All language subtitles for 2_English6

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

>> John: HI THERE!

WELCOME TO THE SHOW,

STILL, UNFORTUNATELY,

TAKING PLACE IN THIS BLANK VOID.

THINK OF IT LIKE PRINCE PHILIP,

IN THAT IT'S WHITE,

DOESN'T DO ANYTHING,

AND I THOUGHT FOR SURE IT'D BE

GONE BY NOW.

AND WE HAVE TO DIVE STRAIGHT IN

WITH TUESDAY'S HORRIFIC EVENTS

IN THE ATLANTA AREA,

WHERE A GUNMAN

KILLED EIGHT PEOPLE,

SIX OF THEM ASIAN WOMEN,

AT THREE DIFFERENT SPAS.

AND SYMPATHY FOR THE VICTIMS HAS

POURED OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

ALTHOUGH THERE'VE BEEN SOME

TERRIBLE REACTIONS, TOO --

LIKE THE ONE FROM THIS OFFICER

WHO BRIEFED THE PRESS.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS

ABOUT THIS STATEMENT, WHICH MANY

FEEL APPEARS TO SYMPATHIZE WITH

THE SHOOTER AND NOT HIS ALLEGED

VICTIMS.

>> I SPOKE WITH INVESTIGATORS.

THEY INTERVIEWED HIM THIS

MORNING AND I -- THEY GOT THAT

IMPRESSION THAT, YES, HE -- HE

UNDERSTOOD THE GRAVITY OF IT

AND HE WAS PRETTY MUCH FED UP,

AT THE END OF HIS ROPE.

AND -- AND YESTERDAY WAS

A REALLY BAD DAY FOR HIM.

AND THIS IS WHAT HE DID.

>> John: OKAY, ABSOLUTELY

FUCKING NOT.

YOU GET THAT THIS IS A PRESS

CONFERENCE ABOUT A MASS MURDER,

RIGHT?

YOU DON'T GET TO MINIMIZE WHAT

HAPPENED LIKE THAT.

"REALLY BAD DAY?"

ALEXANDER HAD A TERRIBLE,

HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY,

AND WHAT HE DID WAS SHRUG IT

THE FUCK OFF AND GO TO BED WHILE

MANAGING TO MURDER ZERO PEOPLE.

THAT COP EVEN WENT ON TO REPEAT

THE SHOOTER'S CLAIMS THAT HIS

ATTACKS WEREN'T RACIALLY

MOTIVATED; INSTEAD,

HIS "SEXUAL ADDICTION" WAS

TO BLAME FOR THE KILLINGS.

WHICH ALREADY FEELS LIKE A

WEIRD DISTINCTION TO BE MAKING.

"HEY!

I MIGHT BE A MASS-MURDERER,

BUT WATCH WHO YOU CALL A RACIST,

BUDDY!

WORDS HURT!"

AND WHILE IT IS STILL EARLY,

DETAILS ARE STILL COMING OUT,

AND AUTHORITIES SEEM UNWILLING

TO CALL THIS A HATE CRIME.

I WILL SAY, A WHITE MAN

DRIVING ACROSS COUNTIES

TO TWO DIFFERENT TOWNS,

GOING TO THREE ASIAN-OWNED

BUSINESSES, SHOOTING AND KILLING

SIX ASIAN WOMEN, IN A CITY

THAT'S ONLY ABOUT 4% ASIAN

SURE AS SHIT SEEMS A LOT MORE

LIKE A HATE CRIME THAN

"A BAD FUCKING DAY."

AND THIS IS JUST THE LATEST DATA

POINT IN A DISTURBING PATTERN.

ONE GROUP TRACKING HATE-RELATED

INCIDENTS AGAINST

ASIAN-AMERICANS -- WHICH INCLUDE

PHYSICAL ASSAULTS,

VERBAL HARASSMENT, AND

CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS LIKE

REFUSAL OF SERVICE -- FOUND

NEARLY 3800 REPORTED IN JUST

THE PAST YEAR.

IT'S AN ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE

TREND THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SPOKE

ABOUT JUST LAST WEEK.

>> VICIOUS HATE CRIMES AGAINST

ASIAN-AMERICANS, WHO'VE BEEN

ATTACKED, HARASSED, BLAMED, AND

SCAPEGOATED.

