‘Plastics.’ One word from ‘The Graduate’

June 26. “Plastics” is the classic one-word line from “The Graduate.” The ubiquitous material is everywhere, harms the environment and recycling it is problematic. Indeed, Greenpeace says no more than 6 percent of all discarded American plastic was recycled in 2021.

Act locally

The Town of Davidson is joining the Plastic Free Challenge during July as part of Plastic-Free July, a global movement to end plastic pollution.

Background

People from all corners of the globe are uniting in a pledge to avoid single-use plastics in a collective effort to combat plastic pollution. The Davidson Plastic Free Challenge aims to raise awareness and mobilize the community to take decisive action in reducing plastic waste by recognizing the interconnectedness of plastic pollution with other environmental issues, such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

Quotable

“The Davidson Plastic Free Challenge is a step towards creating a cleaner and healthier community and planet, but also a catalyst to inspire each other toward a plastic-free lifestyle,” said Town Sustainability Manager Kayla Kovach.

Details

Most single-use plastic items used in our everyday lives are not recyclable. Simple swaps and new habits can make a significant difference in reducing our reliance on single-use plastic.

According to the United Nations Environment Program approximately 85 percent of all plastic produced ends up in landfills.

Last year’s global efforts resulted in an estimated 89 million participants avoiding a massive 529,109,429 lbs. of plastic waste during Plastic Free July.

To participate in the Davidson Plastic Free Challenge and find helpful ideas and solutions visit the Town’s Sustainability Webpage: www.townofdavidson.org/sustainability. ​ Share a photo of your plastic free actions this July and tag @townofdavidson on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) or @Town of Davidson, NC — Town Hall on Facebook and/or use #DAVplasticfreejuly.

Community members who register to participate in the Davidson Plastic Free Challenge will be entered into a drawing for an eco-friendly prize.