Earth Wise

A look at our changing environment.

You are here: Home / Archives for bags

bags

Birds Bees And Coffee | Earth Wise

By Leave a Comment

A new study by the University of Vermont in collaboration with researchers from three Latin American countries looked at the effects of birds and bees on coffee crops.  They found that coffee beans are bigger and more plentiful when birds and bees team up to protect and pollinate coffee plants.

The real-world study manipulated coffee plants across 30 farms by excluding birds and bees with a combination of large nets and small lace bags.  They looked at four scenarios:  bird activity alone (pest control), bee activity alone (pollination), no bird and bee activity at all, and a natural environment where birds and bees were free to pollinate and eat insects that otherwise damage coffee plants.

The study looked at fruit set, fruit weight, and fruit uniformity – important factors that determine the quality and price of the coffee crop.  The results were that the combined positive effects of birds and bees were greater than their individual effects.   Without birds and bees, the average coffee yield on the farms declined nearly 25%.  That is important information for the $26 billion coffee industry.

A surprising result of the study is that many birds providing pest control to coffee plants in Costa Rica had migrated thousands of miles from Canada and the U.S.

Previous studies looked at the benefits of natural factors separately and then added them up.  But the new study demonstrates that nature is an interacting system with both synergies and trade-offs.  Past assessments of individual ecological services may have underestimated the benefits biodiversity provides to agriculture and human wellbeing.  Ecosystems services are more valuable together than separately.

**********

Web Links

The Secret to Better Coffee? The Birds and the Bees

Photo, posted March 2, 2012, courtesy of Caroline Gluck/Oxfam via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Humans And Microplastics | Earth Wise

By Leave a Comment

While plastic comes in all different shapes and sizes, those that are less than five millimeters in length are called microplastics.  Primary sources of microplastics include microfibers from clothing, microbeads, and plastic pellets (known as nurdles).  Secondary sources of microplastics come from larger plastic debris, like bottles and bags, that degrades into smaller bits over time. 

Microplastic pollution can be found everywhere on earth, from the top of the tallest mountains to the bottom of the deepest oceans.  Microplastics are in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. 

According to research recently published in the journal Exposure & Health, humans ingest an average of five grams of plastic particles per week. This is roughly equivalent to the weight of a credit card.  The plastic particles are trafficked in via food, such as seafood and salt in particular, as well as water.  In fact, those who rely on plastic bottled water for their drinking needs ingest an additional 1,700 plastic particles each week.   

Microplastics have also been detected in human blood for the first time.  According to new research recently published in the journal Environment International, scientists detected microplastics in nearly 80% of the people they tested. 

Half of the blood samples contained PET plastic, which is commonly used for drinking bottles.  One third of the blood samples contained polystyrene plastic, which is often used for food packaging.  One quarter of the blood samples contained polyethylene plastic, which is used to make things like shopping bags and detergent bottles. 

With plastic production predicted to double by 2040, more research is urgently needed to understand how ingesting microplastics affects human health.

**********

Web Links

Health risk due to micro- and nanoplastics in food

Microplastics found in human blood for first time

Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood

Photo, posted November 3, 2012, courtesy of Laura via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

The Hunt For Marine Plastic | Earth Wise

By Leave a Comment

Estimates are that about 10 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year.  This is equivalent to a truckload of plastic being dumped into the sea every minute and the stuff is not easy to keep track of.  Some of it ends up in the  infamous ocean garbage patches.  But overall, researchers only know what happens to about 1% of it.

The European Space Agency has decided to find out whether it might be possible to detect and track floating plastic in the oceans using satellite monitoring.  Researchers have a variety of ideas about how best to do this and now the agency is testing some of those ideas.

The ESA maintains something called the Atlantic Basin Facility which is a 7000 square-foot tank equipped to simulate various types of waves and tidal currents.  It is the largest facility of its kind in the world.

Researchers place plastic in the basin consisting of typical items found at sea, such as bags, bottles, marine nets and ropes, plastic cutlery, and Styrofoam balls.  The plastic used in the study included material previously recovered from the sea through ocean cleanup campaigns.  Multiple research groups from European universities used specialized instrumentation to monitor the basin from above.  Techniques included radar remote sensing, something called GNSS reflectometry, and specialized optical instrumentation.

Initial results look promising in that under some circumstances teams received useable signals.  It will take further analysis to determine the ultimate utility of space-based monitoring of plastic entering the ocean.  Marine litter is a large and growing problem.  Figuring out where it all is and where it is going is a necessary part of any solution.

