Earth Day 2024: Planet vs. Plastics

Plastic waste is definitely a problem, even here in rural Oklahoma.

A plastic bag has blown into our Redbud Tree

Planet vs. Plastics

Today, March 22, 2024, is Earth Day. It is a day of education and activism against pollution and other environmental causes.

This year’s theme at earthday.org, a site dedicated to diversifying, educating, and activating the environmental movement worldwide, is Planet vs. Plastics.

“… our commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040. Our theme, Planet vs. Plastics, calls to advocate for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, urgently push for a strong UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution, and demand an end to fast fashion. …”

Plastic waste is definitely a problem, even here in rural Oklahoma. You can’t drive down a country road without seeing plastic bottles, bags, or other plastic garbage in the ditches or blowing across the fields. I can attest to the amount of plastic waste I see daily from all the debris that blows into my backyard from the stores and fast food restaurants a few blocks from my home.

I’m not on my high horse when it comes to plastic waste. I freely admit my contributions to the problem with plastic packaging, shopping bags, and my fondness for K-Cup coffee and bottled water. I do try to dispose of my plastic waste properly, but it all ends up in our local landfill or blowing down the street if it falls out of the dumpster during pickup.

Could I do more to reduce my plastic waste? Maybe there are some things I could do. I could remember to take a reusable shopping bag to the store. I could also change how I make that one cup of coffee in the mornings. But realistically, likely not.

Unless business hops on board and changes all its packaging to cardboard and more development goes into more biodegradable plastic-like products, we’re stuck with plastic for a while. The best we can do is clean it up, dispose of it properly, and recycle what we can.

I’ll do what I can, but that’s mostly picking up the trash in my neighborhood. It’s going to take a community-wide effort to make a real difference. Do you see that happening anytime soon? Maybe someday. There’s always hope.

More later. Time to get that Walmart bag out of my tree.

In The News

A look at some of the latest headlines from around Oklahoma and beyond.

• Learning the history of the Oklahoma City bombing 29 years later | KOKH

• Signature collection for Oklahoma minimum wage state question can begin | KGOU

• Oklahoma lawmakers report ‘bipartisan concern’ with Walters’ new education rules | Oklahoma Voice

• Upset audience brings Ryan Walters speaking event to abrupt end | KFOR

• Anti-Woke Oklahoma Schools Boss Ryan Walters’ Event Labeled a ‘PR Stunt’ | The Daily Beast

• After two years, foster family gets fishing license for special needs high schooler | Nondoc

• Tall Chief Theater rises again with a new roof in Osage County | KOSU

• Nation's first nonbinary state lawmaker reflects on public service, rhetoric in Oklahoma legislature | KOSU

• OSSAA board votes to reclassify high school football teams based on October attendance | Tulsa World

• Oklahoma researchers find Native Americans underrepresented in CDC database | KOSU

• National Recording Registry adds three iconic Oklahoman songs | The Oklahoman

• Open source groups say more software projects may have been targeted for sabotage | Reuters

• Post.News is shutting down | Post

Oklahoma News

Just a friendly reminder: our website hosts an Oklahoma news media resources page. This page has links to local Oklahoma newspapers, TV, radio, magazines, blogs, and forums. I use this page daily to go directly to the source for my morning news.

blogoklahoma.com/news

About Oklahoma: Harper County

Harper County, Oklahoma

Welcome to Harper County.

Harper County is in northwestern Oklahoma, on the border with Kansas, and next to the Oklahoma Panhandle. It was formed in 1893 as County “N” when the Cherokee Outlet was opened for settlement. At statehood in 1907, Harper County's current borders were defined and named after local pioneer and clerk of the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention, Oscar Greene Harper.

Buffalo, Oklahoma, is the county seat and the county’s largest city. It is located in the center of the county at the intersection of U.S. Highway 183 and U.S. Highway 64.
Other notable communities include Selman in the eastern, May in the southern, Laverne in the southwestern, and Rosston in the western parts of the county.

• Established: 1893

• County Seat: Buffalo, Oklahoma 73834

• Nation: none

• Map: Google Maps

• Area: 1,039 mi² (2,691 km²)

• Population: 3,272 (2020 Census)

• Time Zone: UTC−6 (Central), DST observed

• Area Code: 580

• Congressional District: 3

• State House District: 61

• State Senate District: 27

• Weather: NWS Norman

• Tourism Region: Red Carpet Country

• History: Oklahoma Historical Society

• Historic Places: Exploring Oklahoma History

• More Information: Wikipedia

Map showing the Letter Counties of the Cherokee Outlet, 1893 - Boston Rare Maps

Extras

Here are some more things I hope you'll find interesting.

A Journey to Three Corners - Where New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma Meet | Sidetrack Adventures

Stop Trying to Predict the 2024 Election | Leeja Miller

Lula Granji - Letra Quatro (Studio Session) | Lula Granji

BEST of BOTH Worlds? Digitizing Field Notes inside Obsidian (Showcase) | CyanVoxel

5 Productivity Apps I Use Daily (+ Secret Tips for Each) | Simpletivity

Feedback Welcome

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If you would like to buy me a coffee for everything I do at Blog Oklahoma, you can do so at ko-fi.com/blogoklahoma. It's not necessary, but still appreciated.

Have a great week.

– K.