Recycling won't solve our plastic problems | All Hail The Planet

Plastics are the lifeblood of a modern culture of speed, convenience and disposability - but we rarely stop to ask: Where does it all come from?
What a lot of people don't realise is that 98 percent of the inputs of plastics are fossil fuels. Extracting these fossil fuels are just the start of a long chain of toxic processes involved in the lifecycle of plastic.
In the fourth episode of All Hail The Planet - a series delving into the social, economic and political forces undermining meaningful global action on climate change - Ali Rae speaks with co-executive director of Greenpeace USA, Annie Leonard; "Cancer Alley" campaigner, Sharon Lavigne; and environmental engineer; Yuyun Ismawati.
Subscribe to our channel bit.ly/AJSubscribe
Follow us on Twitter / ajenglish
Find us on Facebook / aljazeera
Check our website: www.aljazeera.com/
Check out our Instagram page: / aljazeeraenglish
@AljazeeraEnglish
#Aljazeeraenglish
#News

Пікірлер: 96

  • @ZoeKatherineProject
    @ZoeKatherineProject Жыл бұрын

    It kills me that millionaires here on youtube jave 50 milllion views for things like "filling a mansion with packaging peanuts!" But docs that matter like these will sit under 100k views for months or permanently. What even is this world?

  • @petermonaghan663
    @petermonaghan663 Жыл бұрын

    I actually thought more adult people wld know roughly what plastic is made of I really didn’t think it was a really hard question,shocking

  • @naturegirl4803
    @naturegirl4803 Жыл бұрын

    All hail the planet series truly are worth commendable. Every episode of it is full of information from multidimensional aspects. Great. 👍

  • @manuelpopp1687
    @manuelpopp1687 Жыл бұрын

    Aluminum is not entirely recyclable. Only fresh aluminum has the properties required to produce beverage cans etc. Recycled aluminum has less favorable properties. So, beverage cans have also to be avoided. In general, we must scale down consumption.

  • @KailuaChick

    @KailuaChick

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes exactly, the answer is to reduce consumption in general.

  • @MunterPunter
    @MunterPunter Жыл бұрын

    As long as governments continue to allow the unabated production of plastics nothing will change.

  • @DarkDeepGreen
    @DarkDeepGreen Жыл бұрын

    Great program 💚

  • @sifrk
    @sifrk Жыл бұрын

    How do these videos not have more views?

  • @Onward1969
    @Onward19699 ай бұрын

    As a trillionaire that owns 1/2 the world, all I can say is you weren’t supposed to figure this out.

  • @catandduck
    @catandduck Жыл бұрын

    Love this video. Thank you :)

  • @vthilton
    @vthilton Жыл бұрын

    Save Our Planet - Sharing, Justice and Peace for All

  • @nonyadamnbusiness9887
    @nonyadamnbusiness9887 Жыл бұрын

    What's really aggravating about this problem is that there was nothing wrong with cellophane and paper. I have to use a knife or scissors to get into anything. I'd rather not have the packaging.

  • @Mr.Patrick_Hung
    @Mr.Patrick_Hung Жыл бұрын

    The problem with incineration is not that it is polluting, but that it is usually done in a sloppy fashion that is highly dangerously polluting. If plastic is incinerated with modern technology, it can be relatively harmless. The trouble is that is not how things are done. We are not talking about the latest tech, but 19th century technology that is just not being used.

  • @sebastianwrites
    @sebastianwrites Жыл бұрын

    Some of the images of waste in poorer countries are appalling... the child walking across looks like a river so clogged with waste he can walk across it.

  • @Mr.Patrick_Hung

    @Mr.Patrick_Hung

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, but much of that tsunami of waste is from Western countries. I hope that you understand why my country, China 🇨🇳, refused to take any more.

  • @madhuroy8613
    @madhuroy8613 Жыл бұрын

    Less people, less petrol needs, less drilling, less plastic usage. Less development, less motor vehicles less pollution, less food need, less deforestation, less need.

  • @RB1987

    @RB1987

    Жыл бұрын

    We have environmental officers that patrol streets and fine people that litter.i was heavily fined .

  • @jessegee179
    @jessegee1796 ай бұрын

    Working in a recycling depot can wreck your lungs, its serious how much the dust and vapour can affect you. But the jobs are needed, the solution is to use less plastic, and be strict on what happens at recycling plants, including staff welfare, and where the waste bales are sent to. I worked at a waste centre in the uk, theyd shut us inside a warehouse of mixed trash, because commercial neighbours complained about the smell. It was torture, but the cameradarie was good, especially during covid.