**********

Web Links

Hunting for marine plastic

Photo, posted March 24, 2017, courtesy of Holly Richards/USFWS via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Regulating Plastic Pollution | Earth Wise

By Leave a Comment

Much of the world is united in the desire to do something about the problem of plastic waste.  But putting in place regulations that transcend national borders is complicated.

One hundred fifteen countries have established bans on plastic bags, but globally, there are seven different definitions of what is considered a plastic bag.  Things like bag thickness can determine whether something even counts as a plastic bag.  These differences create loopholes that enable illegal bags to be used.  For a global company like Nestle, which sells food products in 187 countries, it means complying with 187 different sets of national regulations on plastic packaging.

At least 100 nations have expressed support for a global plastic treaty.  Preliminary talks are dealing with issues like setting a specific date to eliminate plastic from spilling into the ocean, creating a harmonized set of definitions and standards, coordination of national targets and plans, and creating a fund to build waste management facilities where they are most needed in less developed countries.

New plastic waste is created at a rate of over 300 million tons a year.   To date, 75% of all plastic ever produced has become waste, and plastic production is expected to triple by 2050.

With public concern about plastic waste growing and increasing support by countries around the world, there is growing optimism that a global treaty to address plastic waste could be approved on a pace that could make a difference.  Negotiations for international treaties can drag on for a decade or more.  There is not that kind of time to spare in this case, so perhaps urgency will drive more efficient action.

**********

Web Links

Global treaty to regulate plastic pollution gains momentum

Photo, posted February 3, 2015, courtesy of Thad Zajdowicz via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Takeout Food And Ocean Litter | Earth Wise

By Leave a Comment

The Covid-19 pandemic saw most of us making use of take-out or delivery services as our only access to restaurant food.  It was a valuable link to normal life.  But unfortunately, the packaging of takeout food is a major contributor to the global plastic waste problem that isn’t going to disappear just because people are returning to eating in restaurants.

A new analysis of more than 12 million items by UK researchers published in the journal Nature Sustainability has found that the majority of ocean litter collected around the world is in the form of takeout food items:  bags, wrappers, containers, straws and cutlery, aluminum cans, and plastic and glass bottles.  Eighty percent of all the items surveyed were made of plastic.

Wrappers and packaging tended to concentrate along coasts, gathering on the shore and the sea floor.  Takeout trash was rarer in the open ocean.  In those areas, fishing debris accounted for half of the litter.

The authors of the study argue that efforts to curb plastic waste should prioritize takeout food and beverage containers.  They recommend that avoidable takeout items, like single-use plastic bags, should be replaced with non-plastic and biodegradable materials.  The authors also recommended making plastic producers responsible for the collection and disposal of plastic products.

As of July 1, the European Union has banned the 10 most common plastic and Stryofoam products found on European beaches.  The EU is also establishing an active European market for recycled plastics based on the principles of extended producer responsibility.

**********

Web Links

Takeout Food and Drink Containers Account for Bulk of Ocean Litter

Photo, posted September 14, 2009, courtesy of Susan White/USFWS via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Bees And Plastic

By Leave a Comment

Wild bees in Argentina have recently been found to be constructing nests entirely made of flimsy plastic material left on farms and scientists don’t know why.

In 2017 and 2018, researchers at Argentina’s National Agricultural Technology Institute built wooden, artificial nests for wild bees.  These bee species burrow into nests to individually lay larvae rather than having a large hive with queens and workers.  The artificial nests provide hollow openings that bees generally fill with cut leaves, twigs, and mud.

Sixty-three wooden nests were constructed and three were found lined entirely with plastic.  The bees carefully cut bits of plastic in the shape and size of fingernails and arranged them in an overlapping pattern in their nests.  The plastic seems to have come from plastic bags or films, which have a similar texture to the leaves bees ordinarily use to line their nests.  And, in fact, leaves were readily available to the bees making use of plastic.

This is the first time that bees have been seen making nests entirely out of plastic, but for years scientists have known bees were incorporating plastic into their building materials.  Research is needed to determine the potential impact plastic might have on bees, but the nest building shows that bees are highly adaptive to changing environments.

Plastic often forms a threat to wildlife in the form of microplastics that can be consumed.  But there is no evidence that bees are consuming plastic.  Some researchers have speculated that the plastic in bees’ nests may form a barrier against common nest issues like mold and parasites.

At this point, it is not clear whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that some bees are choosing plastic over natural materials, but it is certainly interesting.

**********

Web Links

Wild bees are building their homes from plastic—and scientists aren’t sure why

Photo, posted December 12, 2014, courtesy of Judy Gallagher via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Getting Rid Of Plastic Here And Abroad

By Leave a Comment

Efforts in the fight against plastic pollution are really stepping up these days. 

