Midge Breeden: Plastic is indeed poison

Thanks, Susan Stornetta, for your great article on plastics (Nevada Appeal, Jan. 30).

Just as sugar is “poison” for our bodies, it appears plastic is “poison” for our oceans.

I’d like to add a few suggestions to yours:

Please stop buying bottled water. Tap water has to meet more stringent safety standards than does bottled water. Enough oil to fill the plastic bottle one-quarter full is used to make that bottle. Then water is put in the bottle and it’s likely transported long distances by ship and truck to get to you. Those bottles end up in the landfill or in the ocean. Burning the fuel used to transport the bottles is warming our atmosphere. People sometimes complain about the cost of gas, but the ARCO in Carson City is charging about $2.25/gallon today. And a gallon of cheap bottled water in the popular 500 ml or 16.9 oz bottle costs about $7.50/gallon. Would you pay $7.50/gallon for gas when you could fill up in your garage with a product that’s almost free?

Think seriously before buying anything made of plastic. Do I really need more plastic cups, knick knacks, or that giant inflatable yard decoration that will one day be in the landfill? You’ll save money besides.

Especially cut back on single use plastic (e.g. individual bags of chips). Reusable plastic (or glass) containers often are a good alternative.

I realize we can’t live without these things, but we can become more aware and choose to use them less often.

In a related area, National Geographic reported last year if “food waste” were a country, it would be the third largest polluter in the world after China and the United States.

Let’s waste less (e.g. if the bag of greens you bought last week ends up in a soggy mess in the back of your fridge, buy less next time).

As Susan also said, “We must improve our waste-discarding habits. The fragile balance of our ecosystem is teetering, and we might just become the only species to make itself extinct.”

Get involved: Go to citizensclimatelobby.org and find out what you can do. Email cclcarsoncity@gmail.com to join our local CCL group.

We’re passionate about creating a more stable climate. Rising temperatures are increasing the intensity of wildfires, droughts, super-storms, hurricanes, etc. Even the “polar vortex” is caused by warmer temperatures in the ocean, as cited on the PBS Newshour.

Our home is beautiful, let’s keep it that way.

Midge Breeden is a teacher, bookkeeper and 43-year resident of Carson City