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A world without plastics, or synthetic organic polymers, seems impossible, yet if you remember in our history the large scale production of plastic only dates back to about 60 years. One of the first type of plastic is celluloid, which was invented in the United States in 1865 to simulate tortoiseshell. It was used for combs, ornaments and other decorative items. Then in 1891, rayon was created as a cheap substitute for silk. Although the first synthetic plastics, such as Bakelite, appeared in the early 20th century, the widespread use of plastics did not start until after World War II.4
In 1907, Leo Baekeland was the inventor of Bakelite in New York. This invention began the plastic industry. It was used to make telephones, electrical sockets, costume jewelry and many other essential items. Leo Baekeland was the first person to use the term “plastic” to describe this new type of material that could be shaped into many forms.5 For more than 150 years, plastics changed human life in a positive way by providing essential goods. You use plastic every day when you brush your hair and teeth, pour juice, cook a meal, eat a meal, use a computer or cellphone, play games, wash dishes, drive a car, drink from a water bottle, wear a windbreaker, ride a bike, wear glasses, watch television and the list goes on. Look around your home or school. How many different types of plastic do you see? You will find plastics in almost everything you use. Plastics are products that can potentially, be of use for decades, and yet our main use of these lightweight, inexpensive materials are as single-use items. Single use plastic production is growing at a rate that exceeds the waste management system and thus making a negative impact on our environment.
Single Use Plastics
Single use plastics are items or goods that are manufactured primarily made from fossil fuel based chemicals petrochemicals (PET). They are meant to be disposed of right after use such as water bottles, packaging, cutlery, wrappers, straws, and plastic bags. Of course, people can not imagine living without these products because we are now a throwaway culture. Instead of investing in quality goods that will last a long time, we often run to businesses that sell single use products.
The world produced more than 342 million tons of plastic in 2014, half of which is for single use products. That is approximately the same weight as 171 million cars. Americans alone use 100 billion plastic bags every year. Hence, it is estimated that the amount of plastic produced will double by 2034.6
By comparison, the growth of plastics production in the past 60 years has substantially surpassed any other manufactured material. Figure 2 is a graph that demonstrates the cumulative growth in production of plastic. It shows the production has significantly increased in the last three decades. The production of plastic is increasing because of the variety of ways plastic products are produce.7 The properties that make plastics so versatile in countless applications with durability and resistance to degradation make these materials difficult to assimilate. Our reliance on these products means we are accumulating more waste at a staggering rate. Thus, without a strategic plan and tailor made management strategy to control plastics waste, humans are navigating toward a devastating environmental issue on a global scale, in which tons of material will accumulate across Mother Earth.
Figure 2 is a graph that illustrates the cumulative growth of Plastic Production
This accumulation of plastic is not good for Mother Earth because single use plastics are not biodegradable. So, what does it mean for something to be biodegradable? If something is biodegradable, then, given the right conditions and presence of microorganisms, fungi, or bacteria, it will eventually break down the material into its basic components and blend back in with the earth. Ideally, but not always, these substances degrade without leaving any toxins behind. Bacteria breaks down wood and paper, but they can’t break down most plastics, nor can any other microorganism. Although, plastic does photo degrade when dumped in landfills, which means that sunlight breaks the plastic into tiny pieces. Plastic is so resilient that even burying it deep within the earth does not keep it from affecting the environment. Currently it accounts for approximately 10 % of generated waste, most of which is in landfills.8 Thus, dumping plastics in landfills may simply be storing a problem for the future, but when not disposed of properly, plastic can fly away with the wind, causing an increase in environmental pollution. It is estimated that one-third of discarded plastic packaging is blown by the wind or washed into rivers. This plastic can clog waterways and damage ecosystems.9
Cultural Connection
The perspective of Native Americans, in regard, to Mother Earth spirituality holds great potential for the environment movement as we integrate it into our curriculum. For many centuries, Native Americans have held Mother Earth on a pedestal and lived in harmony with nature. In the past Native Americans lived with the earth on a deeply spiritual basis.10 They had a connection with all existence, which gave them a deep ecological wisdom that present day environmentalist have just begun to discover. For many years the Diné people have been blessed with this wisdom but we are now at a point where our Diné way of life is fading from our new generation. As a Navajo educator, I believe in integrating our cultural aspects into our curriculum to support student achievement and to keep our tradition from disappearing.
