Hari TulsidasPaper or plastic? The answer is not as simple as you might think. A new article explains that the environmental impact of different materials depends on many factors, such as how they are produced, used, and disposed of. The article suggests that the best choice may not be paper or plastic but rather reusable or recyclable alternatives.
empiricismThe best choice?
If people believe there are accessive resources, for example, they have the money to buy lots of products, they tend to be wasteful.
Whatever material we use, the more products there are, the more materials and power it takes to source the materials, manufacture the product, transport the product, and recycle or dispose of the product.
@empiricism Yes. This is the current commodity model we work on. It proved very successful in the slave trade. Colonization and resource grab reinforced this model. Model economics is built on this dogma. There are alternatives and only a few companies, perhaps less than 1 % of the industrial base, utilize alternatives to the commodity model.
alphabetsoup@haritulsidas and paper manufacturing is enormously polluting
@Alphabetsoup The predominant economic dogma is that of trade-offs. If you want this, then forgo that. If costs has to be lower, then environmental protection should be forgone. Making a win-win is not possible under this dogma. There is an alternative model which most don't see because of the current tunnel vision of the commodity model.
@Alphabetsoup Thanks for your concern about paper manufacturing's environmental impact. We can reduce pollution using recycled materials, renewable energy, and efficient waste management. We should also support the digital publishing industry as an alternative to print. Paper is still useful, but we need to explore more sustainable options.