While I Was Away...

It has been some time since my last post on this website, but I have been busy at work trying to figure out how to overcome another source of overconsumption and unnecessary waste: single-use cups.

Benjamin Rolland, 2017, personal photo

My past work in my MA has focused on how humans impact the environment in California and the world in general. Plastic pollution is an overwhelming source of distress in my research, striking particularly close to home living in a coastal city. It is unyieldingly persistent, widespread on land and in our oceans, and is impacting life globally (NOAA, 2011).

Michael Dorausch, 2010, retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Waste_hierarchy.svg, licensed for personal or commercial use

On land, it impacts generalist feeders like cows which are attracted to its odors while scrounging around for scraps of food (Moore & Phillips, 2011). In the ocean, research has shown it is prevalent throughout ecosystems: starting with plankton, it goes up the food web, causing a variety of effects including brain damage and internal blockages (Kühn et al., 2015; Moore & Phillips, 2011; Nelms et al., 2016; Pajda, 2017; Parker, 2015).

Chris Jordan, 2009, retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albatross_at_Midway_Atoll_Refuge_(8080507529).jpg, licensed for personal and commercial use

Larger pieces entangle or suffocate animals and act as vehicles to spread invasive, dangerous species. Plastics can also adsorb toxins found in their environment (Moore & Phillips, 2011). Most disturbingly is that plastic never really goes away; it continues to break down into microscopic and nano-sized particles that pollute the waters of our planet.

Benjamin Rolland, 2017, personal photo

Humans create unsustainable amounts of waste globally, and despite our stalwart efforts to protect the environment in San Diego, our landfills are taking a toll. The only city-run landfill in our county will reach capacity by 2030 as a result of increasing population and excess waste (City of San Diego, 2017). We have the means to reduce waste in a number of industries, yet our complacency condemns us to continue subscribing to throwaway culture. This behavior is so commonplace that it has become almost automatic, neglecting to consider the impacts of the things we throw away or where they might end up (Comber & Thieme, 2013).

Benjamin Rolland, 2017, personal photo

Well, I decided to do something about this. The key to starting change against a negative behavior is to start small. I developed a campaign I hope to execute in the coming year which will motivate consumers in a local coffee shop to switch to reusable cups. With a diverse array of scientifically-supported strategies, I am hopeful that we can promote a positive change which has already begun to take hold in our communities.

And you know what? I think it can work. We care about our environment here in San Diego. We care about the planet. So let's do something about it!

Benjamin Rolland, 2017, personal flyer

Stay posted for more to come next year!