Beyond Toxic Plastics (Virgin and Recycled) to a Healthier Future: Greenpeace Plastic Campaigner Lindsey Jurca

Recorded on my mom, Cathy Packwood’s, birthday, I'm covering a topic she has become passionate about – microplastics and how and why society should end the production and circulation of plastics, for the health of humans and other animals and our shared habitats – and how can we work individually in our homes (that's hard), and collectively as engaged citizens (that's hard too, especially in this administration), to create a healthier existence free from plastics; even recycling plastics causes toxins and can perpetuate reliance on plastics!  See Greenpeace's Forever Toxic recycling report (not recycling is a hard one for me since I have spent so many hours cleaning and recycling plastic for decades -- should we just throw plastic containers in the trash when we can't avoid getting them?!) It's time to replace this chemical-filled, unhealthy (albeit convenient) product with something sustainable, reusable, nontoxic, and non-polluting (especially around our food and drink items); we discuss how plastics are made of fossil fuels (petroleum) that adds to the climate crisis, so a plastic-free future goes hand in hand with a clean-energy future, where communities could be more resilient from the fluctuating oil market inflated prices, like now with the U.S. war with Iran, if we weren't so reliant on plastics. To tell us about this herculean personal and public effort is our guest Lindsey Jurca, Senior Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace. Lindsey talks about their work with nations worldwide developing a "Global Plastics Treaty" with some teeth in it, to turn off the plastic cycle that is drowning us all in toxins. Join us to talk solutions in this 49-minute conversation in honor of my mom Cathy's birthday (I got her a lot of bamboo kitchen utensils and natural sponges and glass spray jars for a plastic-free kitchen).  A resource is https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/fighting-plastic-pollution/  "In Tune to Nature" is an hour-long radio show airing Wednesdays at 6pm Eastern Time on 89.3FM-Atlanta radio and streaming worldwide on wrfg.org (Radio Free Georgia, a nonprofit indie station) hosted by me, Carrie Freeman, or friend Melody Paris. The show's website and my contact info can be found at https://wrfg.org/intunetonature/  While there, consider donating to Radio Free Georgia, a 50+ year old progressive, non-commercial, indie radio station, run largely by volunteers like me and Melody. And remember to take care of yourself and others, including the other animals, who don't want to live with plastic pollution in and around us anymore. Enough already! Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on In Tune to Nature do not necessarily reflect those of WRFG, its board, staff, or volunteers. Photo Credit: courtesy of Greenpeace