I work in the kitchen of a brewery in Portland, and the amount of plastic waste created is disgusting. Our spices, sauces, dressings, bases, vegetables and proteins all come packaged in plastic. Once food is prepared, the product is portioned into little plastic bags: every portion of starch, every portion of protein. Every time anything is breaded and fried, a plastic glove is donned, and discarded afterward. Specialty items such as slices of cake or Belgian waffles are individually wrapped in plastic. Grubhub orders are placed in plastic containers, with plastic ramekins for sides and sauces and plastic utensils wrapped in plastic.

Plastic waste is already having adverse effects on our environment, as it can take hundreds of years to break down. Microplastics are being found in our soil and water all over the globe. We need bold action today. We could tax or regulate plastics so that they are less desirable. We could charge more for garbage collection to encourage restaurants and residents to create less waste. We could fund research into alternatives, but this should not be the first option. We do not have the time to wait for innovation and infrastructure to save us. We do not have the time to kick this can down the road to let this problem fester until it is literally do or die. We must act now, or the inaction of this era will be written on the tombstones of generations to come.

Mark Canavan, Portland