It actually mentioned this in the article but it was kind of buried.
"These findings highlight the pervasive presence of microplastics in the male reproductive system in both canine and human testes, with potential consequences on male fertility."
This terrifies me. How are we supposed to avoid plastic when it's literally EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING?!??!?!
This terrifies me. How are we supposed to avoid plastic when it's literally EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING?!??!?!
You can always reduce the intake and your microplastic footprint. Avoid buying food in plastic packaging, use glass or steel containers for food at home, drink tap water with a good filter. Do not buy cheap clothes with synthetic fibers, install filter for your washing machine to reduce the release of microplastic. Shift your lifestyle to minimalism, reduce unnecessary consumption, maximize use of things, choose wood, glass or metals over plastic in things you buy. Smaller houses or apartments will also result in less consumption and plastic contamination.
All very good ideas, but I think plastic pollution has become inescapable. The plastic is not just in the products we may use, but it's in the water we drink, the food we eat and, according to this study, in the air we breathe. It's like radiation...
Go further in this analysis. How, precisely? Congress is so beholden to special interest groups with a stake in plastic, from petrochemicals to bottling industries, that it seems paralyzed to do anything about it. Does the American government have the regulatory authority to halt plastics absent legislation? It does not seem to be so.
What other ways aside from depending on government?
Comments
It actually mentioned this in the article but it was kind of buried.
"These findings highlight the pervasive presence of microplastics in the male reproductive system in both canine and human testes, with potential consequences on male fertility."
This terrifies me. How are we supposed to avoid plastic when it's literally EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING?!??!?!
You can always reduce the intake and your microplastic footprint. Avoid buying food in plastic packaging, use glass or steel containers for food at home, drink tap water with a good filter. Do not buy cheap clothes with synthetic fibers, install filter for your washing machine to reduce the release of microplastic. Shift your lifestyle to minimalism, reduce unnecessary consumption, maximize use of things, choose wood, glass or metals over plastic in things you buy. Smaller houses or apartments will also result in less consumption and plastic contamination.
All very good ideas, but I think plastic pollution has become inescapable. The plastic is not just in the products we may use, but it's in the water we drink, the food we eat and, according to this study, in the air we breathe. It's like radiation...
Regulation.
Go further in this analysis. How, precisely? Congress is so beholden to special interest groups with a stake in plastic, from petrochemicals to bottling industries, that it seems paralyzed to do anything about it. Does the American government have the regulatory authority to halt plastics absent legislation? It does not seem to be so.
What other ways aside from depending on government?
There is no other way. Vote for and advocate for regulation. Otherwise yeah, we're fucked.
Step 1: Get the GOP out of power in our federal government.
(Not suggesting every Dem would be active in pushing this forward, but those who aren't wouldn't be successful in stopping those who are)