07.2021AlongoneLosAngelesstreet,wealthyareasareshadyandcool.Thetreecanopydecreasesandtemperaturesriseasyoudrivesouth.Onawarmingplanet,thisdividebetweenrichandpoorleavesmanyatrisk.BEATINGTHEHEATABetterPathforPlasticPlasticplaysanessentialroleinmodernlife,servingasabuildingblockforeverythingfrompackagingtomedicalequipment.Thisversatilematerialhasundeniableupsides—butfartoomuchofitendsupinlandfillsorinourenvironment.Whatcaneachofusdotobepartofthesolution?Here’ssomeinspirationforhowyoucanmakeapositiveimpactinyourcommunityandtheworld.Webelievethatpeoplehavethecapacitytoinfluenceleaders,bigbrands,policymakers—notjustwiththeirpurchasingpower,butasaforceforchangeintheentireplasticsecosystem.LillySedaghatNationalGeographicExplorerPAIDCONTENTFORMILLIKENThisispaidcontentforMilliken.ThiscontentdoesnotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofNationalGeographicoritseditorialstaff.ANSWER:CRecycledpolyethyleneterephthalate(PET)plasticuses79percentlessenergythannew,orvirgin,plastic.Recycledhigh-densitypolyethylene(HDPE)andpolypropylene(PP)eachuse88percentlessenergy.Initiativesthatencouragerepair,reuse,andrecyclingtoreduceplasticwastecomefromeverypartofsocietyandfromeverycorneroftheworld.InIndia,someshopshavebeguntreatingrecyclablesasaformofcurrencyredeemableforgroceries.IntheU.S.,Phoenix—oncebrandedtheworld’sleastsustainablecity—nowhassetanambitiousgoaltobezerowasteby2050,andothercitiesaresettingtheirownzero-wastetargets.Plasticwasteisacomplexproblemthatwillrequiremarkets,infrastructure,andleadershiptosolve.“Weshouldn’tbeafraidofcomplicatedproblems,”saidKeefeHarrison,founderandCEOofTheRecyclingPartnership.“Wejustneedsystemssolutionsthataddressthecomplexity.”SolutionsinActionQUESTIONA)33%B)50%C)79%D)91%ComparedwithnewPET*plastic,howmuchenergydoesrecycledPETsave?*polyethyleneterephthalateAFougathendsucparVirtualIdeasExchangeurteenexpertsfromaroundtheworldheredvirtuallyinMarch2021todiscussthed-of-lifechallengesforplasticsandsomecessfulexamplesofpositivechange.Theticipantscamefromlocal...
