That beautiful First Amendment to the United States Constitution- protecting our precious right to freedom of speech, the same piece of law that permits lobbyists to attempt to influence government officials in their decision-making.
Lobbying has been around for ages- the very least in the United States since the beginning of our nation- and has helped many a group and individual see freedom-protecting legislation come to fruition. But there has always been an ethical and moral question lingering in the air surrounding certain lobbyists and their agendas- especially concerning the environment.
Those individuals and companies that make money off of plastic are fighting their hardest to make sure plastic keeps its stay in our everyday lives, despite the blatant, cold, hard facts that say we should be ridding ourselves of this toxic substance.
Here are some instances for you:
In California, plastic lobbyists have found their way into the textbooks of our young minds, in a section titled, “The Advantages of Plastic Shopping Bags.” Quoted from this section: “Plastic shopping bags are very convenient to use. They take less energy to manufacture than paper bags, cost less to transport, and can be reused.” Are these statements all true? Taken out of context, yes. Did the fact that plastic bags kill more than 100,000 marine animals every year; leech toxic chemicals; and take an estimated 1,000 years to decompose in landfills make it into that section as well?
Of course not. That wouldn’t play to the plastic manufacturers’ agendas.
In 2007, in the city of New Haven, Connecticut, citizens attempted to enact a bill to completely phase out the use of inorganic plastic bags, and to implement the use of reusable cloth bags and compostible bags over a two year span. Plastic lobbyists rallied together saying that consuming plastics isn’t the problem- the lack of recycling is the problem.
We have all learned by now (hopefully) that recycling is not a sustainable solution to our plastic problem. Recycling is a deceiving word when it comes to plastic, as it can truly only be downcycled. After only a few rounds in a recycling center (if it ever even makes it there once) plastics cannot be used any longer. And then where does it go? It doesn’t just disappear- it sits in our landfills, poisioning our land and water.
Besides, haven’t we already established that, of the 380 billion plastic bags produced in the United States every year (more than 1,200 bags per U.S. resident, per year), only 1% of the bags get recycled? And that there is virtually no market for recycled bags, as they are of little use after recycling because of the product being less durable? AND THAT THEY KILL WILDLIFE AND ARE MADE FROM A NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE THAT TAKES 1,000 YEARS TO BREAK DOWN THAT LEAK CHEMICALS INTO OUR SOIL IN THE MEANTIME?
Oh, I forgot, those facts don’t serve their agenda.
What is the real issue here, exactly?
Abba knows the answer.
MONEY!
Maybe this seems too obvious to state, but we’ll do it anyways. The manufacturers need and want to make money. They make money when we buy a product they manufacture. When they get us hooked on a product, it raises the production and the demand, raising the number of figures on their paycheck. More money means more resources to fight to keep their products in our hands.
While it may seem like the lobbyists are in control, it’s actually the opposite. This is important: you and I are in control because we are the consumers- we hold the dollar bill that keeps them in business.
If the First Amendment every did anything for the lobbyists, it does the same thing for us. We have a right to say what we want and what we don’t want- with our voices and with our choices.
We hope you will choose to REFUSE the use of plastics with us and help us tell the lobbyists that we don’t want their toxic waste, or the blood of innocent creatures on our hands.
DOWN WITH PLASTICS, LOBBYMAN!
Thanks for taking the time to read, and as always, THANKS FOR REFUSING!
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