  • @mugilan06m
    @mugilan06m Жыл бұрын

    Great work Ali. Keep going!!

  • @vaughan7835
    @vaughan78358 ай бұрын

    In AUSTRALIA. I live in a Van but I have a permaculture garden on a part of a property. I collect washed up seaweed from the beach for mulch. Every time I do that, I have to bring a few, ironically, used plastic bags to collect as much plastic as I see. My problem is that some of the clear plastic is invisible. If all of it was coloured, I wouldn't miss any of it. I don't know if the colour additives have worse chemicals or not but it does make them stand out from everything else. I hate doing it but I feel good about removing it from the waters edge. Imagine how much is in the ocean!

  • @yaelalexis6770
    @yaelalexis6770 Жыл бұрын

    Save the world 🌍🙏🙏🙏

  • @ionutsfetcu4550
    @ionutsfetcu4550 Жыл бұрын

    Consumerism is what motivates corporations to have destructive habits.

  • @HVDynamo

    @HVDynamo

    Жыл бұрын

    That's profits, corporations have created consumerism to maintain ever growing profits. Chasing endless profit is the root of the destructive tendency.

  • @YKKY
    @YKKY Жыл бұрын

    Our household is low waste household, we strive so much to only buy what we need and reserve what we want for birthdays and Christmas yet we are still struggling to remove plastic from our shopping. Even a head of organic broccoli is wrapped in plastic! This year we are going to try to grow our own fruit and veggies yet I can see that this won't be the main contributor to our plastic waste. So today, I decided we will do a trash reverse audit - we are going to write down in a table prepared for this, what the waste we just threw away came from and then weekly sit down and see what we can buy elsewhere or omit fully to reduce the waste. But if even a blasting broccoli comes wrapped in single use plastic wrap I see it as an uphill battle 😔

  • @SuperMrMuh

    @SuperMrMuh

    Жыл бұрын

    It's often said that we as consumers have the choice of what to buy, and that producers only "react" to our demand. In truth, we are bound to buy what is offered to us, and any meaningful way of shaping our consumption is made increasingly difficult by big Corp. I feel your struggle!

  • @KailuaChick

    @KailuaChick

    Жыл бұрын

    Same here. I live in an area without any farmers markets so I can only buy what’s offered at my local supermarket and the majority of the vegetables are plastic wrapped or in plastic bags. It’s frustrating and depressing.

  • @longdang2681

    @longdang2681

    Жыл бұрын

    @@SuperMrMuh Consumers have the choice of not using plastic bags from supermarkets when it's price changed to 5p per plastic bag. In the UK this dramatically reduced the plastic bags usage at supermarket checkouts. Supermarket customers can also choose to buy loose produce that is not plastic wrapped. Consumers can and do make a difference if they choose to.

  • @SuperMrMuh

    @SuperMrMuh

    Жыл бұрын

    @@longdang2681 consumers can also choose not to get plastic bags if they're for free. But that's not the point. The point is, you don't have a choice to *not* get plastic wrapping with your produce when your supermarket only offers plastic wrapped one, for example. Less trivial example: there are only about 3 smartphone models with replaceable batteries in the whole western hemisphere. I'm lucky this number hasn't dropped to zero yet.

  • @longdang2681

    @longdang2681

    Жыл бұрын

    @@SuperMrMuh You can choose to buy loose(non pre-packed) produce from supermarkets. My point is to not put the entire blame on suppliers of produce. Suppliers must take responsibility for their part but consumers must also take responsibility for their part as well. When plastic bags were free at the supermarket checkouts so many consumers chose convenience over using what you actually need. If there is a will, then there is a way, and it takes both consumers and suppliers to work together to make it happen. What you might be looking for is a smartphone that takes AA rechargeable batteries?(removable batteries don't mean a thing if you can't find a seller for your exact battery) Doesn't exist yet but there is always hope with kickstarter.

  • @kalkiecospherellp6845
    @kalkiecospherellp68457 ай бұрын

    Kalki Ecosphere has innovated world's most Efficient Mobile Water Purifiers to help reduce dependency on packaged water bottles and eventually reduce single use plastic pollution generated because of bottled water.

  • @warrenwood3212
    @warrenwood3212 Жыл бұрын

    I think what you doing here is so needed. Hopefully it slowly gets us all in the wealthy countries thinking about where this will lead us and to the conversations about shrinking our energy use along with our GDP ( because the link there is in lock step).A conversation about much simpler lives, much much simpler lives . And about how re-direct that energy and GDP to those countries who desperately need it .Those not responsible for this mess and never have or will live the grossly wasteful highlife we , have, lived( past tense). But thanks for trying to begin this journey through information.

