Are Major Sectors Minimizing Single-Use Plastic Waste Enough?

Published on: 11 February 2021 Last Updated on: 26 December 2024
Single-Use Plastic

For a number of years now, businesses around the world have been aligning themselves with a common goal: to minimize their contribution to the devastating levels of single-use plastics being sent out into the environment.

While it remains the case that many of the world’s leading culprits for plastic waste are not yet doing as much as they could in order to reduce the levels they contribute to landfill and oceans each year, the path forward is not quite as simple as it may seem to those on the outside. Read more below.

Marrying Sustainability with What is Sustainable is its Own Challenge:

Sustainable practices must prioritize the environment, but that is only half the story. By definition, pursuing sustainability means pursuing practices that can feasibly become the norm. It would be futile to pursue practices that are, on the face of it, ‘sustainable’, but which cannot last us for the next year, decade, century, etc.

In other words, we need to be selective about where we focus our efforts.

One prime example of this lies in the medical world – in particular, in the field of surgery, where single-use plastic and unrecyclable by-products are par for the course on any given day. Metal cannot replace the strong and flexible medical grade plastic used in the indispensable surgical retractor, just as eco-friendly fabrics will prove costly – and inefficient – replacements for disposable PPE.

The same goes for any other sector, although the medical world represents one of the most extreme examples, where sustainability cannot be achieved at the expense of patient safety, or individual hospital budgets.

Identifying Areas Where Progress is Possible – and Maintaining Focus on Them:

Identifying Areas Where Progress is Possible – and Maintaining Focus on Them

For many industries, identifying areas where progress is possible – and ensuring that progress is being made – is proving to be far more difficult than it may at first seem.

Take, for instance, the food distribution industry. In the fight against single-use plastic, much of our attention continues to be brought to plastic packaging on perishable foods, such as vegetables, meat, and fish – whereas, just a few years ago, we were hellbent upon ridding our routines of single-use plastic bags.

While it would make a considerable impact, ridding the supermarket of single-use plastic packaging is much less feasible than it may at first seem, and our distraction has derailed the initial effort against single-use plastic bags. In the UK, for instance, the leading supermarket chains sold 1.58 billion reusable plastic bags in 2019 – which equates to nigh-on sixty bags per household, and far more than the average family requires if they are reusing these bags indefinitely.

While much more needs to be done in order to mitigate the impact single-use plastics are having on the environment, a distinction is made in order to ensure that our efforts are focused in the right direction. A wholesale approach to plastic reduction will only prove unsustainable, and the only way to ensure lasting change is to be a little more selective about the areas in which we attempt to instigate mass change.

Read Also:

