By pivoting away from fossil fuel-based plastic, we can greatly decrease plastics' negative environmental impacts
Opinion: by pivoting away from fossil fuel-based plastic, we can greatly decrease plastics' negative environmental impacts
It also concerned conservationists. A New York Times article, in 1867, warned of the coming extinction of elephants in Sri Lanka from poachers if an alternative to ivory could not be found. At that time, ivory was used to make things like pen casings, combs, and billiards balls to name a few. With costs of these natural resources increasing because of their growing scarcity, the race was on to find cheaper alternatives.
Plastics made from petroleum such as nylon and polyethylene were developed in the early 20th century. At the onset of Word War II, the plastics industry saw a rapid expansion. Nylon, originally used in silk stockings and marketed to women with extreme success, was used for parachutes, rope, and helmet liner. Plexiglass was used as a cheaper alternative in aircraft windows.
It might sound counter-intuitive, but certain plastic use can lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions. The durable, light-weight plastics found in car parts such as steering wheels and fenders help to reduce the weight of cars, lowering CO2 emissions and improving fuel efficiency. Celluloid was made not directly from fossil fuel, but from cotton. Bio-based plastics like celluloid fell out of favour early in the 20th century because of the advantages of petroleum-based plastics. An OECD study showed that 90 % of the greenhouse gas emissions of plastics comes from its production from fossil fuels, while the remaining 10 % comes from the end-of-life emissions of the plastic.