  • @anthonymorris5084

    @anthonymorris5084

    Жыл бұрын

    Says the person happily using KZread and all of the environmental hazards and consumption associated with it.

  • @Knight_Watch
    @Knight_Watch Жыл бұрын

    Sorry to break it to all of you but it's already too late. Preaching less usage of plastic is hypocrisy because we won't be able to function properly in this modern age if we reduce plastic use. Majority of the stuff we utilize in our daily lives are either made of plastic or have some plastic component in them. The fact that you are here watching this video means you are viewing it on computer or smart devices, which of course are also composed of plastic. Even the Indonesian activist in the video admitted she is wearing clothes possibly made of polyester. Unless you guys are willing to live the Amish Mennonite lifestyle and sacrifice the convenience that modern lifestyle and technological advancement has already offered and currently enjoying/experiencing, then all of this is nothing but lip service. Sure you can say find alternative materials, but that would only divert the attention from petroleum to new natural resources we will exploit from mother earth. We now live in this convenient consumerism age and there is no turning back. Just real talk.

  • @ritagreenwood9397

    @ritagreenwood9397

    Жыл бұрын

    It may be too late, but we can still reduce. In my childhood, I remember milk came in glass bottles, pet food came in tins, many food stuffs came in waxed paper and my mum sewed and knitted some of our clothes. I wrote to a pet food company not long ago asking why they changed from tins to plastic pouches and they said the demand came from the supermarkets and they were merely complying; another area whereby your local greengrocer packed your fruit and veg in paper bags is now dominated by supermarkets and their excessive plastic packaging. So much is interlinked, the demise of smaller independent shops and the rise of the big corporations dominating our purchasing choices is all part of it too I'm guessing.

  • @midnattsol6207

    @midnattsol6207

    Жыл бұрын

    @@ritagreenwood9397 In this specific example of tins, when choosing only between the two, plastic currently is the better option environmentally since tins are very emission- and energy intensive in production and recycling. In most places, this energy also still is provided with emissions. If bioplastics are used, the biomass for them has to be grown on some field - and we need to reduce the amount of area used by humans to fight the biodiversity crisis. We're shifting the issue around between the overuse of different ecological systems. In the end, we need to reduce the material throughput of our economies, which since it isn't possible to decouple it from GDP, also means shrinking GDP - in a way least harmful to our wellbeing. The fundamental incentives in our economic system, where producers are interested in producing as much as possible and use advertisement to increase consuption as much as possible need to disappear.

  • @ritagreenwood9397

    @ritagreenwood9397

    Жыл бұрын

    @@midnattsol6207 Thanks for the info, I didn't consider it like that. You're right about biodiversity too, I've been learning a lot on that from the lectures of Vandana Shiva 🙂👍 There's another interesting documentary out there, if a bit older, called The Men Who Made US Spend, all about issues like built in obsolescence and the constant drive to create problems only to then sell us the solutions.

  • @midnattsol6207

    @midnattsol6207

    Жыл бұрын

    @@ritagreenwood9397 thanks for the recommendation, i'll take a look at it

  • @alexmavro9565

    @alexmavro9565

    Жыл бұрын

    Agreed that consumerism is here to stay. But plastics originally developed as one way to use waste material from the petroleum industry. Why can't we, with all our brilliant AI and what have you, conceive alternative constructs that don't employ plastic? Because the problem is not what to do with the scrap plastic. The real challenge is how to not make plastic in the first place... at least, in the massive amounts we currently create.

  • @suzannewheat9607
    @suzannewheat9607 Жыл бұрын

    I use cloth bags for shopping and I will put produce directly into the bag instead of using plastic ones. This week my home heating died so I put a small space heater in one room and I now realize that I don't exactly need to keep the entire place heated. Plastic is definitely a scourge.

  • @xanthicperspective4881

    @xanthicperspective4881

    Жыл бұрын

    Those small space heaters are the least efficient form of producing heat. Although they are 100% efficient, as 100% of the electricity that goes through them turns into heat, a heat pump or reversible air conditioner can be up to 400% to 600% efficient. Meaning for the same amount of energy they can produce 4 to 6x more heat than simply passing the electricity through a coil. And with a split unit you could direct that heat to the rooms you want. Even a natural gas heater can be more efficient as we use gas to produce a lot of our electricity, and using it to produce heat directly is far more efficient than turning heat into electricity and then directly back into heat. Although, better insulation would probably be the most efficient method. There are no easy answers, and even the best of intentions can do more harm than good. Yet as long as you make an attempt to consume less, your actions are noble and the sentiments you hold will (hopefully) help push policies in a better direction.

