Revolutionize the system

To which topic does your idea refer?

Reuse and Upcycling

Describe your idea! How does it work to reduce / replace plastic? How will you involve others?

The human population depends on plastic consumption mainly for convenience. Ideas such as zero waste stores, resusable items, and recycling, all are only implemented a small amount because of the lack of people thinking that plastic consumption doesn’t matter, or many can not be persuaded. In order to tackle plastic consumption, we need to go to the source. If companies were to stop producing unnecessary plastic, and turn towards bio-regardable mateirals such as hemp and recycled materials, the vastly growing number of platsic waste would untimely be forced to decrease, since there would not be a steady production of new plastic. It would be extremely difficult to force these companies to stop production, but if awareness, government support, and a more sustainable way of conveince was created, the plastic production can be graudually decreased. Factories that produce plastic bags, etc, can be shut down and converted into facilites that use a sustainable power source to run it, and use bio-regradable materials. Stores can be granted asccess to reusable hemp or cloth grocery bags, the news being distributed beforhand to the public that there will be bans on plastic in this country and town. It would be difficult to impliment this movement without the support of the governmnet or the public, so awerness would graually have to serve as the start of this ban on plastics. As seen in some innovative countries, existing plastic can be converted into building materials, or broken down into material for conventinol items. Useing veganism as a reference, we can also gradually introduce more agriculture to places that rely heavily on plastic, alllowing more plant based- materials to be made. Natural, and reusable items should also be intouduced to the public, as plastic production declines. Zero-waste stores, plant based packaging, and encouraging less commercial consumption of plastic cups, can be acheived over time. (Sanitation would also be taken into consideration in zero-waste stores by maintance and converting ways for the public being able to access goods, without touching anything, such as using dispensing machines) The public has been able to have global unity with circumstances the governmnet orders before, (such evrey country listing to government order about the corona virus) so bans on plastic and investment in converting existing trash/plastic into materials that can be put back into the earth or remade into something else. The public can begin to make this happen through unity, petitions, raising money to begin making these changes happen, and also implementing education in schools at an early age on sustainabilty, takeing responsiabily as an individual, and teaching a new generation on how to live a more sustainable life, and skills that will help them in the future and teach them to be an individual. (Similar to the way Japanese culture teaches kids at an early age of disciplene, respect, and knowing how to grow their own food) We can make the new generation better if we change our ways. The bio degradable materials would have to be produced in a way most likely from converting by product materials from plants, such as the leaves from trees that are cut down for the use of paper, etc. Their will be many innovations, and already existing ideas that would have to be used for this overall plastic ban. Eventually, we can help countries all over the world implement these ways of sustainble living by supporting them and building facilities that will produce eco-friendly materials, replacing plastic producing factories eventually.

Think bigger - What can you add to your idea to make it 1 million times more effective?

Changeing the system we are liveing in and the norms of cultures, would only be a step forward, but it would take time for drastic changes to be made. Public support can only go so far, when big companies thrive off the destruction of the planet, and consumption of single use materials. Single use plastic that is not easily converted inro sustainable material, can be made from more degradable material such as paper or hemp. To encourge less waste amoung the public, easier acess to sustainable and natural means of living can be introduced to stores, poverty knitting communities, and peoples homes. Fund raising, or governmnet regulation can aid in these changes. Building material made from already wasted plastics/trash, can be converted into the materials the facilities itself will be built from. The newly built production factories will produce these plant based materials, and be runned on sustainable energy such as a recycled fuel source, or solar power, etc. Even house for those in newd can be made from materials that were ounce wasted plastic. This would most likely be done through a process that would compress, and break down the plastic, but also powerd in a way that will jot be too impactful to the enviroment. Studying and replicating the cell walls of plants, or plant fibers may help in this, or introducing an alredy existing means of breaking down microplastic and trash, such as microrganisims, or a method that naturally break apart the structure of plastics. Paper can also be used as replacments in all stores, cafes, etc, instead of platic straws, veggies, wraps, etc.

Effectiveness: How much plastic can be saved with your idea?

The plastic industry continuously producing plastics and packaging that will all only be used ounce, so shutting down the plastic production ounce access to more sustainable living is introduced worldwide. The less being produced, the more technology and enviromental engineering can focus on recycling the already existing plastics/ litter. Getting rid of plastic bags, and eventually pushing the public into useing reusable, can save the constant consumption of plsstic evreyday.

Reach: How many people can be reached with this idea?

The support of the public is nessicary in order to make this movement reality. Change in the system must be made, and government and corperation greed must be broken down. With the help of world wide orders, financial aids, and distribution pf nessesicties, people can be informed and pushed into a diffrent way of living. If laws are made, along with changes that will help the public make these changes possible, the idea of a sustainable society can be spread to each country and state that is willong to accept the help.

Implementation: What does it take to realize your idea or make it even more successful?

Finnaces being used more efficiently, and investment in research, construction, recycling, and converting the remains of existing plastic into building material, etc, would be nessicary. So improveing in the way we use land, and replacing what we take from nature, such as forests, can improve our carbon footprints. Public cooperation would be tricky to gain, but mainly replacing the plastic products with other materials can be the start towards people using their own resuable materials.

Sustainability - How sustainable is your idea? What are the benefits for the environment?

Depending on the enviromental and societal effects of breaking down plastics, and removing it from communities, it can be detrimental if not done in a humane and sustainabl mannor. Runoff, chemical and toxic effects from production in the new factories, wouls have to be monitored and avoided. Taking out plastic completley from communities can also cause some backlash that will result in an uproar or mass "panic". As long as these items are at first replaced with sustainable versions of plastic, moving towards the public useing resuable items of their own, their should not be too many adverse reactions of mass hysteria. Construxtion and demolition of these factories, etc, can also be damaging if not handled carefully.