It is no secret that our food system churns out tons of plastic waste, most of which is associated with packaging. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) (2019) estimates that approximately 14.5 million tons of plastic containers and packaging were generated in 2017, and this makes up 5.3 percent of the country’s municipal solid waste generated for the year. Meanwhile, this data also excludes disposable tableware such as plastic cutlery, bowls, and plates, so this problem is in fact much greater than what the data suggests. Plastic pollution is pervasive on our planet, and it will only get worse if we do not make changes to our habits of consumption and waste disposal.
But the planet does not just sit around and suffer in silence. Instead, the forces of nature allow our trash to embark on expeditions of their own, and eventually come back to haunt us.
A similar message appears in The Loop (2019), a 20-minute documentary directed by Mike Sakas and Thomas Boarder. The film depicts a six-day circumnavigation of Hong Kong Island by Paul Niel and Esther Röling, who also took the opportunity to map 163 trash pollution hotspots and collect 51 water samples along the way (Knott, 2019). Their efforts are documented in this open-source pollution map of Hong Kong Island, which indicates trash hotspots, water quality data, and other information which may be helpful in analysing the extent of pollution along the island’s coasts.
In the post-credits scene, Esther is shown making a phone call to the headquarters of a local supermarket chain to ask if they would consider removing excess plastic packaging for fresh produce, as her husband Paul unpacks their groceries from reusable bags before placing them into the refrigerator. This reminded me of a key discovery they had made in the course of their expedition – even the most remote coasts of Hong Kong Island were littered with copious amounts of plastic, styrofoam and other food-related trash, such as abandoned refrigerators (!). I find this scene particularly memorable for the hidden message embedded within:
The fight against plastic pollution requires the combined effort of both individuals and corporations. And being consumers, we have the agency to convince corporations to enact less pollutive practices.
Corporations are the ones who make decisions on how their products are sourced and packaged, but it does not mean that the consumers have no say in the matter. Of course, the first solution that comes to mind is for us to focus on dematerialisation by reducing our own consumption of products which generate large amounts of (plastic) waste. Similarly, we can learn to be more mindful of our waste disposal practices, by discarding and recycling our trash according to local regulations, and encouraging others to do the same. But for those who feel that they can and should do more – why not take the chance to provide feedback to businesses and suggest new, less pollutive methods they could use to reduce the amount of plastic they handle on a daily basis? Esther’s actions in the final scene of The Loop serve as a reminder that every bit of effort counts in our fight against plastic pollution.
I strongly believe that there is no single “correct” way to help reduce plastic pollution – after all, every one of us on this planet has a unique set of needs, and it would be unfair to expect everyone to steer clear of using plastic products (particularly those who have specific medical requirements). However, if you wish to make a difference by contributing to this cause, it’s never too late to start by focusing on one or two methods of reducing your plastic consumption, and continuing to do them well over time.
We’re almost reaching the end of the semester – stay tuned for two more posts coming up in Week 13!
Best wishes,
Jialing
Reference List
Knott, K. (2019) ‘Documentary records couple’s six-day Hong Kong coasteering trash tour’, South China Morning Post, 22 October. Available at: https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3033970/documentary-records-couples-six-day-hong-kong-coasteering?fbclid=IwAR2IQf0eA_uctntBzTpyrDxD1KjIi2b3GjC37KScz5xMayp_HSfi1sE5nkg (Accessed: 8 November 2020).
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) (2019) Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/containers-and-packaging-product-specific-data (Accessed: 7 November 2020).