To the editor:
It’s time to celebrate Earth Day! The official theme for 2024 is Planet vs. Plastics. Why focus on plastics? In short, check earthday.org for 10 good reasons why you should dump your bad plastic habits.
With plastics in our homes, clothes, and encasing our food, they seem to be all around us. The thing is, plastics get into us too. Weathered plastic breaks up to become nano-plastics which are so tiny they’re inhaled and consumed, even making it into brains and bloodstreams. Plastics bind with literally thousands of other nasty chemicals that accumulate to adversely impact human health. They’re found in nature in soils, air, waterways, domestic and wild creatures, even in the most remote areas of Earth. This is happening right now. The plastic industry plans to significantly amp up production in coming years to further contaminate a body near you. Let’s detox instead.
Join artists, scientists, and other innovators around the planet to significantly reduce the use of plastics. Come out for community-wide educational programs. Implement alternatives that inspire others. Embrace classic fashion. Engage the wisdom of an elder: ask them how they carried groceries or covered a casserole ‘back in the day’ before widespread plastic use inundated our planet with garbage. Raise a glass of your favorite beverage - our clean Leelanau water which we’re so lucky to enjoy, or one of the many lovable local libations produced with it.
Cheers to Earth Day, April 22, 2024. Act Local. Think Global. Create Your Beautiful Future.
Mary Ames Northport
