AVOID! – PLASTIC! – RUBBISH! – NOW! And fast. Because we already swim in it. Up to our necks.

Germany is far ahead. Unfortunately, with plastic waste as well

There is hardly anything that is not packaged or, at least can be packaged, in plastic. And as soon as it is unwrapped, the plastic packaging usually ends up in the waste bin. Away with it. Into the bin, out of mind.In Europe, Germany is far ahead in terms of plastic waste „production“. With a per capita plastic waste volume of 37 kg, we are No 4 in ranking. Only Estonia (46.5 kg), Luxembourg (52 kg) and Ireland (71 kg) produce even more plastic waste than Germany per capita (Plastic waste statistics 2017. Source ZEIT ONLINE, AFP, 22.11.2017). Unfortunately, in Germany, just to make matters worse, we are making every effort to push ourselves further forward in this inglorious ranking. From 2005 to 2015, plastic waste increased by 12% across Europe, however, by almost a third in Germany.

Plastic waste does not disappear. It simply gets smaller and smaller. Macro- and micro plastic particles

Once in the trash, plastic proves to be a very robust material. Just over 40%, which is less than half, is recycled. A plastic bottle takes 450 years in the sea to decompose. However, plastic dissolves only in smaller, barely visible plastic particles. In many parts of the ocean there are now six times more plastic than plankton. And at some point, with the food chain, we literally get our plastic waste that we do not recycle back on our plate. Plastic waste in the oceans manifests itself in gigantic swirls.

How monstrous such a maelstrom looks (and certainly is!), becomes obvious watching, for example, this BBC video:

How much plastic waste do we produce? We ?! Yes, you and me. And everybody else.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that plastic can be a versatile material with numerous, quite meaningful applications, and has become an indispensable element of today‘s world. And a mere plastic „demonization“ simply does not solve the problem. We have to do something. It’s important that we’re all fully aware of the issue and, much more, that we act together. First of all, each of us has to think about our personal plastic consumption and simply has to avoid excessive use.

Incidentally, plastic recycling is a real science in itself. For example, a single yogurt cup can contain up to 600 chemicals because it should be as light and cheap as possible: UV stabilizers, antioxidants, heat-cold stabilizers, various fillers (Source: ZEIT online 04/04/2018. “We have to celebrate packaging much more”, an interview with eco-design expert Michael Braungart).

Breakfast without plastic waste. Let’s put our breakfast buffet on the test.

In the hotel business, plastic packaging (and excessive plastic packaging) unfortunately is a really big issue. For example, breakfast in many hotels looks like a showcase for the plastics industry. Everything in single-serving packaging. And we were determined: not with us! In fact, we were able to NOT offer anything at our breakfast buffet which is in portioned packaging. Our jams and marmalades, for example, are home-made and are served in the traditional WECK glasses they were made in, as well as our fresh yogurts that we prepare every morning: single servings, served in a WECK glass jar, with a lid. And that does not look really yummy, it also tastes very good. Promised. Homemade herbal quarks or French cream cheese? In a glas. Butter and margarine? Freshly cut in small cubes, on ice. Honey? From the big „family size“ bottle, but in a clever dispenser. And this is not only convincing from a technical point of view, but even more important, it guarantees: never sticky fingers. And Nutella. Yes, we had that in sachet packaging for a long time (sticky chocolate fingers!), But meanwhile we have found some good alternative: Portioned from the large “large family size glass” in tiny Weck-glasses, with a lid. A cute eye-catcher! And to be enjoyed without sticky „chocolate fingers“.
And yes, we’re a bit proud of that too.

Let’s just take it as a sporty challenge. Yes, it can be fun. Promised!

There is a very noble idea: “We have to avoid garbage.”. Everybody agrees to that. But a noble idea is only as good as it actually is transformed into specific action. It is not necessary to go for to a 100%-achievement (this might soon end up as a very frustrating affair!). It is just that every single portion packaging that is no longer produced, bought, used up and then ends up in the garbage can, is actually already one less.The goal is to develop alternative methods and materials, to develop new recycling procedures and actually (!) implement them large-scale, and above all to considerably slow down the current “material battle race”. And there is a lot of „room for imrovement“. Coming back to European plastic waste statistics. Let’s take the figures from Croatia: 12.4 kg per capita and year. That’s a goal for all of us in the rest of Europe, isn’t it. Let’s just take this as kind of an olympic athletic challenge. Ready, steady, go!