IT'S WRONG, IT'S UN-AMERICAN,

AND IT MUST STOP.

>> John: YEAH.

IT MUST.

AND I AM REALLY GLAD HE

CONDEMNED HATE CRIMES AGAINST

ASIAN-AMERICANS THERE, BUT TO

SAY THAT THEY ARE "UN-AMERICAN?"

I'D LOVE TO VISIT THE NATION

THAT EXISTS IN JOE BIDEN'S HEAD,

BECAUSE IT'S A PLACE WHERE

RACISM "IS NOT WHO WE ARE" AND

RACIAL ATTACKS AGAINST ASIANS

ARE SOMEHOW "UN-AMERICAN,"

DESPITE THE FACT -- AND FAR BE

IT FROM ME TO EXPLAIN THIS TO

SOMEONE WHO SEEMS LIKE HE'S

LIVED THROUGH MOST OF AMERICAN

HISTORY -- ANTI-ASIAN RACISM HAS

LONG BEEN A FACT OF AMERICAN

LIFE.

FROM THE TREATMENT OF

CHINESE RAILROAD WORKERS

IN THE 1800s, THROUGH

THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT,

THROUGH THE WATSONVILLE RIOTS

IN 1930, IN WHICH A WHITE MOB

RAMPAGED THROUGH A FILIPINO

COMMUNITY,

THROUGH THE INTERNMENT OF

JAPANESE AMERICANS DURING

WORLD WAR II, THROUGH DEADLY

CASES OF RACIAL SCAPEGOATING

LIKE THE MURDER OF VINCENT CHIN,

KILLED IN 1982 BY TWO

WHITE AUTOWORKERS IN DETROIT.

WITNESSES SAID THE MEN MISTOOK

CHIN, A CHINESE-AMERICAN, FOR

BEING JAPANESE, BLAMED HIM FOR

TAKING THEIR JOBS, AND BEAT HIM

TO DEATH.

AND BY THE WAY, EVEN THOUGH

THEY'D REPORTEDLY USED

RACIAL SLURS DURING THE ATTACK,

THE MEN STILL TRIED TO CLAIM

THEY WERE NOT MOTIVATED BY RACE.

SO NOT ONLY ARE HATE CRIMES

AGAINST ASIAN-AMERICANS VERY

MUCH "AMERICAN," SO IS DENYING

THAT THEY'RE RACIST.

IT'S ALL SO AMERICAN, IN FACT,

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM COULD

PROBABLY BEGIN:

"OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE

THAT THIS WASN'T ABOUT RACE."

AND OUR LONG, UGLY HISTORY OF

ANTI-ASIAN RACISM -- AND THE

FACT IT OFTEN PEAKS DURING TIMES

OF CRISIS -- IS THE VERY REASON

WHY, JUST LAST YEAR, MANY WERE

LOUDLY WARNING THAT TRUMP

CALLING COVID NAMES LIKE

"THE CHINA VIRUS" WAS LIKELY TO

LEAD TO A RISE IN VIOLENCE

AGAINST PEOPLE OF ASIAN DESCENT,

AN ARGUMENT THAT AT THE TIME,

NOT EVERYONE SEEMED TO FIND

CONVINCING.

>> I THINK IF THE LEFT WANTS TO

FOCUS ON PC LABELING THIS VIRUS,

IT IS A GREAT WAY TO GET TRUMP

REELECTED.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH

PEOPLE CALLING IT WHATEVER THEY

WANT.

IT'S A DEADLY VIRUS THAT DID

ORIGINATE IN WUHAN.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

>> John: OH, GOOD!

MEGHAN McCAIN DOESN'T

HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT!

LISTEN NOT TO THE SCORES OF

ASIAN-AMERICANS TELLING EVERYONE

THAT THE TERM IS DANGEROUS AND

OFFENSIVE!

INSTEAD, GATHER ROUND,

AND TAKE THE WORD OF A WEALTHY

WHITE WOMAN WHO'S DRESSED LIKE

SHE'S ABOUT TO LAY OFF 47 PEOPLE

OVER ZOOM.

NOW, I WILL SAY, McCAIN POSTED

THIS WEEK, "STOP ASIAN HATE"

WITH THREE BROKEN HEART EMOJIS.

