From LWV and Piedmont Connect: 'Rethinking Plastics'

Announcement from the Piedmont League of Women Voters and Piedmont Connect:

“Rethinking Plastics,” a thought-provoking program on the role and perils of plastics in our everyday lives, will be presented at #3 Richardson Way in Piedmont on Thursday, March 22, at 7 p.m. The program is co-sponsored by the Piedmont League of Women Voters and Piedmont Connect.

Guest speaker Stuart Moody, from Marin County, will outline the history of plastic, from its origins in products made from cellulose plant fibers in the 1860s to the discovery of oil-based polymers used to make the multitude of plastic products today.

The U.S. currently produces 50 million tons of plastic a year, of which American households and offices throw away 30 millions tons a year. Only 7 percent of the material is recovered for recycling, and most of that is shipped to other countries for reprocessing. Much of the plastic we dutifully recycle ends up in landfills.

Despite the fact that plastic is ubiquitous and can be found in everything from clothing to auto parts, Moody will illustrate numerous ways we can reduce its wasteful use in our lives through creativity and planning until it becomes an easy habit. He will show a short slide presentation, “Bring Your Own Bag,” with members of Connect’s Waste Reduction Group on hand to share their ideas and practices.

Moody initiated the Rethinking Plastics Campaign in Marin County, which has been a leader in raising public awareness of plastic pollution.

Space is limited for the program. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to www.piedmontconnect.org.