
A Surge of New Plastic Is About to Hit the Planet - jonbaer
https://www.wired.com/story/a-surge-of-new-plastic-is-about-to-hit-the-planet/
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VvR-Ox
This is really sad and it shows just how much power the consumer has.

As long as people are happy buying or owning stocks from ExxonMobil, Shell,
and Saudi Aramco and the likes it will only get worse.

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RickJWagner
I disagree. As long as people insist on having the latest iphone, the cool new
car (loaded with plastic), even nice new clothes, then there will be a market
for plastic.

Somebody will meet that need. The plastic will be produced so long as
consumers demand it. It doesn't make a difference if it's Saudi Arabia or
Norway that's producing it-- somebody will find a way. The problem is with the
consumption.

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VvR-Ox
Did you read the article?

It tells that these companies increase plastic production _though people want
this to stop_.

People do not insist because this is what they always wanted but because of
the advertisement manipulating them in a very subtle way and their missing
consciousness about a lot of things that you do not learn at school.

They are presented with influencers, pictures etc. which make them feel
useless and worthless just to present them with the new XYZ and the promise it
will improve their sad life, help them to get along with their neighbors and
stuff like that.

Another player in this game is the government which does not hold companies
responsible for their actions and the harm they do.

You could still use the 1st iPad with a decent OS (e.g. some Linux) if you
would be allowed to. Because companies need to make money they will brick it
instead so you will have to buy a new one. Is this the fault of the customer?
Certainly not.

This is not normal and it is not the expected behavior of a device like that
from the point of view of someone who knows that on the inside it is just a
computer. We (people in IT) know that and many ignore it or lie to themselves
to feel better but the average consumer in the meantime believes this is the
way things have to be.

In this case I would not support the hypothesis that the average consumer (or
the majority) is at all able to act that rationally.

To blame the consumer completely is a carefully seeded thought but it is just
not the (whole) truth. While many decisions will aggregate and contribute to
change not all of them are the kind of free choice the industry wants
governments and the global community to believe in to spare them with the
necessary consequences (laws, control, taxes etc.).

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VvR-Ox
Wow instead of reacting and discussing like civilized people one is voted down
in silence. Very courageous and honest.

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innagadadavida
Apart from environmental impact, another major health issue is BPA like
disruption of the endocrine system. Mother jones covered Tritan plastic in
2014: [https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/tritan-
certi...](https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/tritan-certichem-
eastman-bpa-free-plastic-safe/)

They accuse Eastman of major fraud of how the research was faked.

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georgebarnett
While I’m sure these companies are trying their hardest to hedge, once their
major product (fuel) disappears, they will be nowhere near the size they are
today.

Imagine these companies at 10% their current size. That’s a LOT of political
clout they lose.