WHICH IS A FINE SENTIMENT TO

THROW UP ON TWITTER AFTER THE

FACT, BUT THERE HAS TO BE AN

UNDERSTANDING THAT SAYING,

"I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH

CALLING IT THE CHINA VIRUS"

IS VERY MUCH GIVING SPACE FOR

THAT HATE TO GROW.

AND THE MINIMIZATION OF RACIST

RHETORIC PLAYS INTO THE HARMFUL

STEREOTYPE OF ASIAN-AMERICANS AS

A "MODEL MINORITY," PITTING THEM

AGAINST OTHER MINORITY GROUPS

AND PRESSURING THEM TO SWALLOW

THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH RACISM

WITHOUT MAKING A STINK, BECAUSE

THAT'S HOW YOU EARN

WHITE ACCEPTANCE.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT TAKES

ITS TOLL.

JUST LISTEN TO BASKETBALL PLAYER

JEREMY LIN, WHO RECENTLY

REVEALED THAT HE'D BEEN CALLED

"CORONAVIRUS" ON THE COURT, AND

SPOKE ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THIS

WEEK.

>> ASIANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN --

HAVE BEEN PROJECTED AS BEING

OTHERS OR OUTSIDERS AND YOU

CAN -- YOU CAN HEAR AND SEE

THESE MICROAGGRESSIONS, IN LIKE,

"OH, NO, WHERE ARE YOU REALLY

FROM?"

OR, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THE

WAY WE LOOK OR OUR COMPLEXION

AND, AGAIN, CALLING IT THE CHINA

VIRUS, KUNG FLU VIRUS, THAT IS

ADDING TO IT, FUELING THE FIRE,

AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A

LOT OF THOSE MICROAGGRESSIONS

TURN INTO ACTUAL ACTS OF

VIOLENCE.

>> John: RIGHT.

COMMENTS LIKE, "WHERE ARE YOU

REALLY FROM?" ARE CONSTANT

REMINDERS OF HOW

ASIAN-AMERICANS ARE REGARDED AS

OUTSIDERS, AS PEOPLE WHO DON'T

BELONG.

AND THE FACT IS, "WHERE ARE YOU

REALLY FROM?" IS JUST NOT AN

APPROPRIATE QUESTION TO ASK

ANYONE, UNLESS THEY'VE JUST

OPENED UP THEIR TORSO TO REVEAL

A TINY ALIEN SQUID OPERATING

A ROBOT BODY.

AND EVEN THEN, HONESTLY, IT'S

STILL A BIT IFFY.

"WELL MY PARENTS ARE FROM

RIGEL VII, BUT I WAS BORN IN

CINCINNATI, YOU DICK!"

THE COMFORT PEOPLE HAVE WITH

DIMINISHING AND OTHERING ASIANS

IS PERVASIVE.

EVEN THAT OFFICER YOU SAW

EARLIER WAS LAST YEAR PROMOTING

T-SHIRTS ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE

CALLING COVID-19 AN

"IMPORTED VIRUS FROM CHY-NA."

AND THE FACT THE KILLER CHOSE

THESE PARTICULAR WOMEN,

WORKING LOW-WAGE JOBS, AS

TARGETS FOR HIS "SEX ADDICTION"

SPEAKS TO HOW ASIAN-AMERICAN

WOMEN, IN PARTICULAR, HAVE TO

DEAL WITH HYPERSEXUALIZATION,

AND HOW ASIAN WORKERS TO THE

EXTENT THAT THEY ARE SEEN AT ALL

ARE SEEN MORE FOR THE LABOR THAT

THEY PROVIDE RATHER THAN THE

FULL THREE-DIMENSIONAL HUMANS

THAT THEY ARE.

SO THERE'S PRETTY CLEARLY A LOT

THAT NEEDS TO BE CONFRONTED

HERE, AS MANY HAVE BEEN POINTING

OUT.

>> I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE STARTING

TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION,

BUT THIS CANNOT BE IT.

ASIAN-AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE BEEN

LONG INVISIBLE IN THIS SOCIETY.

RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING TOLD THIS

IS NOT A RACIST INCIDENT.

