Shared By: GIGO
The term “plastic” in slang or street language means fake or shallow!
Now-a-days, people thought that by avoiding plastic makes them Environment Friendly, or, it helps their businesses to be accepted by many, as being. Eco-Friendly. It is a one big Plastic Excuse!
Your approach may be good, but the execution is off-track. Again It is a one big Plastic Excuse!
Below in red color is an actual copy of my conversation with a customer. I felt sharing because for me, it is a genuine Plastic Excuse.
Don’t get me wrong guys. She loves Eco-Friendly Products, yet she has a wrong impression when it comes to Green and Eco-Friendly Products.
Customer: So you are promoting Eco Products?
Me: Yes! Here, please have a look (showing my product kit)
Customer: You should not use, plastic to cover your product
Me: Why? Is there something wrong with it?
Customer: Because you’re promoting Eco-Friendly Products.
There is no point of showing you the whole conversation I had with her. However, I felt that she was being misguided, as it clearly shows how she perceived “plastic” associated with Eco-Friendly Products.
Businesses Free from Plastic
Many companies and organizations are trying to stay away from it. Or, they are trying on labeling themselves as a Plastic-Free Business Operator.
Why? Because it is a good Marketing Campaign!
Personally, I find it effective, and have no objections to it. However, when it comes to practicality, a business world without plastic is highly impractical.
Why? Because Plastic is so darn useful and was considered as an Industrial Marvel!
Plastic is an Industrial Marvel!
Yes, Plastic was invented to make our lives more convenient. Thanks to some notable chemists like; Leo Baekeland, the inventor of bakelite – was the first plastic made from synthetic components. Hermann Staudinger, a Nobel laureate winner and was called as the father of polymer chemistry. And the Father of polymer physics, Herman Mark are just some of the few renowned personnel behind the success of the Plastic Revolution.
Considered as a good alternative for leather, ceramics, stone, glass and metal. On top of these, it is cheaper to produce, ease of shaping, resistant to water and very light.
Today’s manufactures, has successfully created even more variety of plastics incomparable to the yester-years. Now-a-days, there are single-use plastics that are both biodegradable and compostable.
The Green Revolution
The issue of Plastic’s decomposition has created a serious major ripple effect in the environment and society. An effect that has forever changed the landscape and topography of cities all over the world.
Finding a way to balance the situation, the 3R’s (Reduce, Recycle, Repurpose) was imposed and being brought up constantly to remind us (people) to be conscious and more respectful to our environment.
Let us use Plastic Recycling as an example. It needs proper sorting, separating the good ones from the bad, then it will be shredded into small tiny bits, washed, soaked to eliminate impurities, then melted to form as pellets. These pellets are then used to manufacture new plastic containers, bottles and more. It is a long process, and more often times than not, it’s more expensive than to produce new ones.
Stop Pointing Fingers on the Darn Plastic
It is polluting our rivers and oceans right?
You could be right, but please remember that Plastics ain’t got no legs. It won’t crawl itself to the river and swim.
Stop saying that your business is Free from plastic. Again, this is a clear example of a big Plastic Excuse and its usage. Remember, you cannot gauge on plastic alone to become a legit Green Business Operator.
Summarized Approach
Because of misinformation, people often generalize plastic and has forgotten that there are several categories of plastic that a business can use, and to avoid.
- Single-Use Plastic Bags
- Plastic Bottled Water
- Disposable Plastic Raincoats
- Food and Shampoo Plastic Sachet
- Disposable Plastic Food Containers
These five (5) samples are the plastic that we need to avoid in our business operation, or better stop promoting the use of it.
Instead of the single-use plastic, better use Biodegradable and Compostable Plastic Bags and Containers.
These types of special plastics are a bit more pricey than the single-use plastics, however, they are 100% eco-friendly. How? Because they rot or decay easily than the normal plastic we knew.
We already underestimate the destructive capability of plastic, especially plastic bags, plastic bottles and Styrofoam, and we should be accountable for it.
Since we’ve created this so-called problem, then it is our duty to correct it, by putting some effort to balance the equation by practicing wholeheartedly the 3R’s.
Plastic is an industrial marvel built for toughness and it will not go away, neither it will disappear. It can be improved though, and make it more environmentally-friendly, but still, it will stay and will not leave us.
Wordings & Graphics: GIGO
Inspirations: Greg Seaman | Author | Plastics by the Numbers |