New York State lawmakers have agreed to impose a statewide ban on most types of single-use plastic bags from retail sales.  The ban would be the second statewide ban after California, which banned the bags in 2016.  Hawaii effectively also has such a ban since all of the state’s counties have their own bans.

The New York ban would begin next March and would forbid stores from providing customers with single-use plastic bags.  There are a number of exceptions, including food takeout bags in restaurants, bags used to wrap deli or meat counter products, and newspaper bags.  New York counties could opt into a plan to charge a 5-cent fee on paper bags, with proceeds going to the state’s Environmental Protection Fund.  Some environmentalists point out, however, that paper bags have their own issues.  While they do decompose in landfills, they have a substantial carbon footprint since they are made from wood and being heavier, they are more costly to ship.  Business groups are concerned about the forthcoming ban based on increased costs.

Meanwhile, European Union member states have reached a provisional agreement to introduce restrictions on single-use plastic products.  In 2021. European citizens will say goodbye to plastic cutlery, plastic plates and plastic straws among other products.

According to the European Commission, plastics make up 85% of beach litter in the Mediterranean.  Large plastic pieces injure, suffocate, and often kill marine animals but microplastics have reached record levels of concentration – over a million fragments per square kilometer – in the Mediterranean.

Both here and abroad, the war on plastics is heating up.

**********

Web Links

Plastic Bags to Be Banned in New York; Second Statewide Ban, After California

The End Of Plastic Cutlery, Plates And Straws: EU Market Says Goodbye To Single-Use Plastic Products

Photo, posted March 20, 2007, courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Supermarkets And Zero-Waste

By Leave a Comment

There are about 38,000 supermarkets in the United States alone and they are responsible for vast quantities of waste in the form of single-use plastic bags, plastic containers that store food products, and food waste as well.  Globally, over 80% of poll respondents feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment.  Responding to this message, markets are starting to make changes.

In a number of places, there are now markets that are package-free.  The Nada grocery store in Vancouver and Precycle in Brooklyn are examples of zero waste grocery stores.  Websites like Litterless provide online help for customers trying to find packaging-free grocery stores.

Markets are not only changing their packaging, they are using artificial intelligence to develop more sustainable production processes and seeking other ways to reduce waste.

On average, Americans throw away over 300 plastic bags a year, but an increasing number of grocery retailers are making commitments to more sustainable, plastic-free options.  It isn’t just small stores either.  Grocery giant Kroger plans to eliminate plastic bags in its stores by 2025.  When that happens, it means that 6 billion plastic bags will no longer be distributed.  Big Y stores will fully transition to reusable bags by next year.  More and more cities and states are banning or imposing fees on plastic bags. 

An interesting statistic shows that the age group of Americans that is leading the adoption of reusable grocery bags is not millennials but in fact is people over 50.  With multiple generations now indicating that they want shopping to be more sustainable, it is likely that supermarkets will strive to help make that happen.

**********

Web Links

Why More Supermarkets Are Committing to Zero-Waste

Photo, posted March 4, 2013, courtesy of Dean Hochman via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

The Problem Of Microplastics

By Leave a Comment

In recent years, there have been multiple reports of microplastic contamination seemingly everywhere:  in the ocean, in lakes and rivers, in beverages and foods, and in the bodies of birds, fish, and even people.  As the world tries to come to grips with this growing problem, there are many things that we simply don’t know.

Microplastics are usually formed by the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic.  Shopping bags and cups degrade into microplastics.  Microfiber clothing generates microplastics in washing machines.  And some manufacturers still intentionally add microplastics to personal care products like toothpaste and facial scrubs.

Technically, a microplastic is any piece of plastic measuring five millimeters in size down to one micron – which is one thousandth of a millimeter.  But there can be even smaller plastic particles classified as sub-microplastics and even nanoplastics.

A real concern is that it is not actually clear how dangerous microplastics are for living organisms.  We know that aquatic and terrestrial species – including humans – can and do absorb microplastic particles, but whether there is actual toxicity and the nature of any detrimental effects is not yet well understood.

Another real problem is that it is actually not easy to distinguish microplastics from other particles in a given sample.   When you are looking at a particle that is smaller than a millimeter in size, it is not easy to tell whether it is a grain of sand, a bit of cellulose from a plant, or a microplastic.  There are reliable and definitive ways to analyze samples for microplastics, but they are not as simple and commonplace as just looking through a microscope.

Microplastics are a rapidly growing problem and we don’t even really know how big and how bad the problem is.

**********

Web Links

How dangerous is microplastic?

Photo, posted January 10, 2015, courtesy of Daria Nepriakhina via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

WAMC Northeast Public Radio

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a regional public radio network serving parts of seven northeastern states (more...)