Nurdles

The more disposables we consume, the better the plastics manufacturers fare and it has come to my attention recently that almost everything I use comes in a plastic package. My shampoo, salad dressing, laundry detergent, lipstick, razors, ground turkey, paper towels, hair color, toothpaste, hair gel, hair spray, antiperspirant, medications, bandages, antibiotic cream, hydrogen peroxide, facial cleanser, moisturizers, calamine lotion, lip balm, dry cleaning, juice, soda, coffee, ½ & ½, milk, eggs, cheese, my clothing has tags on it that are attached with little plastic leads. My shoes come in boxes full of little lumps of chemicals designed to keep them dry during shipping. My potting soil comes in plastic, my picture frames are shrink wrapped.

Some stuff is itself plastic and comes wrapped in more plastic: cell phone, cell phone charger, blue tooth, tablet, tablet holder, laptop desk, television, turntable, music, movies, software, dental floss, toothbrush head, toothbrush battery, combs, brushes,

The plastic in my bathroom: toothbrush holder, toothbrush, mouthwash, mirror, hair product, Vaseline, deodorant soap dish, shampoo, razor, pumice stone, bath oil, hair dryer, hair spray, hair brush, more hair product. I sit at my desk. My printer is made of plastic, so is my pen holder, my eyeglass cleaning spray, my mouse, my eyeglass case and the little standy uppy thing that holds a single document.

I know, I know, I know, I know, you get it.

The main problem with plastic — besides there being so much of it — is that it doesn’t biodegrade. No natural process can break it down. It photodegrades. Plastic in the ocean will fragment into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic known as nurdles.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want nurdles in my tea. Just saying.