Author: Anna Justice

Background: The CDC states that COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets (e.g. cough, sneeze, talk). Masks provide a simple barrier to these droplets. Despite the initial aversions/debate to wearing a mask, many states have now implemented mask mandates that require a face covering when leaving one’s residence. Masks are most effective when everyone wears one.

From an article by Mayuri Wijayasundara, she states how face masks may consist of one or more layers, each with different functions:

• an outermost layer, designed to repel liquids such as water
• the innermost layer, which absorbs moisture and allows comfort and breathability
• a non-absorbent middle layer, to filter particles

Trends: Imagine one disposable mask a day per every person in your house. Now think of your place of work or school. Can you imagine the number of masks needed for your state? How about all the masks needed in the country? Finally, the world. That’s just one day of masks. But they all are thrown away and the cycle repeats. All of these masks are discarded from each person’s hands, but they still exist. Whether that be sitting in a landfill or swimming with the fishes or peeking out of the sand like a clue to a treasure.

Increased demand of personal protective equipment (PPE) has been a driver of increases plastic pollution. “According to a study published in Environmental Science and Technology journal, an estimated 194 billion disposable masks and gloves are being used globally every month as a result of the coronavirus pandemic” (Disposable Face Masks are Damaging the Environment 2020).

Additionally, masks have become a fashion statement and diversified to become another necessary piece of apparel. Masks are a way for companies to market and promote their support for masks. The rising trend has also increased sales for homemade masks. I have seen masks that cost 3$ all the way to $50. While masks are becoming normalized, another sector shifting is individual consumption to more take-out and online ordering. “The global plastic packaging market size is projected to grow from USD 909.2 billion in 2019 to 1012.6 billion by 2021 due to pandemic response” (Adyel 2020). What does this projection mean for the environment?

Environmental Impact: Most of the masks in the U.S. are made out of polypropylene-based plastic-or related forms of plastic such as polystyrene, polycarbonate, or polyethylene. “These synthetic fibers are designed to resist liquids and do not biodegrade in the environment once discarded” (From the Editors of E). They instead break down into microplastics or extremely small pieces of plastic. This can also be applied to reusable masks. Despite the longer life span, most reusable masks are made from synthetic fibers like nylon or polyester which also do not biodegrade. “Disposable plastic masks that end up in the oceans could take up to 450 years to decompose (Written by Reuters Staff 2020).

Potential solutions: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) encourages people to “snip the straps” after use of a disposable mask to prevent animals getting tangled up in them (Parkinson 2020). It is important to note your purchase has an impact. It can be overwhelming the amount of choices when searching for a mask. It is understandable how buying a box of 50 disposable masks can be the simplest and least stressful.  There are biodegradable masks that are made from cotton, bamboo, or hemp that can work as alternatives to single-use plastic ones for those not in the healthcare industry. Images below taken from The Good Trade website  are three different companies that source responsibly. Some companies also donate masks with each purchase. If this latter option is viable, I urge the investment in a sustainably made mask. While they might be more costly, in the long term, they will do more help than harm.

Conclusion: This is an example of how one action can have a huge effect when you add everything up. COVID-19 has changed everyone’s life. As we adapt to this, it is essential we make choices for those who cannot. Nature and wildlife play a huge role in Earth’s services and on an individual level, what type of mask you get and how you dispose of your mask can make a positive (or negative) difference. This article is not saying risk your health and others. However, hopefully it has brought awareness to alternatives for those not in healthcare and able to afford a more sustainable option.

Works Cited

Adyel, Tanveer M. “Accumulation of Plastic Waste during COVID-19.” Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 11 Sept. 2020, science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6509/1314.

Covid-19: Considerations for Wearing Masks. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html.

Disposable Face Masks Are Damaging the Environment. It’s Time to Kiss Them Goodbye, Once and for All. 13 Nov. 2020, www.independent.co.uk/life-style/face-masks-coronavirus-environment-climate-change-b1721922.html.

From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine. “EarthTalk: What’s the Environmental Impact of Single-Use Masks, Gloves Now in Use Because of COVID-19?” Mail, 25 Oct. 2020, www.wvgazettemail.com/earthtalk-whats-the-environmental-impact-of-single-use-masks-gloves-now-in-use-because-of/article_2634bcfc-6567-5995-a65b-c73ee11eeffe.html.

