How many people today grab a takeaway coffee cup from the local cafe to drink on the go? We don’t know, but the number must be enormous.. Most every one of the above have a plastic top that will last 100s of years. Some cafes still use plastic cups that last a similar time. Is 10 minutes of coffee worth 100s of years of trash?
These items can be seen littering our gutters and on our streets all over the place. If they were all cardboard, they would still be littered, but they would, at least, be gone in a short time.
They do not need to be made of plastic.
On the way home from the gym last week, a distance of about 1 km (1/2 mile), I counted the items of plastic litter on the curb as I walked. In that short distance I counted 63 pieces of plastic litter. Plastic drink bottles, bottle tops, candy wrappers, plastic film, polystyrene fragments etc. That seemed to be a lot to me. I guess it is a generational thing. Our parents would have been horrified to see that amount, whereas it seems to go unnoticed by our youth of today. In another 20 years how many pieces will there be on this stretch, -- 200? What will today’s youth think of that new amount then when they are older? Will their children be so readily accepting of a higher amount of litter? 
LET’S TAKE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES OUT OF THE PICTURE – USA
Posted on April 9, 2023 by DrRossH in Plastic Limiting Regulations
. Why not just go ahead and ban all plastic containers? This would unquestionably be the ideal solution but would entail vast changes throughout the complex packaging supply chain, which no single entity controls. It would probably only be feasible at a regional or national level. Meanwhile, nineteen other Massachusetts communities have already discontinued the sale of single use plastic water bottles, with minimal disruption. Its feasibility has been amply demonstrated.
2. Why not defer this initiative until hydration stations are available throughout Hingham? Who will determine when a critical mass of hydration stations have been installed, how long will it take, how much will it cost and who will pay for it? Most important – is this really necessary before we act? Our own water utility, the Weir River Water System, is supplying high quality potable water right now – it’s available through every cold water faucet in the Town. Hingham is in an ideal position to proceed with this initiative now. Meanwhile, recognizing that enhanced convenience will facilitate the transition, the Town Sustainability Coordinator has just applied for grant money to get started with Town hydration stations.
3. Won’t we be inconveniencing Hingham consumers? There seems little difference between going to a store, buying a case or two of single-serving plastic water bottles and icing them in coolers, versus filling reusable jugs with chilled tap water and bringing them along with biodegradable, recyclable paper cups to athletic contests and other events. Many of us routinely carry refillable personal water bottles. We bring reusable bags to grocery stores in lieu of relying upon retailers to dispense plastic bags – a behavior change we have already successfully navigated with minimal disruption and widespread voluntary cooperation.
4. Isn’t bottled water superior to Hingham’s tap water? No. The Massachusetts government flatly states “The public water supplies in Massachusetts are among the best in the country. They are subject to the most stringent government standards in the world.” I’m drinking Hingham tap water right now. It’s crystal-clear and tastes fine. But please note – the by-law permits the sale of one gallon or larger sizes, so consumers who prefer bottled water will still be accommodated.
5. Won’t Hingham consumers just go to neighboring communities and buy single-use plastic bottles of water there? Some may, and that’s fine. But our experience is that most people in Hingham are more than willing to make reasonable life-style adjustments in order to fight climate change and reduce environmental degradation. They embraced elimination of plastic bags and we anticipate a similar response to this initiative. Retailers appreciate the opportunity to serve Hingham’s prosperous consumers and will comply just as they did with plastic bags. Plus, neighboring communities may well emulate Hingham’s example with their own initiatives. This is the way change happens.
6. What about public service crews from the Light Plant and Town departments working long hours outside in intense heat? How about other workers and emergency situations? In lieu of a separate by-law governing Town purchasing, the Hingham Town Administrator and Select Board have elected to adopt an administrative policy for the Town to generally not buy single-use plastic water bottles. However, the policy will be sufficiently flexible to accommodate reasonable exceptions as needed. Other workers such as landscapers and construction workers would still be free to use whatever water containers they prefer and would still be able to buy one gallon or larger bottles of water in town.
Cleaner Greener Hingham’s plastic bottle initiative is a modest, doable step in the right direction. It requires minor behavior changes. Let’s continue to make progress in reducing carbon emissions and conserving our environment. Please join us in voting YES on Article 25 at Town Meeting on Monday, April 24th at 7:00PM!
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