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Liberals

9 Things Conservatives & Liberals Have in Common

Almost everyone overestimates the gap between conservatives and liberals. And with media figureheads like Rush Limbaugh and Chuck Schumer, it’s not hard to see why the two groups seem like polar opposites. But the reality is that the two political parties actually have more in common than most people realize, or care to admit. Despite the fact that the majority of Americans across ideological lines all want the same thing – a place where there is equality and justice – the bickering between conservatives and liberals continues. 9 Things Conservatives &  Liberals Have in Common 1. Interest in Opposing Views In 2017, the Los Angeles Times reported that the one thing conservatives and liberals have in common is their lack of interest in opposing views. Americans often get stuck in political and ideological bubbles and insulate themselves from the opinions of others. This is dangerous and encourages ignorance. Still, psychological studies support the idea that liberals and conservatives are equally resistant to learning more about the views of the other party. 2. Betterment of American Society Despite the fact that conservatives and liberals don’t often like to consider opposing views, there are some things that both parties have in common. In fact, most all political affiliations would agree on these concepts. These are common goals that are geared at bettering society. 3. Ensuring Access to Healthy Food Liberals and conservatives agree that Americans need and deserve access to healthy foods in their communities, schools, and homes. 4. Providing a Safe and Effective Education Conservatives and liberals agree that American children deserve a safe, healthy learning environment. Access to education and improving education are on the minds of both political parties. 5. Bringing Manufacturing Back to the United States 8 out of 10 American consumers prefer to buy products that are made in the United States. Unfortunately, an increasing number of companies are outsourcing overseas to save costs, which is making American-made products harder to come by. Liberals and conservatives both are exploring ways to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. 6. Ensuring that Workers Have Equal and Fair Pay Liberals and conservatives seem to agree that Americans work hard and deserve a fair wage for their time and effort. Paychecks should match skill, education, and contribution levels, and should be sufficient to support the cost of living. 7. Access to Affordable and Quality Healthcare There are still many disparities in access to affordable and quality healthcare. However, liberal and conservative lawmakers and advocates agree that this is a fundamental issue that must be resolved. Access to healthcare and health insurance should not be restricted to the upper-middle class and wealthy. Denying access to healthcare and insurance coverage increases disparities and poor outcomes among American’s who cannot afford out-of-pocket costs or the costs of insurance premiums. 8. Provide Better Care for Elderly and Veterans A significant portion of the U.S. population is elderly individuals, including millions of veterans. Sadly, these groups are among the most disparate and underrepresented groups. Elderly and veteran homelessness is rampant, and healthcare is almost nonexistent for individuals on fixed incomes. Conservatives and liberals both agree that these groups deserve more support and better care. 9. Removing Bias from News Media Liberal and conservative Americans largely agree that bias needs to be removed from news media. There are frequent arguments between political parties and individual Americans about the bias of certain news organizations. If you are conservative, tune into “this” channel to get “the truth”. If you are liberal, check out “this” website. Rather than gearing certain news media outlets toward a particular political viewpoint, the news should be geared toward telling Americans the truth. Additional Reading: How Can Nonprofits Ask for Donations? The Top 5 Trends Of 2020 Which Sets Generation Z Apart Is Social Work Getting Enough Praise In Today’s Society?

READ MOREDetails
Safely Prune

How to Safely Prune Your Trees

Trees offer natural shade and property owners need to maintain the condition of the trees through frequent pruning and trimming. Sometimes also be necessary to cut down a tree due to compelling and unavoidable situations.  It is good to choose the services of an expert agency for the cutting and removal of trees. The following information will be of great use in identifying a suitable tree cutting and removal service. Necessary because many property owners end up with damaged property or injury is because of the use of inexperienced resources for cutting and removal of trees. Certification And Training: The first and foremost consideration needs to be the certification and level of training of the resources. Australia has a set of regulations that need to be followed during the cutting and removal of trees. When you hire a competent and qualified tree pruning specialist for cutting trees, you will automatically benefit from their expertise when it comes to compliance with regulations. In addition to compliance, the procedures that are followed will be safe ensuring that no damage to others other than the property or the individuals. Pruning As Per Needs: Four different types of pruning are generally carried out during tree maintenance. Fine pruning is resorted to as an option for improving the appearance of a tree. It involves trimming a few branches and leaves. Standard pruning involves the cutting of more leaves and branches for the purpose of maintaining the health of a tree. Hazard trimming involves the removal of certain portions of the tree that may be considered as a hindrance to power lines or some aspects of a property. According to experts, tree pruning is something that is dangerous. If you are not familiar with using complicated tools, you can get injured. This is why a good idea would be to get Tree Service Sacramento to safely prune your trees. They are experts who exactly know what is in the best interests of the tree. Pruning trees is an art, which if done wrong can jeopardize the life of the tree. It can also result in serious to life-threatening injuries for someone who is pruning but is not aware of following the safety norms. Mandatory Safety Practices: Crown reduction trimming is by far the most complicated type of trimming which involves the removal of sections of the tree. This may be done for various purposes. This requires considerable experience and the involvement of a professional arborist. This is because it is important to ensure that more than two-thirds of the tree is retained after the trimming. Cutting out more portions of the tree will cause irreversible damage to the tree in addition to upsetting the balance which c may result in it toppling at some point in time. Aqf And Level 5 Diplomas: Level 5 diploma holders of AQF are considered to be individuals with the highest levels of training and competency when it comes to tree cutting and removal operations. An arborist with extensive experience and exposure will be in a position to advise you professionally about the most suitable method of maintaining trimming pruning and removal of a tree. Not only will the arborist ensure that your actions are compliant with the Australian rules and regulations it will also be compliant with the local council regulations. Local Council Regulations: Depending on where you reside your property, and the trees on your property will have to be maintained as per the local council regulations. It is therefore prudent to use the services of an agency that is fully aware of the prevailing regulations.  This will be of great importance especially when you decide to bring down a tree. Ensure that you are fully believed the most accountant regulations by the arborist before you take the decision. Suitable Equipment: The use of the right equipment is of great importance when it comes to tree cutting and removal. While it is true that all resources will be trained, it is also important that sturdy and reliable equipment is used to help the resources reach hard-to-access portions of trees. This will prevent the risk of injury by two individuals and possible damage to property. In addition to the right improvement, it is also necessary to ensure that all resources are fully insured. This will take care of any liabilities that may arise if any untoward incident occurs. When you choose a tree cutting and removal service, bear in mind to look at the experience of the resources, the certification of the company, and the nature of the equipment in possession of the company. Do not settle for companies that express confidence in handling any task without the necessary equipment and resources. Improvisations are part and parcel of complex tasks, but if even the basic procedures are improvised, then it indicates that suitable equipment and procedures are not being followed.

