In less than 100 years, plastic has gone from a novel invention to a ubiquitous feature across the globe. Plastic is now found in everything from household objects to industrial mechanisms to inside human bodies themselves. Once a marvel of modern science, plastic has become so inextricably woven into our lives that imagining a world without it can seem impossible. Backed by years of research and reflections taking place in real time with changing technology and environmental awareness, The Problem with Plastic critically examines the paradox of this material and how swiftly its integration has affected public health and the planet as a whole. The book explores how, despite being first celebrated for its innovations, plastic is now broadly recognized as a leading contributor to environmental pollution at every level, the climate crisis, and building waste levels that disproportionately impact marginalized communities that bear the brunt of petrochemical pollution. Author and environmental policy expert Judith Enck, in collaboration with co-author Adam Mahoney and the Beyond Plastics project, strives to draw attention to the alarming extent that microplastics have infiltrated society and the ways consumers can challenge what they think about the roles they can play. Unpacking illusions about recycling, mechanisms of environmental racism, and deceptive greenwashing strategies, the authors emphasize the urgency of calling for real, actionable measures to push against the effects of the plastics industry. The Problem with Plastic highlights powerful stories of frontline resistance in places like Louisiana, Texas, and Appalachia, and seeks to equip readers with practical tools– including a "Household Waste Audit" to track and reduce plastic consumption and model policy guides for driving legislative change. Fortified with calls for individual responsibility, citizen action, and governmental regulations, The Problem with Plastic aims to show that while plastic is a formidable problem, coordinated efforts can lead to solutions. Judith Enck is the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, whose goal is eliminating plastic pollution everywhere. She was appointed by President Obama to serve as regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2009 and served as deputy secretary for the environment in the New York Governor's Office. She is the co-author of The Problem With Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late (The New Press; 2025). She is currently a professor at Bennington College and lives in upstate New York. Bellamy Pailthorp covers the KNKX environment beat with an emphasis on climate justice, human health and food sovereignty. Bellamy likes reporting stories about how we will power our future while maintaining healthy cultures and livable cities. Fluent in German, Bellamy worked in Berlin and has a masters in journalism from Columbia University. She joined KNKX (then KPLU) in 1999. From 2000-2012, she covered the business and labor beat for KNKX. Outside work, she practices yoga, enjoys tasting new foods and is frequently on the water with her rowing team. Buy the Book The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late Elliott Bay Book Company

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related