> I think more effort should be made to reduce usage of plastics and re-use where necessary.

More specifically we need to change the narrative away from recycling and disposal being the consumer's responsibility. The package choices are not the consumers and if manufacturers are unwilling to shift towards reusable or responsible packaging then we need legislation and regulation to force the issue.

> I have gone plastic-free this January and it has been far more challenging than I thought.

I would not think that's even possible without making significant lifestyle changes. There are just basic things (e.g. Toilet paper) that I'm not even aware you can purchase without plastic packaging. Good luck with your journey.

I agree, recycling just gives people a free pass to waste and pollute. There should be more emphasis on reduction and reuse for non-biodegradable materials.

I assume by "discarded" they exclude recycling.

That could also be a cultural thing. Some cultures, like German and Japanese, have stricter etiquette and manners around things like cleanliness and order. In my experience Germans are also not shy in telling you when you've violated etiquette either, which is very different from in the US where people avoid confrontation.

Germany is relatively clean, and Switzerland and Japan. That's generally due to a lower overall prevalence of littering and actually having effective government-run pickups. But stray from places that aren't picked up regularly and you'll see it. I've seen it everywhere I have been, including all over southern Germany. It's like a rule of the universe. Anywhere people go, they bring food with them, and the wrappers and bottles end up on the ground, in the bushes, in the streams. Single-use plastic for goodies--food, drink, cigarettes, etc--is the #1 kind of litter. Germany is no better than anywhere for cigarette butts, by the way. And cigarette butts are actually made out of plastic, for the most part.

Source: been picking up garbage all over the world for years.

Maybe because quite a lot of plastic gets sent to asia? https://www.dw.com/en/german-plastic-floods-southeast-asia/a...

Disneyworld also has very clean streets. I wouldn't hold it up as a model of sustainability, though.

I don't mean to dig at our German friends, only to make the point that pollution is much more than what we can see, as civilians, just walking and driving around.

Modern incinerators release little more than carbon dioxide, because they burn at temperatures so high that the fuel undergoes nearly complete pyrolysis. Some even use plasma torches to gasify the fuel without "burning" it, then use the gas to run generators.

Refine your thinking..."bad" is not a research outcome. Define your question more specifically and it will be much easier to quantify the difference. What are you interested in -- climate change, effect on ocean life, effect on human health, etc.?

Ok, done. Thanks!

Yes.

Depending on the size of the microplastic particles, they will be absorbed through the roots. Most common sources are usually contaminated water and fertilizers. Other times, regular pollution (f.e air and runoff)

Yes, and it's not just plastic either.

I shy away from buying produce from farms next to interstates.

In a grocery store, though, it's impossible to tell where something was sourced.

IIRC they're not absorbed directly, but it may influence the plant's development, etc.

Probably not that much. Though you’re probably not getting that much from eating meat as most of it should stay in the digestive tract which people usually don’t eat.

Stuff like plastic packaging, sea salt, or water is likely a more prevalent source.

Unless you do what the earth did for millions of years and bury the carbon deep underground anything you do will merely create a pipeline effect: When it starts there is a small reduction, but overall there is none as soon as the pipeline is full.

What do you mean by "absorb carbon" anyway - plastic is carbon for the most part, the "H(ydrogen)" in the molecules is tiny in terms of weight (H compared to C atom), and any other atoms mixed in for this or that effect are minor components of what is mostly various kinds of carbo-hydrogen molecules.

Coke (or sodas) might not be the best example, plenty of CO2 inside, if you take C out of it, ignitable O2 remains. Might end up pretty nasty if bottle is left on the scorching sun (not a chemist, just armchair guessing).

Generally making something chemically active with god-knows-what long term effects and being in touch of food is a no-no for me. Some other materials for other usages might be better ideas. Or lets just stick to good old regulation and extra taxes.