Plastics: Striking a Balance For Nature (and Your Bottom Line)

Cheryl Clifton
Jun 4, 2022
5 min read

Updated: Jun 5, 2022

Convenience was the Watchword of American Consumerism

post World War II. Previously, agrarian culture predominated

- items were produced on one's own land and traded simply with neighbors and those who traveled and traded. Mass-production and transportation of consumer items became far more accessible post-Civil War in the US. By 1900, all but the most outlying settlements and households were receiving items and materials pre-manufactured; wrapped in paper, poured into glass, carried in woven baskets and stored in tins. Most packaging was extremely biodegradable in the raw environment, with low toxicity and hazard (oddly, much of what they contained wasn't - like radioactive beauty cream, cocaine tooth drops, and weight-loss tape worm eggs).

Packaging items were reusable. In many cases (especially during hard times, like during World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II), anything that could be recycled was recycled. Containers were often kept, especially if they were decorative or useful. Scraps of clean paper were used for notes or writing paper. An old World War II perfectly frames those times: "Use it up; wear it out; make it do or go without". People saved scraps of material to create quilts. Metal and glass could be re-smelted and remanufactured. In major cities, the "rag man" had armies of poor children scouring the city for items they could hand over for cash. Recycling was a thing before it became a thing, you see.

After World War II, everything changed. The war produced new, long lasting materials, toxic by-products and farming chemicals, and widespread post-war affluence among the American populace. These factors came together and formed the perfect environmental storm of mass consumerism that continues today. Suddenly, the items of convenience were light, colorful and made to last 50 or more years - even for something as mundane as a few sips of water. Because of affluence (and the twin evils of fashion and marketing), items became numerous and non-repairable. Bottles were switched from glass to plastic - advertisers touting their safety over glass. This seemed reasonable and smart to the progressive consumer, who had baby boomer children running around. Safety first!

Well, by the early 1970's, towns were outlawing private dumps and the burning of trash on private property. Local landfills were overflowing. More and more trash had to be hauled more frequently, and further away. Finally, under the guise of forced "recycling", American refuse was sorted and shipped to under-developed, third world countries. Some materials - certain plastics - were re-manufactured (at significant cost) into consumable items. Most of our indestructible refuse was accepted for cash into countries even less equipped to deal with it than us. Recent refusal of countries like China to "recycle" our trash for us has caused repercussions through the US, as we are faced once again with dealing with our own trash. But, there is hope.

As George Carlin once said, "The planet will be here for a long, long, LONG time after we’re gone, and it will heal itself, it will cleanse itself, ’cause that’s what it does. It’s a self-correcting system. The air and the water will recover, the earth will be renewed. " He was right, of course. Eventually, one tectonic plate subducts under another, and all the crap all over it is drawn into the magma furnace of the earth. But that takes awhile. Scientists are developing all kinds of creatures that eat various types of garbage. Engineers created obsolescence. Now, in a similar vein, scientists are designing materials that last just long enough for the purpose needed - and then break down easily. Does all this impact our beloved aquarium trade? You betcha, big time.

From the plastic frames on glass aquariums (which greatly lowered the cost of aquarium manufacturing, by the way. Have you noticed how expensive rimless aquariums are?) to filters, filtration materials, hoods, heaters, decor, and aquarium themselves - our hobby is heavy-laden in plastics. It behooves us to recycle our equipment if we are done with it - and perhaps the best way that can be done is to re-sell or give away unwanted equipment on websites like eBay, Craigslist and others. What you no longer need or want could be just what a another aquarium hobbyist is looking for. And it will keep another piece of plastic out of the oceans and landfills, for longer. You can also donate aquarium set-ups to schools, libraries, senior centers and other community facilities. Offer free training to others on how to keep an aquarium functional at these facilities, and make more hobbyists! Support your community, and make sure people know your name and from whence to goodies came. Leave a business card for emergencies and questions.

Similarly, food-grade plastics are very useful for every aquarist. Some are big enough to make nano tanks out of - and some are crazy big! Up here in New Hampshire, sap is gather from maple trees and store in big plastic cubes with metal cages (275 gallon IBC totes), until it can be boiled into syrup. Imagine the tank you could make from that (actually I think someone on YouTube has)! Or a 150 gallon Polyethylene Stock tank. Both of these come with drains on the bottom, to make removing fish waste on the bottom super easy. Ok, so those tanks aren't for everyone - breeders mostly. So, back to those nano tanks! I have a plastic container of cheese balls in the house, currently. It looks like it can hold about a gallon and a half. It would make a suitable emergency treatment tank, and a temporary enclosure for a small animal or fish.

It is important to remember that any container you are recycling cannot be washed with soap. Salt is a good agent to scrub with, as it will rinse clean. Any plastic container you were served food for can have another life in your fish room.

Even the stupid little lidded containers that bettas come in have many uses - a little duct tape and a few holes in the lid, and you've got an in-tank emergency isolation cup. I use my old betta cups to hold my breather bags open when I am shipping fish. I just line the cup with the bags, and fold the top of the bag over the top of the cup. Makes packing fish super easy! Need to move fish from one location to another - say to a customer, or to your new location? Large plastic soda cups with lids are the thing. They are designed and vetted by engineers and lawyers so that they won't tip in transit. If the cups are solid colored like white, that's a plus - this fish won't be able to see much, which will ease their stress. Clear cup? Choose a plastic shopping bag in a dark color, put the cup in it and the put the bagged cup into your car's cup holder. Perfect!

Shipping fish? Use a plastic shopping bag or two to line the box you are shipping in, to reduce the chance of water leakage from the box. Or, you could place your bag of fish in a recycled plastic food container with a lid, to do the same thing. Ball up a few plastic bags, and use them as packing materials around the fishes' bag. You could even crochet plastic shopping bags into larger, stronger net bags to tote all your shipping boxes to the post office! And if you've got a dog to pick up after, they are free poop bags. Every bit of plastic that comes into my home and business gets at least a second use. Of course, the less plastic you (and others) use, the less there will be produced in the world - because less demand means less production. Use the plastic you've got in the best way possible. It's not trash, it's an asset! You'll make your business greener and recycle some funds back into the business while promoting the hobby. Everyone wins!

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rev 06/04/2022