>>Companies like plastic because it means thicker margins for them

Consumers like plastic because it is better than the alternatives.

strogonoff 2 years ago | parent | next [-]

I have met people who like to drink from glass, and people who buy things in plastic bottles because that’s literally the only option if you want to enjoy a drink or even just clean water. These are the two (non mutually exclusive) categories of people that I normally meet. Do you often meet people who specifically like plastic, as opposed to tolerating it?

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eek04_ 2 years ago | parent [-]

I like plastic in that I prefer the lower cost and lower pollution and lower weight and lower breakability compared to glass.

	▲	strogonoff 2 years ago \| parent [-]
		I think usually a question about what you like does not call for an answer “I like X because it costs less”—that’s more of an economical preference. Either way, keep in mind that this lower cost for you in the moment, monetarily is in large part due to most governments presumably subsidising oil and due to negative environmental externalities both from plastic pollution and other uses of oil. (I’m sure, like with any question, there will be many vocal commenters chiming in saying how they like plastic. All I can say, lucky you, and I am yet to meet any of you IRL!)

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Molitor5901 2 years ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Consumers like plastic because it is better than the alternatives.

They like it because it's cheap, both in manufacturing raw materials, production, and weight advantages in shipping.

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PittleyDunkin 2 years ago | parent | prev [-]

Nonsense. There are no alternatives consumers can buy. Try it and you'll find it's virtually impossible. A globalized economy has effectively destroyed the idea of voting with your wallet to reduce waste and production of trash.

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maeil 2 years ago | parent | next [-]

For some products, sure. For many products, there's a brilliant alternative - buying second hand. Regardless of the material, this is by far the best way to reduce waste and production of waste, period.

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gadders 2 years ago | parent | prev [-]

They were all tried in the past - glass, metal etc - and were largely replaced.

If you think there is a new material out there that we are prevented from using, I'd be interested to hear what it is.

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darkwater 2 years ago | parent | next [-]

They were replaced because the immediate cost for the selling company was way lower, because they just externalized the environmental cost on the the rest of the world.

But plastic was never "better". Remember that we had PVC all the places until we found out it was made with a carcinogen.

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strogonoff 2 years ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Some might say they were only replaced because it was more profitable for the manufacturers to use plastic (due to surplus of cheap oil), not for any actual qualities of the material as container for food and drinks and its environmental impact.

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PittleyDunkin 2 years ago | parent | prev [-]

Glass, metal, etc. You forgot paper, actually. All are better than the plastic crap forced down our throats.

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gadders 2 years ago | parent [-]

Yes, paper straws are great.

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sn9 2 years ago | parent [-]

You can get biodegradable straws that don't suck.

	▲	strogonoff 2 years ago \| parent [-]
		I’m afraid “don’t suck” may be a technical term describing a fatal flaw when it comes to straw manufacturing… ;)