READ MOREDetails
In-Home Care Cost

How Much Does 24/7 In-Home Care Cost?

Many clinic patients, the elderly, or people who are undergoing long-term rehabilitation after major surgery at home, need outside help. Relatives or close friends will not always be able to provide qualified support and care for such patients. In such cases, a 24-hour home care service is required with the involvement of qualified specialists and medical personnel. Many people who have faced a difficult situation in life are often interested in the question, how much does 24/7 in-home care cost? What is a 24/7 In-Home Care Service? 24/7 In-Home Care Service is a set of medical services that leads to a quick recovery of a patient after a serious illness, surgery, injury, or alleviates his suffering and improves the quality of life in the provision of palliative care. In our company, this service is carried out at home with the involvement of the following set of specialists: Certified general doctors or highly specialized doctors. Registered Nurses. Speech correction specialists. Osteopaths, massage therapists, and other doctors ensure the normal functioning of the patient's musculoskeletal system. Nursing support staff and social workers. Nurses on duty monitor the health level of seriously ill patients 24/7. In addition to these specialists, we also attract additional staff to provide round-the-clock quality care, as well as monitor the patient's health status with the provision of emergency or planned care, if necessary. What kind of work do 24/7 In-Home Care Service employees do? The work plan of medical and auxiliary staff and specialists, as well as nurses in caring for the patient, is determined individually for each specific case. The general set of services provided includes the following actions of the staff: Carrying out drug treatment, or intramuscular injections of the patient. Monitoring the state of health, making primary or final diagnoses, and conducting examinations, without the use of professional equipment. Communication with the patient, identifying and updating the clinical picture, and prescribing new medications. Assistance in moving the patient around the house, for example, to the kitchen, and to the bathroom. Walking with the patient, if such procedures do not contradict the prescription of the attending physician. Maintaining the standard life of the patient, such as washing, changing clothes, helping to use the toilet, preparing meals, and performing other vital tasks. Help in establishing the ability to communicate normally, correcting the speech of a patient after a stroke or other serious illness. Perform dressings, treatment of wounds, bedsores, and other traumatic injuries. Conducting intensive care. Assistance in occupational therapy, gymnastics, or other physical exercises. Feeding the patient, including intravenous, with the inability to eat independently. Providing psychological assistance, getting rid of stress and depression, and pursuing a special course of treatment. All services that are provided around the clock by our service are aimed at ensuring a comfortable life for the patient, regardless of the age and severity of the identified pathology. Our qualified specialists relieve suffering and provide the necessary assistance in various pathologies. How Much Does 24/7 In-Home Care Cost? The cost of maintaining staff for round-the-clock care at home is calculated individually, according to the company's price list, as well as adjusting factors, and depends on several important criteria: The age of the patient. The patient's health status. The type of pathology identified. The need for round-the-clock monitoring of the patient. The number of specialists involved in working with patients. The need for intensive care. Category and method of dosage of drugs. The cost of procedures prescribed to the patient. The need for periodic planned hospitalization. The need for analysis. Removing the location of the patient from the region of service. The need to maintain the living conditions of the patient. According to the results of calculations and compilation of statistics, regardless of the category of the patient and several specialists involved in caring for him, home care is no more than 1/3 of the cost of hospital stay bills. Thus, the customer incurs lower costs both for the direct payment for each service, according to the price list, and for the purchase of insurance, including 24/7 In-Home Care Service. In recent years, experts have explicitly stated that home care is becoming more and more profitable for customers, due to the growth in the number of companies