The preproduction plastic pellets are also a substantial percentage of plastic pollution. I was unnerved at how ubiquitous it is, how frequently the pellets are found on far away beaches. The images of sea birds with crops full of plastic or sea turtles chomping at plastic bags has always been so disturbing to me. I have not seen too many journal articles on how the plastic in the environment has effected plants and if it is also accumulating in them, as well...something to look in to.

I was very interested in the chemical composition of the bioplastics and why they break down like petroleum-based plastics. Our town does not accept bioplastic waste at this time. We usually use reusable stainless steel utensils and porcelain plates instead of any plastic or bioplastic items, but I will keep in mind how items I buy in the future are discarded after use.

Plastic production impacts us all from start to finish. The carbon footprint is horrendous and it’s all to make a single use item that likely won’t be recycled.

I was not surprised but it's a good reminder as I tend to forget which number is what.

Recycling rules are so difficult to follow. Watching the video, I realized that I can't crush empty water bottles or recycle shredded paper. It seems like even cardboard should be a certain size. I didn't know! On top of that, my apartment complex recently changed recycling providers (didn't notify people in the complex) and the rules are completely different from the previous provider. This recycling pickup does not accept glass (GLASS!) but does accept certain plastic containers with certain numbers. I now have to throw out glass bottles and it feels so wrong. I think the recycle coach app is a great idea and every facility should have to register with it. People want to do the right thing, but they can't without the right information.
On another note, why is there such wide variability between recycling centers? If things were more uniform, the recycling rules would be easier to follow.

So far, I like using the shampoo bar and soap bar. The shampoo bar especially is kind of fun and novel. I'm still trying to figure out how to store everything separate and to let everything dry between showers. In terms of other personal benefits, I think it's interesting to reflect and think about ways to make your lifestyle more sustainable especially if you don't have to make any sacrifices when making the switch. As I continue to use soap bars, then I'll be able to use a wash cloth instead of a loofah so I won't need to buy plastic loofahs anymore.

I've used this eco footprint calculator before. I got just about the same result as I did a few years ago: 3.5 earths. It's seems that despite adjusting what habits I could to decrease my footprint (like meat consumption), there are certain ones I've had to increase (like distance traveled in a week to commute to work). Looks like I need to get an EV!