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Drowning in plastic - Living in a toxic world, originally uploaded by New Internationalist.

New Internationalist Magazine - Drowning in plastic
www.newint.org/issues/2008/09/01/

Sixty years ago plastic was an exotic development of modern chemistry. Today it is the most widespread human-made substance in the world. More than 250 billion pounds of raw plastic pellets are produced from petroleum feedstock every year. It is everywhere, in places you never imagined: computers and cell phones; packaging; food and drink containers; home furnishings and building materials; cars, trucks, airplanes and boats; children’s toys and beauty products.

Slum dwellers in Latin America and Africa build their shanties from plastic sheets and collect their water in plastic buckets; plastic flip-flops protect the feet of millions of peasants across Asia. Western consumers eat their take-out food with plastic cutlery from plastic foam containers while swigging water from plastic bottles.

Now no part of the planet can escape its toxic impact on human health and the environment.

Subscribe to the print edition here:
www.newint.org/subscriptions/

Or read this archive edition of NI magazine now:

This toxic life
They’re in our homes and our workplace, in the air we breathe and in the food we eat. Wayne Ellwood argues that toxic chemicals are changing the nature of nature.

The Polymer Revolution
A history of plastic.

Message in a bottle
It’s a fashion statement and an environmental nightmare. Zoe Cormier examines one of the most successful marketing ploys ever – bottled water.

Plastic is forever
The facts about plastic

Sea of garbage
The good ship Alguita sails an ocean choked with plastic. Blog by Anna Cummins.

Plastic plants
As oil supplies dwindle, the plastic industry is pinning its hopes on biomass. Not a great idea, reasons Jim Thomas.

Abandon the toxic treadmill!
Things you can do to avoid toxic plastics. PLUS the Action / Campaign directory.

touched_, originally uploaded by sighmon.

fuck christmas and all its dirty ways.
fuck birth, death and taxes.
fuck everything that causes conflict and destruction.
fuck it all.
fuck me?

this is a messed up world we live in where one half celebrates giving billions of dollars in gifts, while the other half chokes on its own poverty.

happy festive season. :)



* note to readers.. take as much or as little offence as you desire. this was not written for you, it was written for me. every now and then i need to remind myself what a selfish, privileged, white man i am.

with a little help from my friends_, originally uploaded by sighmon.

box of walls_
what happens when a bunch of kids get together with recycled boxes and loads of smiling enthusiasm and creativity.. :)

i set this little group up about a month and a bit ago. we've been drawing every tuesday since then. last night we decided to try painting a wall of boxes.. and what do you know.. it actually kind of worked! yay for us.

s. x

----

made by the ex-a-sketch crew.
an open drawing night at the pub! every tuesday from 6.30pm, exeter, rundle st, adelaide.

location: union street, adelaide city. (just off rundle street opposite exeter)

miniature-earth_, originally uploaded by sighmon.

in our world.
as it stands.
43 out of 100 people live without basic sanitation.

www.miniature-earth.com/

to watch a stunning animated look at the backwards world we live in today, click the link, choose english, press play, take action.

s. x

puddle of mud_, originally uploaded by sighmon.

i woke up from the.
best.
birthday.
ever.
and the world shifted, ever so slightly.

a close friend's ex drifts ever closer to the edge.
a family member in law loses his way.
my grandfather nears the end.

reflections on a puddle of mud.
stains brown, all it touches.
light desperately trying to silhouette its beauty.
but the puddle of mud.
is deep, dark and silent.