Incorporating the Diné philosophy into my lessons is a significant part of my teaching, which I will utilize in instructing my Navajo students about environmental issues such as single use plastic. Students will understand that Mother Earth (Nihima Nahasdzáán), Father Sky (Nihizhee Yádiłhił), air (níłch'i), water (tó), land (kéyah), mountains (dził) are all considered sacred elements that surrounds us as human beings. In this unit, we will focus on Mother Earth (Nihima Nahasdzáán), and how a man-made substance, plastic, is causing her distress. What can we do to help Mother Earth? Mother Earth cannot heal herself alone. She needs our help. We must all come together and form a commonality of realization, a realization of potential possibilities in finding solutions. Understanding the problem and searching for solutions will help students understand the need for change and innovations.
With the interconnected relationship between Navajos and their environment, which could support a stronger learning experience for students due to having a specific local focus rather than the universal approach as in Western sciences. Each individual Native culture, such as the Diné people create scientific systems based on their specific cultural experiences. In other words, what is true about scientific aspects of nature for the pueblo tribes is somewhat different for the Diné Nation, even though they live in the same region. This approach can be particularly valuable in diverse classrooms when discussing science and environmental impact. By addressing the specific needs of Mother Earth to our Native students through cultural aspects, students would be able to develop a connection to their surroundings that would spark a desire to protect it.
Figure 3 illustrates the environmental issue of single use plastic on the Navajo Nation.
Plastic is putting a strain on waste management systems and vulnerable communities across Mother Earth. Single use plastic products are found at the deepest depths of our rivers and the greatest heights of our mountains. There is no place on Mother Earth that is immune to plastic pollution. Figure 3 shows the environmental problem that plastic can cause. This picture shows the banks of the Colorado River on the Navajo Reservation. People like to go camping in beautiful areas but sometimes fail to clean after their outing. All of this pollution has occurred in less than a century and is causing problems for our environment and the ecosystem on our Navajo Nation.
This environment issue also causes problems for animals as they forage for food. Litter can end up in the stomachs of goats, sheep, cows and other livestock, leaving them unable to digest their food, which can be fatal. Dead livestock and wild animals, even birds have been found to have plastic in their abdomen after eating litter left behind or strewn about. When plastic gets down an animal’s gastric system and gets stuck, the animal can’t digest nutrition they eat due to the amount of plastic in their body, which causes them to eventually die.
Navajo Nation Ban on Single Use Plastic
The Navajo Nation and several other tribes are becoming aware of this environmental issue. They are in the process of strategizing plans to reduce the single use plastics on tribal land using federal and state laws. Federal preemption of state law, and case law restricting state infringement on internal tribal affairs, limit states’ regulatory authority over Indian country except under Public Law 83-280 of 1953, which was enacted during the Termination Era. This law granted to six states, as a criminal and civil jurisdiction over Indian country. Originally, states could take partial jurisdiction without tribal consent but the U.S. Supreme Court later clarified that P.L. 280’s grant of civil jurisdiction was restricted to civil causes of action and did not extend to the full capacity of civil regulatory powers, which tribes retained. These regulatory powers include regulation of plastics.11
Under this doctrine, and prior to its 2016 reinterpretation of the Clean Water Act’s, treatment as a state (TAS) provision authorizing tribes to establish their own water quality standards, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed that, due to the close connection between water quality and tribal health and wellbeing, tribes’ maintained authority over their reservations. Waste management arguably also falls within this framework. Courts have supported the right of tribes to tax non-members. In states where local regulation of single-use plastics is prohibited, a small but growing number of tribes are using their sovereignty and adopting bans on single-use plastics. For instance, the Navajo Nation, which governs the largest reservation in the United States, is in the process of enacting the Single-Use Bag Act, a 2015 bill that would prohibit retailers from supplying plastic bags. This bill is still in the process but for now is under public review first. In addition, the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA) intends to incorporate core fundamental concepts of Diné culture and philosophy pertaining to environmental stewardship or protector.12
Of course, there is no easy answer. Plastics fulfill so many useful functions that it would be impossible to get rid of them completely. We probably wouldn’t even if we could because it is a money making industry. The industry also provides jobs for many people across the United State. But, something must be done to prevent the increasing amount of plastics that get thrown away and end up in our landfills and ecosystems.
