam derived from milk protein ought to be used more. Reusable bags are the most sustainable materials that can replace plastic materials. The importance of the environment should not be measly impacted by plastic materials. Using reusable bags offers a secure sustainable alternative.

References

Clancy, L. (2019, February 1). Could milk protein be the solution to our plastic packaging crisis? Retrieved from https://biomarketinsights.com/could-milk-protein-be-the-solution-to-our-plastic-packaging-crisis/

Eriksen, M., Lebreton, L. C., Carson, H. S., Thiel, M., Moore, C. J., Borrero, J. C., … & Reisser, J. (2014). Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans: more than 5 trillion plastic pieces weighing over 250,000 tons afloat at sea. PloS one, 9(12), e111913.

Hopewell, J., Dvorak, R., & Kosior, E. (2009). Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526), 2115-2126.

Joyner, C. C., & Frew, S. (1991). Plastic pollution in the marine environment. Ocean Development & International Law, 22(1), 33-69.

Patni, N., Tripathi, N., & Bosmia, S. (2013). Casein Extraction from various milk samples and its role as a viable substitute for conventional plastics. International Journal of Applied Engineering Research.

Phasing out plastic: what is the alternative? (2019, November 26). Retrieved from https://m.economictimes.com/small-biz/sme-sector/phasing-out-plastic-what-is-the-alternative/articleshow/72236442.cms

Reisser, J., Shaw, J., Wilcox, C., Hardesty, B. D., Proietti, M., Thums, M., & Pattiaratchi, C. (2013). Marine plastic pollution in waters around Australia: characteristics, concentrations, and pathways. PloS one, 8(11).