Our Reality
Negative Impacts of
Styrofoam and Plastic
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Plastics and Styrofoam contain Styrene, that leaks when it comes into contact with hot foods or liquids. It is believed to be a carcinogen (cancer-causing) by the Department of Health and Human Services.
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The World Economic Forum published a report which states that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.
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Plastics and Styrofoam break apart into small pieces called micro-plastics, which litter our beaches, our oceans, and are being consumed by our marine life.
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A new study in the journal Environmental Science and Technology says it's possible that humans may be consuming anywhere from 39,000 to 52,000 micro-plastic particles a year.
Turning Food Waste into Food Rescue
Have you ever wondered what happens to all the restaurant food that isn't sold at the end of the day? It goes straight into the landfill if it doesn't get donated. The food inside of a landfill produces a very powerful heat-trapping gas called methane. Methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gasses that are contributing to global warming.
If food waste were a country, it would be the 3rd largest polluter of heat-trapping gas.
In the United States, we throw away 40% of perfectly good, delicious food. This is called Food Waste. There is no need to throw away perfectly good food if we can use it to feed people in need.
Why feed landfills when we can feed people?
HOW DO WE SOLVE IT?
Greener Coral Way is proud to partner with Food Rescue US a nonprofit, committed to ending American food insecurity by directly transferring fresh, usable food that would normally be thrown away to food-insecure families throughout the US. This organization addresses the environmental impact of food waste and the hunger crisis at the same time and allows people to volunteer and become food rescuers.
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For Residents: You can get involved by downloading the Food Rescue application from any smartphone to start volunteering to pick up food and deliver it to local homeless shelters and community centers. This is also a great opportunity for kids to get community service hours or for companies who want to get their employees more engaged. Volunteering to rescue food that would otherwise end up in the landfill and feeding the homeless is an incredible act of kindness that anyone can do.
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For Restaurants: Many food establishments believe it is illegal to give away leftover food at the end of the day, but The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act that was passed by Congress in 1997 states that donors are protected from liability when donating food in good faith to a non-profit organization even if the donated food later causes harm to a recipient. The businesses in the Greener Coral Way program will receive a higher certification if they sign up with Food Rescue US.
The Reality of Our Recycling
Many residents believe that recycling is an effective solution to plastic waste. However, the reality is that in Miami-Dade County, the only plastics that are recycled are bottled-shaped plastics. This means that all other plastics, including our plastic bags, utensils, and straws, are headed straight for the landfill, despite being put inside the recycling bins. The reality is that 91% of plastic is not recycled in the United States.
For this reason, we need to start looking at alternative solutions to reduce our plastic, especially single-use plastic (only gets used once and thrown out).