  • @suzannewheat9607

    @suzannewheat9607

    Жыл бұрын

    @@xanthicperspective4881 Thanks for your comment. My rental uses propane for heat and so far this winter it's already cost me over $600. The gas bill in my previous dwelling was about $40 per month. I just heard about another rental near me and I hope I can escape to it. Otherwise I'll be footing the bill for a new heating system because the owner pays for nothing. She did not get all the new flooring in so I had to pay someone to finish it. Fortunately for me I am willing to put on as many sweaters as necessary. I try to stay in one small room but my cat knows how to open the door!

  • @subswithoutvids-dw6dv
    @subswithoutvids-dw6dv Жыл бұрын

    If someone invent new products to totally replace plastic, he will be one of the richest man in the world.

  • @randallbaker4293
    @randallbaker4293 Жыл бұрын

    Excellent documentary! Plastic is okay if the end product can be used forever but if not it should never have been made.

  • @namename-qb5xe

    @namename-qb5xe

    Жыл бұрын

    There is already bacterias consuming plastic it's only energy something will evolve to consume it, and there already is a bacteria.. So as usual nature fixes itself

  • @randallbaker4293

    @randallbaker4293

    Жыл бұрын

    @@namename-qb5xe Bacteria/enzymes that eat plastic is NOT a solution. Creating anything that is disposable is not healthy for our planet or our mental well-being. It shows a lack of thankfulness. How do you think some indigenous people were able to thrive for thousands of years? By exploiting the land? I don't think so. Those who did exploit the land like those on Easter Island disappeared. Only their massive stone heads remain. How sad but also very instructive.

  • @ellicesanchez3194
    @ellicesanchez3194 Жыл бұрын

    it's funny because the local commercial trash company that picks up my recycling won't take glass, because they say it costs too much to recycle. Plastic is okay, but is useless to recycle.

  • @panmoncada7257

    @panmoncada7257

    Жыл бұрын

    Costs less because they don’t recycle it lol

  • @petermonaghan663
    @petermonaghan663 Жыл бұрын

    Also can someone explain to me how u can get medication capsules that melt in your mouth,biodegradable?,is the plastic still toxic thanks

  • @JamestheChrist
    @JamestheChrist5 ай бұрын

    Your politicians have a few priorities: money, power, pride, influence, and job preservation. Therefore, they will always side with big corporations and whatever other social position they need to take to keep their job. If it's the morally right thing to do but will cost them their job, they won't do it. Recycling won't fix the issue with plastics. We have to drastically get away from plastics, especially single use plastics.

  • @Seawithinyou
    @SeawithinyouАй бұрын

    Get Rid of your plastics and sustain a healthy pre Plastic past where there were other healthier tools etc… to reuse 🕊🌏😇

  • @MrCyclist
    @MrCyclist Жыл бұрын

    I found this very informative but no one is saying what must be done tomorrow to stop it? The immediate answer is to stop the manufacture of plastics. Then the next question is how? Are we lemmings heading for the cliff? Yes.

  • @nabiasalahuddin7693
    @nabiasalahuddin7693 Жыл бұрын

    Banned all type brand which produce plastic e.g Coca-Cola lays and Others

  • @nursidqiprihantono4926
    @nursidqiprihantono49268 ай бұрын

    Plastic from petrochemical mean made from OiL

  • @user-dc4bl1cu2k
    @user-dc4bl1cu2k Жыл бұрын

    HUMAN OVERPOPULATION

  • @pravasrao9247
    @pravasrao9247 Жыл бұрын

    We are dying

  • @trollingisasport
    @trollingisasport Жыл бұрын

    Why should use paper

  • @selamotshwane9338
    @selamotshwane9338 Жыл бұрын

    So what is the solution? No point having recycle bins coz it doesn't solve anything.

  • @jean-lucbuczinski143
    @jean-lucbuczinski143 Жыл бұрын

    Even without CC ideology it's clear that plastic consumption/pollution is just not right.

  • @samd7601
    @samd7601 Жыл бұрын

    When I get in a bad mood, I buy a bunch of plastic cutlery and throw it in a dumpster😔

  • @panmoncada7257

    @panmoncada7257

    Жыл бұрын

    Huh????

