Global Plastic Predicament: Can WE ?

So, I was watching the 60 minutes expose on the global plastic pollution issue and was deeply troubled and somewhat perplexed. I know that I'm blessed with a certain level of intelligence and problem-solving skills (hence my career choice in societal / mechanical / energy / architectural engineering), but I can't be the only one that sees the very simple solution to this global problem.

There were proposed or postulated 'solutions' ranging from deploying a giant net to capture up to 50% of the ocean debris in one specific area of the Pacific Ocean to installing capture devices in the rivers and waterways draining into the world’s oceans and seas. But not one person or opinion was espoused to solve the root problem of single-use and other forms of plastic waste. It’s really very simple.

Eliminate the root cause – i.e. implement a global ban on single use and ‘disposable’ plastics. An even more effective solution from a global climate catastrophe perspective would be an outright ban on all fossil-fuel based products or even an outright ban on fossil-fuel use and production.

Yeah, I get it – as a great friend pointed out, we don’t have the ‘bandwidth’ to tackle this problem.

Well, I disagree, we DO have the bandwidth, or potential broad-based appeal and ability for converting potential (energy) to kinetic (energy) and implement a global movement of action to pull the plug on petro-chemicals and maybe even fossil fuels…What, or rather, Who we don’t have, is the right change agent or story line to make this happen. We need a Rachel Carson (Silent Spring), maybe an Annie Leonard (The Story of Stuff), or perhaps a Clair Patterson (removal of lead from gasoline). I can’t possibly be the only person to recognize that a ban on petro-chemical production is the only truly viable solution to our global plastic pollution predicament.

I guess the question here is: do WE have the will, the desire, and the resolve to make a global ban on petro-chemicals – or better yet – all fossil fuel use – happen ? In our lifetime ? In our children’s lifetime ? In our grand-children’s lifetime ? Or is it already too late – are we already doomed, and will we just file along like cows to the slaughter house and allow ‘big oil’ to completely and indelibly determine our and our planet’s fate without uttering a single word in protest ?

Ow – it really hurts, I wish our planet could speak for itself. Oh, wait, the Earth kinda is speaking out. Increased frequency and strength of climatic weather and storm events (aka 'global weirding'). The killing of wildlife and rapid increase of species extinction events. I’m wondering when WE finally decide to

listen…