providing this service, as well as due to the reduction in the cost of such services with the development of digital technologies. When is 24/7 In-Home Care required? The decision to contact the round-the-clock assistance service for sick or incapacitated people is made in the presence of the following circumstances: Conclusion on the incapacity of an elderly person, or a patient with pathologies. The presence in the house of a child with ASD, or with other mental developmental disabilities. Relatives notice the patient's untidy appearance, exhaustion due to lack of food, or other signs of socialization disorders, this means that the person needs third-party help, and they need to turn to specialists. If the patient cannot move independently, he needs round-the-clock supervision, since when he tries to transfer from bed to a wheelchair, he can injure himself. One of the main reasons why people don’t always turn to the services of round-the-clock care for a sick person is the reluctance to spend extra money. At the same time, if relatives have to take care of an elderly person, this can drag on for years, which will certainly affect the mental state of relatives. After the departure of the ward from life, the years will already be lost, and the relatives will not have time to enjoy life. In this regard, experts recommend always contacting professionals in such cases. Particular attention should be paid to older people who are diagnosed with dementia, starting with the second degree. Such patients are always ready to serve themselves and declare complete independence, but in fact, they cannot do without professional help. One of the most important reasons for hiring a nurse to look after a sick person is the fact that the patient is always more subordinate to a stranger than to a relative. This means that if the ward behaves too capriciously, and does not want to follow the daily routine or take the medications prescribed by the attending physician, it is recommended to seek professional help. The specialists of our company perfectly understand the condition of sick people, since we have been working with such patients for more than a year. We provide psychological assistance, we understand the algorithm of interaction with a person, even in the most difficult situations. All our nurses and doctors have completed advanced training courses and meet the highest requirements, as evidenced by the positive feedback from our patients' relatives. Tips for choosing 24/7 In-Home Care It is very difficult to make the right choice of a nurse who will simultaneously satisfy the patient and his relatives, and also fulfill all the regulatory requirements and prescriptions of the doctor. When looking for such staff for a home for around-the-clock care for a sick person, it is recommended to take into account several nuances: When conducting an interview, it is recommended to invite the future nurse to the patient and look at his reaction. The nurse should have a pleasant timbre of voice and arrange for the patient to quickly establish contact with him. The nurse must have the necessary qualifications, and be able to provide first aid, following the disease in her future ward. It is recommended to request in advance from the future employee all the necessary qualification documents, as well as a diploma of higher education. The nurse should initially be ready for an irregular working day, namely, staying next to a sick person 24/7, or, if she disagrees, it is recommended to hire two people. Our company immediately presents to a potential customer 2 or 3 highly qualified people who will be next to the patient for 24 hours. A nurse must always be in touch, have a mobile phone, be able to use instant messengers to answer a question at any time of the day, or transfer information to the attending physician in case of a force majeure situation. Regardless of professional qualities, the nurse must have such personal traits as benevolence, compassion, and care. Only with a good attitude from the home staff, the patient will quickly recover, or his last days of life will be comfortable. Our company All American Home Care has only highly qualified medical staff and nurses who provide round-the-clock support for a sick person, regardless of the degree of progression of the disease. We are always ready to help your relative both in the postoperative period and in the provision of palliative care. Read Also: Art Activities for Stress Relief Releasing Stress Even if You Don’t Leave Home Make Your Vacation Less Stressful With the Following Tricks Why It’s So Hard to Quit Drugs Cold Turkey?

READ MOREDetails