  • @rodgedodge19
    @rodgedodge19 Жыл бұрын

    I like my FISH 😅

  • @pravasrao9247
    @pravasrao9247 Жыл бұрын

    Made documentry

  • @scottrswan60
    @scottrswan606 ай бұрын

    You know I hate when people say they want to go back to returnable glass bottles. I love plastic!!!

  • @mikeskylark1594
    @mikeskylark15947 ай бұрын

    My god! What are we doing?! Just STOP with consumerism and STOP making new people! This planet is SICK because of us, modern humans!

  • @americancivicsinstitute6801
    @americancivicsinstitute6801 Жыл бұрын

    JAK

  • @riring1227
    @riring1227 Жыл бұрын

    indonesia our country also our allies thailand vietnam was strong because our three countries is the one that funding the I SIS Group because is our brother on religion

  • @pierreluan1514

    @pierreluan1514

    Жыл бұрын

    Kamu Nanyaaaa....

  • @mamanpd5341

    @mamanpd5341

    Жыл бұрын

    @@pierreluan1514 Hahahaha...

  • @andrewmah5605
    @andrewmah5605 Жыл бұрын

    And Fukushima Nuclear Water Discharged into the Pacific Ocean ! ☮️☠️☠️🎩

  • @christinalynn8143
    @christinalynn8143 Жыл бұрын

    Any material that which requires being melted to convert a solid form to a liquid form is as seems obvious to anyone going to emit smoke, air toxins into the environment. The process of recycling to reuse the materials has to be conducted in a way that is least hazardous to the environment. The accumulation of all such material without further use or an attempt to reuse will result in a vast abundance of the existing material and the production of all that is being produced day to day. Thus it doesn't exactly make sense to say, recycling is not at all helpful to the environment. As such it seems liken to a mountain of plastics and another mountain of plastics, within the mountains of plastics is a facility trying to melt the plastics recycled for use in making, a plastic brush, a plastic chair, a reusable plastic cup, to form if an individual looks at it from a waste perspective they might be inclined to say and see a brush, a chair and a cup on top of the plastic mountains of trash, and then there is the smoke from the recycling process. In review of all such aspects it becomes clear, the plastic shampoo and conditioner bottle made from recycled materials, the brush, cup and chair are good for something. Either human beings need to use and consume less, produce less and find solutions for trash storage that are least harmful to the environment or they need to realize the solutions have to be approached from several angles as the accumulation is and has been for as long as it has. *Save a penny or not save a penny? As the conversation is going on, in how human beings might best try to save the Earth, save the planet, the species. God help us. Lord help the human species.

  • @user-ko8jc5bw5j
    @user-ko8jc5bw5j Жыл бұрын

    your program has sponsored by PETRONAS. What dose it mean?

  • @miriamcollinge9162
    @miriamcollinge91627 ай бұрын

    John Bell Edward's should take his mask off

  • @miriamcollinge9162

    @miriamcollinge9162

    7 ай бұрын

    He just seems so disrespectful

  • @ZoeKatherineProject
    @ZoeKatherineProject Жыл бұрын

    I think pollution caused my MS.

  • @psychologie1054

    @psychologie1054

    Жыл бұрын

    I think you're right.

  • @papajoefortner1817
    @papajoefortner1817 Жыл бұрын

    🙏 Friends God controls the weather not man I have videos for you on bible prophecy and the end times. Please go to Papa Joe Fortner or shockwaves of the end times or The watchmen series with papa joe. Thank you and God bless you 🙏

  • @lukaxxlunchpailguyxxdoncic9293
    @lukaxxlunchpailguyxxdoncic9293 Жыл бұрын

    More long-form videos, stop catering to the tiktok crowds.

  • @anthonymorris5084
    @anthonymorris5084 Жыл бұрын

    Plastics aren't a problem. People and their carelessness are, as usual, the problem.

  • @davidt6376
    @davidt6376 Жыл бұрын

    Can't be relaxing in jail - I got so much to do. Imma stop flooding now.

  • @starcrib
    @starcrib Жыл бұрын

    Decades and decades to late: next on the Menu: Human Habitat Loss, Managed Retreat, Planetary Hospice. 🌊 🦀🦀🦞🦐🦑🪸🪼

  • @sabihatanveer8494
    @sabihatanveer8494 Жыл бұрын

    Stop producing it already!,good report aj 🌍🌎🌏🏥👆🕔🕠🕘🌒🌓🌑