Ok, fine. I am not really one of those “awards show” people. I mean, I haven’t ever seen all the movies nominated for Best Picture. I don’t know most of the Emmy nominees.
And as for the Grammys? Puh. Leeze. I am far too cool and hip and groovy to follow those pop stars.
But I suddenly find myself with the overwhelming desire to create a new category of award winners.
Because I spend WAY too much of my life ordering stuff online, and because I am also a dedicated environmentalist, I find myself enraged at plastic.
Really.
I go to my local grocery store once a week with my canvas bags. I put my veggies in mesh bags instead of plastic. I carefully choose milk and juice in cardboard cartons, detergents in biodegradable packages, and snacks in cardboard.
I use compostable trash bags, bamboo sandwich bags and metal water bottles that I fill myself.
I am a good doobie. I love this earth! I don’t want to kill her or her gorgeous oceans!
I am VERY careful about plastic.
Until I order on Amazon.
Then I lose my teeny tiny little mind. Because no matter what I buy, it comes in plastic.
No. Matter. What. It. Is.
For example, I was shopping for my grandchildren just before Easter. I saw cute little plastic eggs filled with pastel playdough. I decided to order them in spite of the plastic, thinking that I’d be able to reuse the eggs for years.
Then they arrived.
Four cute little plastic eggs. Each one wrapped in five or six layers of plastic shrink wrap, then carefully vacuum sealed within a hard plastic case.
Seriously?
It was FREAKIN’ PLAYDOUGH! It wasn’t going to rot. Or mold. Or degrade. The four ounces of pink and blue goop came enclosed in THREE layers of plastic.
Three layers of plastic that will remain intact for about 10 bazillion years.
Holy stupidity, humans.
So.
Here I am. I am proposing a group endeavor. I’d like everyone who is reading this to nominate some company or item for our “BAD PLASTICS” Award.
I nominate the Playdough Easter eggs, but I could just as easily have brought up the plastic measuring spoons that came wrapped in plastic, the potting soil (aka, “dirt’) that came wrapped in plastic, or the eco friendly bamboo toilet paper that came wrapped in (you guessed it) plastic.
What have you got, fellow environmentalists? Let’s start our own “Awards Show”.
Empty Nest, Full Life 
I get rather ticked off at Amazon as well. My irritation usually comes in the form of ordering an item that comes shrink wrapped (1 layer) but then is placed into a box 4 sizes larger than needed and surrounded by plastic air filled pillows to “cushion” the item in transit. Pick an appropriate size box to begin with and perhaps try paper as a cushion if absolutely needed!
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right???? and if it isn’t even breakable, just put it in the damn box!!!!
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You have read my mind! I nominate Schwepps Tonic Water, first of all because although their bottles are glass, they are totally covered in a plastic “label” that sort of cancels out the using of glass for the bottles. Even worse are the conjoined plastic rings that hold their glass six packs together. Not only are they so strong that it is impossible to pull the bottles out without using a knife or scissors (so imagine a turtle or bird trying to free themselves when they become entangled) but they also have numerous smaller circles other that the six major ones so to cut them apart to make them safe for birds, turtles and fish that might become entangled in them, it takes an incredible number of cuts. There is a beer company that now makes their six pack holders out of a biodegradable material that also serves as food for turtles!! I call for all companies to do so.
As for the internet packaging, I have found the exact same to be true. Ridiculous how many layers of plastic they surround every product with.
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I’ve heard of the edible beer rings, too! If one company can do it, can’t they ALL? I will never understand how businesses can put profits/ease above all other considerations!
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I can’t either. Has to do with corporate salaries being tied to profits, I guess.
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I sometimes think about the old “plastics make it possible” commercials that used to be all over TV years ago. I cannot help but wonder if someone is now sitting in a corner with a dunce cap on their head thinking, “Oh man, we sure fucked that up, didn’t we.”
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Remember the movie “The Graduate”? Dustin Hoffman’s character is told by a wise older guy, “Get into plastics, son, that’s where the future lies!”
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Been awhile since I watched that, but the line does ring a bell. Makes me wonder what it is we’re touting now as the next big thing that we’re going to regret fifty years from now.
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The truth is, plastic is everywhere! Sometimes necessary, often not necessary, and we sure need to learn how to live with less of it. And more importantly, figure out a way to make it biodegradable. You would think that we could figure that out before it chokes the earth to death…..
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Wouldn’t you think!!!?
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I bought a bookcase for my tween’s birthday – a massive bookcase. It was delivered wrapped in bubble wrap – yep, two layers of it. i’ve now got a mountain of it in my spare room, waiting for me to take it to work to reuse when we send out the New Arrival kits….but it was ridiculous the amount of bubble wrap for a six foot by six foot bookcase…..
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Right? It’s even worse when the plastic item comes wrapped in plastic, in a plastic box, with plastic bubble wrap! Yeesh.
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Oh yes!!! I’m like why???
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