Versions of this article appeared in:
- Orange Coast Voice, December 2006, page 9.
- San Mateo County Renews, Spring 2006.
- Southern Sierran, August 2005.
- Sierra Club – San Fernando Valley chapter newsletter, May 2005.
The Plastic Plague: From a “fix it” to a “throw away” society
(#1 of the Plastic Plague series)
by Sarah S. Mosko Ph.D.
It’s getting harder and harder to find things that aren’t made of plastic. You can even get potato chips now in a plastic bottle to go with that plastic bottle of water. We have been made to think that plastics are indispensable, even good for us. Since WWII we have made a complete about-face from a “fix it and make it do” to a “use it once and toss it” society, with plastics playing a starring role.

The percentage of plastic that is recycled is low compared to the amount that is generated.