What Are We Doing Wrong?
Overconsumption
Americans buy excessive amounts of single-use plastic, often because it is more convenient or cheaper than sustainable alternatives.
Ineffective Recycling
Many people don’t know how to recycle correctly, leading to contaminated recycling bins that end up in landfills. Additionally, the U.S. lacks a unified recycling system, with different rules in different states.
Reliance on Cheap Plastics
Most consumer goods are packaged in plastic that is either non-recyclable or difficult to recycle, leading to waste accumulation.
How Can We Improve?
As Consumers & Buyers
Choose Products With Minimal or No Plastic Packaging – Look for glass, metal, or biodegradable packaging.
Support Companies That Use Sustainable Materials – Brands using compostable or recycled materials should be prioritized.
Avoid Single-Use Plastics
Carry reusable bags, water bottles, and utensils.
Buy in Bulk
Reduces plastic waste from individually packaged goods.
As Recyclers
Know What Can and Cannot Be Recycled
Many items, such as black plastic containers, plastic bags, and coffee cups, are not recyclable in most areas.
Rinse Out Containers
Contaminated recycling (like food-covered plastics) often gets discarded.
Support Local Recycling Programs
Many communities have specialized drop-off locations for items like batteries, electronics, and Styrofoam.
Where to Sign Petitions to Ban Harmful Plastics:
You can support plastic bans and waste reduction efforts by signing petitions or getting involved with organizations such as:
Plastic Pollution Coalition (plasticpollutioncoalition.org)
Break Free From Plastic (breakfreefromplastic.org)
Greenpeace USA (greenpeace.org)
The Story of Stuff Project (storyofstuff.org)
Understanding the Plastic Numbering System (♻️ Triangle With a Number)
Plastics have a resin identification code (RIC), a number inside the triangle that tells you what type of plastic it is and whether it's recyclable.
Why Higher Numbers Are Worse
Lower-numbered plastics: (1 & 2) are easier to recycle and widely accepted by most recycling programs.
Higher-numbered plastics: (5, 6, 7) are harder to recycle, often requiring specialized facilities that most cities don’t have.
Black Plastics: (#5 Polypropylene) are particularly problematic because recycling machines cannot detect them properly, meaning they often end up in landfills even if placed in recycling bins.
Plastics: #3, #6, and #7 often contain toxic chemicals like BPA and phthalates, which can leach into food and drinks.
To reduce America’s trash impact, we need better waste management laws, corporate accountability, and stronger consumer habits. Avoiding single-use plastics, understanding the recycling system, and supporting policy changes can significantly help minimize waste.
These are the Global Recycling Rates:
The United States Has The Worst Recycling Rate (as seen above) BAD THING.