Image by ShyViolet09, courtesy of Creative Commons licensing.
Happy Saturday y'all! Below, I have rounded up some things for you to think about this weekend:
1. "The first global analysis of the production, use, and fate of all the plastics our species has ever produced" has been completed, and the results are grim indeed. Since plastic production began in the 1950s, 8.3 billion tons have been created—76% of which has already gone to waste! And unfortunately, plastic production is still growing—roughly half of the plastic ever created was produced in the last 13 years. The article argues that our civilization should refocus its efforts on creating alternative materials, methods that can convert plastics to liquid fuel, and options for responsible disposal. Changing our approach to those topics would benefit all life on Earth.
That's all for this week's edition of Weekend Thoughts. Until next week, keep thinking wilder.