The problems with plastic

The danger isn't just plastic water bottles, there is a huge danger of microplastics from our clothes.  Most everyone understands how toxic plastics can be to our environment.  We know about the floating debris field in the ocean.  But, what about some things that aren't commonly talked about?  

Did you hear about the guy who built an entire island from plastic bottles?

Did you know that microplastics in cosmetics is a huge issue? Cosmetic Microplastics

Did you know that a single wash can release almost 3/4 of a million microplastic fibers?  Single wash release 700,000 microplastic fibers

Did you know that microplastics are a huge danger to our oceans? Growing Threat to Human Health

Did you know that the danger of microplastics is that it floats near the surface and is mistaken as diatomic food source by many marine animals? Zooplankton are eating plastic

Did you know that there are jellyfish like structures that can ingest microplastics and send them to the bottom of the ocean as waste (getting them out of the shallow water food cycle)?  Jellyfish like organism ingests microplastics


Of course, I'm not saying that plastic bottles aren't a large issue in our country.  What I'm saying is that this issue is discussed a ton.  I was visiting some extended family members, and got some odd looks when I crushed up a plastic bottle and put the cap on it.  They brought up an interesting conversation, because they just put the caps on the bottles tightly and throw it away.  Now, we didn't talk about recycling.  This was just disposal of the bottles.  With the bottles sealed and virgin, they take up a ton more space.  When the bottles are compacted, those sealed bottles provide resistance, until they pop.  The extra space and extra energy for compacting those sealed bottles also damages the environment.  There are many of these little side points that people do not consider with plastics.  

Also, have you seen how you can gather HDPE and melt it into some beautiful pieces of art, or some very functional tidbits https://www.pinterest.com/pin/337629303289144906/  

There are also tools like a plastic bottle cutter that creates ribbons of weavable material from a plastic bottle.  
Here's a produced version plastic bottle cutter
and here's a DIY version How to make string from plastic bottles