Possible Solutions to Single Use Plastic Problem
It will take the effort of people around the world working together to make a positive impact on this environmental issue of single use plastic. Some suggestions on how people can get involved with this effort for a sustainable future include 1) I Increase the amount of plastics that get recycled. 2) Avoid using single use plastic if possible. 3) Ban single use plastics. 4) Innovate new plastics that decompose (Biomimicry) .13
Recycle
The most common solution in addressing this environmental issue is to recycle. Many types of plastic can be recycled. In 1988, the Society of the Plastics Industry came up with numbered codes (1 to 7 inside a triangle of arrows) to help the manufacturers and consumers identify the type of plastic. The most commonly recycled plastic is number 1, polyethylene terephthalate or PET, which is used for water and soda bottles. It can be recycled into other products such as sleeping bags, furniture or more water bottles. There are cities that recycle only numbers 1 and 2, but these make up nearly 96% of all the plastic bottles and containers used in the United States. According to the EPA, Americans recycled only about 15% of plastic containers and packaging in 2014. This is less that the recycling rate of 72% for aluminum cans, 89% of corrugated cardboard and 99% of lead-acid batteries. In addition, just because a plastic has a number on it does not mean it can be recycled. Not all types of plastic are recycled in all communities and not all of the products made from recycled plastic can be recycled themselves. Therefore, the plastic ends up being thrown away, adding to landfills and damaging ecosystems.14
Avoid Single Use Plastic
Avoiding the use of single use plastic will help support the effort in reducing the plastic waste issue. There are several ways a person can implement this strategy by using of a reusable water container, reusable tote bag when shopping, and reusable coffee mug. You can ask vendors to give you a paper bag if possible. Other suggestions include: 1) Cook more often at home to reduce using take out containers and cutlery. 2) Buy items in large bulk and avoid individually packaged products. 3) Buy items in person rather than online to alleviate plastic packing for shipments. 4) Use reusable containers for leftovers instead of plastic baggies or plastic wrap. 5) Ask for an alternative straw rather than plastic and if they don’t have one, drink out of the cup or glass. If everyone puts effort in avoiding the use of single use plastic, it is possible to slow down the plastic waste problem.15
Ban Single Use Plastic
There are many cities across the United States that are on board in banning single use plastic. In New Mexico only the larger cities such as Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces have put this ban law into place. Once ban laws are enacted in all cities and even statewide, the use of single use plastic bags will decrease. This will prevent millions of tons of plastic from entering the waste stream each year and slow the growth of plastic waste on Mother Earth.
Biomimicry
One method that is used to address real world problems is Biomimicry. The goal of biomimicry is to create innovative products, processes, and policies to solve the world’s greatest design challenges sustainably and in harmony with life on Mother Earth. We can use biomimicry to not only learn from nature’s wisdom, but also to heal Mother Earth in the process. This method is used for creating solutions to human and environmental challenges by imitating designs and ideas that are found in nature.
One example is the biodegradable plastic like material called Shrilk. This material, developed by Javier Fernandez and a team of others at Harvard University using chitin extracted from discarded shrimp shells. The material has strength, toughness and versatility. Shrilk can be produced very cheaply and can be used for consumer products and healthcare applications. The exciting thing about this product is that it is made from nature and is biodegradable. It has the potential to reduce the dependence on single use plastic and is better for the environment.16
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