Who convinced us that the fate of the world rests on our personal recycling habits? Does it even make a difference?
Melissa Valliant serves as the communications director at Beyond Plastics, a nationwide environmental advocacy group.
In this episode, Melissa shares how recycling isn't just imperfect, but a decades-old PR strategy engineered by the same fossil fuel, petrochemical, and consumer goods giants that profit from plastic production. You’ll hear the war origins of the plastics boom, who quietly bankrolled the Keep America Beautiful campaign & the logistical reasons that only 5-6% of everything you carefully sort actually makes it to recycling. She also covers the real bottom line on what will move the needle as well as how to keep your family healthy from the chemicals leaching from plastic.
If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 140: CAN HAIR SAVE THE WORLD? OIL, OTTERS & HAIR MATS
Guest:
https://www.beyondplastics.org/act
https://a.co/d/00KBkQjw
https://www.instagram.com/beyondplastics/
https://www.facebook.com/beyondplasticsaction
Sponsors:
https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/
2:17 – Plastic's Wartime Origins
6:56 – Keep America Beautiful's Secret Founders
8:35 – Only 6% Actually Gets Recycled
11:48 – The Chasing Arrows Con
12:48 – The Gar-Barge That Woke Us Up
14:29 – Deconstructing a Recycling Religion
17:39 – Are Bottle Caps Recyclable
19:01 – Wish-Cycling and Corporate Gaslighting
21:11 – California's Plastic Bag Loophole
23:02 – When Companies Fake Caring
26:55 – Busting Starbucks' Recycling Claims
29:07 – Advanced Recycling Isn't Advanced
31:06 – Proving Environmental Racism
33:06 – Exxon Sued Over Recycling Lies
34:38 – Would Banning Plastic Backfire
38:18 – Industry-Funded Studies Exposed
42:56 – The Human Health Turn
45:24 – Kicking Plastic Out of Schools
46:37 – The Secret Fourth R
47:55 – Rotisserie Chickens and Leaching Heat
50:34 – Real Swaps for Your Kitchen
53:57 – How to Deprogram Yourself
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