We often describe plastic as an epidemic, and about 8 million tons of it end up in our oceans each year. But now that we face a true pandemic in COVID-19 (coronavirus), we are shifting our ideas of how to live, and specifically how to be sustainable.
Even at the height of what I call Straw Rage of summer 2019, which led your co-workers, Facebook friends, and maybe your own family to swear-off usage of plastic straws, I’ve felt a healthy cynicism toward the anti-plastic bandwagon.
To be fair, I generally default to skepticism when any popular idea takes hold. But in this case, as someone with nearly 19 years working with food and beverage consumer packaged goods, I see a long-term error in ditching plastics that ensure food safety and protect against contamination risks, in favor of a seemingly more eco-friendly material. As a film, container, or a wrap, it’s hugely sustainable when you factor in food waste and pathogens as a concern. In the case of fresh fruits and vegetables, plastic storage or packaging can quadruple the shelf life of food. Despite its advantages, plastic has earned the reputation as our common enemy, causing brands to be reactive and remove plastic altogether.
