This week for Quartz members: the plastic boom
Dear Quartz members—
More than half of all plastic ever created was produced in the last 15 years. In the next five years, the rate of plastic production is expected to increase by another third. By 2050, it will have tripled.
At the same time that the rate of plastic production is accelerating, the world is waking up to the realization that plastic, which lasts virtually forever in the environment, is breaking down into tiny pieces that are steadily infiltrating our food, water, and the very air we breathe—with unknown effects on our health.
In our field guide for members this week, Quartz reporter Zoë Schlanger explains how plastic came to be the backdrop of our lives, the oil industry’s role in fueling the boom, why recycling doesn’t work (and never did), and how the glut of plastics is poised to get much worse before it gets better.
Zoë’s state of play lays out everything you need to know about the plastics industry, and how it sees the material—which is made from oil and gas—as the answer to its energy-sector woes. Another of her stories explores the role design can play in staunching the demand for single-use plastics.
TO DISCUSS WITH FRIENDS OVER DINNER…
Here are a few conversation starters from our guide:
- Plastics now account for 3.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, or nearly double the emissions of the entire aviation sector.
- Right now, the US recycles at most 9% of the plastic it uses. That’s roughly the same as the global average. That means 91% of all plastic doesn’t get recycled.
- As much as 40% of all plastic is made for single-use packaging that typically exists for about six months, is used once, and is then thrown away.
- A single synthetic-fiber teabag releases more than 11 billion microplastic and 3 billion nanoplastic particles after soaking in boiling water for five minutes.
- By 2050, plastic production is expected to account for 20% of all fossil fuel use.
…OR WITH US, ON FRIDAY, ON THIS CALL
Join us for a discussion on Friday with Zoë and science editor, Katie Palmer where they’ll discuss the ins and outs of the plastic industry and the challenges it poses to life on Earth. We’ll be taking questions and comments live on the video conference call, accessible at the usual location.
If you’d like to dial in, use the following numbers:
UK: 0800-014 8469
For all of the numbers, the access code is 722 994 440.
OTHER MEMBER CALLS THIS WEEK
Wed., Nov. 6, 11:00am ET: Quartz video journalist Michael Tabb gets together with the subjects of his recent Exceptional Humans episode on people who hardly need any sleep to discuss why, and what we can learn from them.
Thu., Nov. 7, 11:00am ET: Quartz senior reporter Ephrat Livni and geopolitics editor Pete Gelling gather to discuss the Supreme Court’s current docket, which is packed with major cases on divisive topics.
Please send a note to [email protected] if you have any feedback, or suggestions for other things we should cover. Another great way to give feedback on Quartz membership is to complete this short survey.
SATYA NADELLA ON MICROSOFT’S UNFINISHED WORK
At 9:00am ET this morning, we publish a QZ&A with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella exclusively for members. Nadella sat down with our tech editor Mike Murphy ahead of the company’s Ignite conference today for developers. They discussed Microsoft’s role in the no-code movement, the shifts in the company’s business and its culture, and what he’s learned as its CEO. You can read it here.
Best wishes for a productive week,
Xana Antunes,