“15 Sustainable Brands Making Face Masks For Social Distancing.” The Good Trade, The Good    Trade, 13 Jan. 2021, www.thegoodtrade.com/features/reusable-face-masks.

Parkinson, Justin. “Coronavirus: Disposable Masks ‘Causing Enormous Plastic Waste’.” BBC

News, BBC, 13 Sept. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54057799.

Wijayasundara, Mayuri. “Millions of Face Masks Are Being Thrown Away during COVID-19. Here’s How to Choose the Best One for the Planet.” The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2021, theconversation.com/millions-of-face-masks-are-being-thrown-away-during-covid-19-heres-how-to-choose-the-best-one-for-the-planet-147787.

Written by Reuters Staff. “This French Firm Is Making Biodegradable Face Masks Using Hemp.” World Economic Forum, 18 Sep 2020. www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/09/hemp-france-face-masks-coronavirus-covid-pandemic/.

 

Anna Justice

Greta Thunberg is a name everyone should know. She is a 16-year old from Sweden. When she was only 15, she decided to skip school on Fridays to advocate for the climate by standing outside the Swedish Parliament. She documented her actions on social media. Her feat went viral and began a school climate strike movement named ‘Fridays for Future’. Her tenacity and matter-of-fact attitude towards the harsh reality of the world has inspired people of all ages around the world to take a stand. So what? Why is a girl who skipped school getting all this attention? Well the answer is because she is calling attention to a world crisis that is not being treated as one.

On Friday, September 20^th, 2019, more than 150 countries participated in the Global Climate Strike. Millions of people walked out from work, home, school to demand awareness and change. I along with other students from Furman University participated in the Global Climate Strike in Greenville, South Carolina. Honestly, this is something I never saw myself doing. When I first showed up downtown in front of City Hall, I was nervous and unsure that I should be a part of this. Growing up, people I looked up to would criticize protesters. They would comment how protesters are just crazy fanatics and they would judge them for not ‘having better things to do’. The point of a protest is to make a statement. I never have doubted that I have a voice in this world. However, I did doubt that people would listen. During the strike, they had people share their thoughts on the climate crisis and why they chose to show up today at the strike. People who didn’t speak held their signs proudly up in the air and in silence, took a stand. Everyone was listening actively and encouraging one another. There was this fervor and love for the planet and people. I saw genuine respect for each other, and I felt a strong sense of community which I truly did not expect being surrounded by strangers. Standing there, holding my own sign, I could not think of something better I could be doing. For once, I felt that I was a part of something that matters. I was part of something good that will maybe help us all to be better.

In two days, on Friday, September 27^th, there will be another strike titled ‘Earth Strike’ to call for political action. According to the Global Climate Strike website, they know there is added power in sustained actions, therefore by having two protests, they hope to match the scale of this climate emergency.

There was a purpose for these dates specifically. The two protests frame the UN emergency climate Summit which was held in New York, on September 23^rd, 2019. At the UN Climate Action Summit 2019, leaders not only came ready to discuss the climate crisis, but with plans of actions of how their country will contribute. Below are some of the commitments made during this meeting:

• 66 countries committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050
• 12 countries made financial commitments to the Green Climate Fund which teaches mitigation and adaptation practices in developing countries so they will be able to counter climate change.
• The Russian Federation joined the 2016 Paris Agreement, bringing the total number of countries to 187. The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to only a 1.5 degree Celsius increase)
• Countries including France and New Zealand will not allow oil or gas exploration on land on in offshore waters
• South Korea plans to close 10 coal-fired power plants by 2022

The Global Climate Strike is making history and people in power are listening. It will be interesting to see how countries will implement these initiatives and how people respond. The state of the world and how much climate affects everything, and everyone is a really big pill to swallow. Yet, we have Greta Thunberg and the UN showing us that we, the people, are in charge of what happens next. What do we want for the world and what do we want for our future generations?

https://whatsyourimpact.org/greenhouse-gases/carbon-dioxide-emissions

https://globalclimatestrike.net/

http://ens-newswire.com/2019/09/25/un-climate-action-summit-yields-rich-funding-promises/