![]() In 1969 an oil spill on the Santa Barbara coast inspired Earth Day, held the next year. Images of once-pristine wilderness and coastlines were now in the news shellacked in oil or covered in garbage. But it wouldn’t take long to see the repercussions, and by the early 70s, a movement aimed at calling attention to the worsening state of the planet started to grow.Įnvironmental disasters like oil spills, mine explosions, and deadly smog galvanized many into taking action to curtail destructive practices. One could understand the reluctance to acknowledge the potentially destructive nature of this reliance on plastics, especially when used to make disposable items, people were ready to live it up a bit. That life of convenience came with a hidden or perhaps ignored, consequence to the environment. Synthetic materials such as plastic helped create a life with more conveniences than ever before, and consumers, tired of austerity, embraced the new age of plastics. Those that had survived the first half of the century were ready for happier times, taking advantage of the advancements in industry and technology. The start of the 20th century started precariously enough, as the geopolitical machinations of the world’s superpowers eventually led to a series of wars, plagues, and economic calamity that would culminate into World War II and the ushering in of the nuclear age. You can find the first chapter on the invention of throwaway living here and the second part on McDonald's role in the single-use plastic crisis here. This column is a product of his own research.This is the third part of our series, The History of Plastic. The public is encouraged to submit questions by email to Harry Hopcroft is a member of the Brunswick Recycling and Sustainability Committee. The Recycle Bin is a weekly column on what to recycle, what not to recycle, and why, in Brunswick. This is a terrific list! Keep your comments calm, make your position clear, but not hysterical, and be polite. Thank your legislator for their time and hard work serving your community.Again, mention the bill’s LD number and how you would like them to vote.Encourage your legislator to vote a certain way (either for or against).Describe why this bill is important to you. Personal stories resonate well.Mention the bill’s LD number and the title of the bill. ![]() ![]() Introduce yourself. Let them know where you live and what you do.The NRCM suggests six items to include in your note, and they apply to local or state representatives. That note would have come from someone who actually cared, and was willing to make an effort to support his or her position. I would read that and consider carefully what was said. A single, short, well-done note from a constituent would carry much more weight. If it were me getting them, a pile of identical “sign here” form letters that took no effort on the part of the signer, would be discarded out of hand. Our representatives do not want a pile of spam or junk mail, any more than we want to see the eight or 10 solicitations we get at home every day, but, like us, they can be convinced by a calmly presented and reasoned argument in favor of one decision or the other on a particular bill. The gist of their message there is the same as the manner in which we successfully swayed the Town Council locally. The Natural Resources Council of Maine has a link on their page to a legislative bill tracking page and then links to pages for finding and contacting legislators and viewing the activities of the various committees. One of their better contributions is a link to a page of tips on contacting your legislators, and an NRCM contact who can help, if required. After the hearing, the bill is approved for further action, or disapproved and discarded. Each bill proposed in a two-year legislative cycle is assigned a number, by which it can be tracked through the process as it is reviewed by an appropriate legislative committee, and is given a public hearing at which anyone can offer comments.
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