I need to start this blog off with the fact that this thought and idea has been a struggle for me this month because in the past, July is usually when I make another shift in reducing my use of plastic. I typically view plastic consumption as counter to sustainability. In these unprecedented times, we are finding ourselves in situations we could never have imagined. Yet we remain steadfast in our desire to conserve energy and protect our Earth. We each are finding ourselves doing (or not doing) things we never could have imagined. However, figuring out how to do it may not look like it did last year, but we are still on that path!
We now see the need for PPE (consisting of plastic masks and shields) for healthcare workers and this got me thinking of other ways we benefit from plastic. For many people who are juggling working from home and caring for kids, a takeout dinner (using plastic containers) might be the stress relief they need. The reality is that not everyone can afford a $30 stainless steel water bottle instead of a $1 plastic water bottle or expensive cases of toilet paper without plastic film packaging. If nothing else, this year has really highlighted these issues and maybe it is time to not only see the problems plastic creates but also the benefits it creates.
According to The Plastics Industry Association, the State of Ohio is number two in plastic industry jobs, employing 74,198 people directly. 1.8 million people in Ohio are employed in jobs that are considered plastic dependent, such as healthcare and construction. That is 16% of the Ohio population who has a job that either produces plastic or utilizes plastic in their industry. Again, employment is another positive benefit to a plastics industry.
Plastic manufacturing companies can use an energy audit such as those by Energility to see where their manufacturing plants can conserve energy. This does not just include looking at the machines making the plastic items but also looking at the whole building. An energy audit can help a company produce more with less environmental cost.
Plastics manufacturing not only produces items that are typically cheaper and more readily available, they produce necessary items and employ a great many of Ohioans. It is our personal responsibility to ask that manufacturers reduce their carbon footprint. This can be done by writing to the manufacturers or voting with your dollars by purchasing from companies that are conserving energy or making steps for the betterment of the environment. When manufacturers see that people care enough to purchase from those companies or are directly asking for this change, many will follow suit.