Nice anecdote. Yeah, I have realised that just like everywhere else, virtue signalling doesn't, won't work. There has to be SITG(skin in the game), incentive alignment among all parties involved : now achieve this either via good policy(which is needed for a lot of solutions eg:worked for solar,elec cars), or free market or both.

Also, many policies confuse waste,plastic waste with climate change. There's overlap, but for lower earth temperature, policies are going to make the biggest change, not individuals. And Now I am realizing I got carried away.