Also a domestic plastic tax - by making plastic less cheap (perhaps have it go up 10% every year in perpetuity) eventually there will be incentives to find natural alternatives (paper, bamboo, woods, etc).
It makes no sense to me to claim the most productive country in all of history, with our AI and everything, couldn't replace plastic. It's the same thing people said about oil 50 years ago.
Nobody is claiming it cannot be done but I believe its very valid to point out that it is not a no brainer and the implications on the global economy may be quite severe. Again not a defense of plastic but more that I think its more complicated than people make it out to be.
Yes, things would be more expensive, but we have a choice, Health or Plastic. If you factor in the cost of healthcare, then the extra expense may be a wash. It is just a matter of who pays.
The most pressing example is fast fashion. The clothes are too cheap, incentivising use-and-bin behavior, and they also don't last because they're cheap synthetics. Cotton is relatively more expensive, but at the very least lasts longer. The race to the bottom must be halted.
- Get serious about plastic recycling, maybe even a cash deposit scheme like glass bottles or aluminium cans in some places.
- Build/grow stuff closer to where it is sold, instead of halfway across the world, so less plastic (and fuel) is needed in transport both for finished products and supplies. This has the added benefit of introducing supply chain resilience, decreasing foreign dependence, and supporting local economies.
- Enable local food markets and street food vendors. Get rid of laws that make it difficult for food trucks or food streeth vendors to operate. Make operating a restaurant and/or selling food cheap and easy. Have your food JIT instead of needing to store it using plastic. Milk used to be delivered and consumed without plastic involved at all.
- Go back to using wood or metal instead of plastic in many items. This will make them stronger and more durable.
- Use paper or wood instead of plastic. Bring back paper grocery bags. Wood is renewable, wood products are biodegradable.