IT IS A RACIST INCIDENT BECAUSE

OF THE WAY ASIAN-AMERICAN WOMEN

EXPERIENCE RACISM IN OUR

COUNTRY.

>> John: EXACTLY.

THIS ISN'T JUST A CONVERSATION

ABOUT THIS WEEK.

IT'S A CONVERSATION ABOUT

THE CENTURIES LEADING UP TO IT.

NOW, SOME HAVE RESPONDED BY

CALLING FOR INCREASED POLICE

PRESENCE, ALTHOUGH OTHERS ARE

UNDERSTANDABLY WARY OF "MORE

POLICE" BEING A GOOD SOLUTION.

MORE GUYS LIKE "DEPUTY OOPS ALL

FOREHEAD" HERE AREN'T LIKELY TO

MAKE ASIAN-AMERICANS, OR,

INDEED, OTHER COMMUNITIES OF

COLOR AROUND THEM, FEEL MUCH

SAFER.

OTHERS HAVE SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

FROM CONNECTING VICTIMS OF

TRAUMA TO SUPPORT AFTER THE

FACT, TO IMPROVING COLLECTION

AND REPORTING OF STATISTICS

ON ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE AND

DISCRIMINATION, SO WE HAVE

A MUCH MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF

WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND IF YOU DO WANT TO HELP,

THERE ARE SOME GREAT

ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THESE ONES

THAT COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP.

LOOK, ASIAN-AMERICAN AND

ASIAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES

HAVE BEEN FEELING EXTREMELY

VULNERABLE FOR A LONG TIME,

AND ESPECIALLY SO RIGHT NOW.

AND FOR A GROUP WHOSE SUFFERING

HAS HISTORICALLY FELT INVISIBLE

TO THE MEDIA AND THE COUNTRY AT

LARGE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PAIN RIGHT NOW.

BUT MORE THAN THAT, DISMANTLING

ANTI-ASIAN PREJUDICE SHOULD BE

ANOTHER KEY PART OF DISMANTLING

THE CHOKEHOLD THAT

WHITE SUPREMACY HAS

ON THIS COUNTRY.

BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN SINCE ITS

FOUNDATION, AND CONTINUED TO SEE

THIS WEEK, PEOPLE WILL BEND OVER

BACKWARDS TO CALL RACISM

ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT IT IS.

AND THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY VERY

FUCKING AMERICAN.

AND NOW THIS.

♪ ♪

>> Announcer: AND NOW...

EVEN DURING A PANDEMIC,

LOCAL NEWS CANNOT BE TRUSTED

WITH ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

>> TODAY ON "WINDY CITY LIVE,"

TOP OF THE MORNING TO YOU.

>> TOP OF THE MORNING TO YOU,

SAN DIEGO.

>> TOP OF THE MORNING TO YOU.

>> TOP OF THE MORNING TO YOU.

[LAUGHS]

>> TOP OF THE MORNING TO YOU

>> TOP OF THE MORNING TO YOU

TOO.

>> IT'S WEE MORE THAN A LITTLE

CLOUD COVER OUT THERE.

IT'S TOTALLY CLOUD COVERED.

>> AH, LADS AND LASSES,

WE WILL HAVE SUNSHINE.

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH.

>> THE LUCK OF THE IRISH BE WITH

US.

>> I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I SAID.

BUT I WATCHED A LOT OF

LUCKY CHARMS COMMERCIALS.

♪ ♪

♪ DUBLIN'S FAIR CITY,

WHERE THE GIRLS ARE SO PRETTY ♪

>> WELCOME TO OUR FAIR CITY

WHERE THE GIRLS ARE SO PRETTY.

LET'S START WITH ONE OF THOSE

LOVELY LADIES.

♪ ♪

>> John: MOVING ON.

OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS

PLASTIC.

IT'S VERY MUCH THE JANE LYNCH

OF MATERIALS, IN THAT

IT'S INCREDIBLY VERSATILE,

APPEARS IN ALMOST EVERYTHING,

AND ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE

FOR THE NEXT 400 YEARS.

PLASTIC REALLY IS UBIQUITOUS.

IT'S IN FOOD PACKAGING,

IT'S IN BUILDING MATERIALS

ON PLANES AND CARS,

IT'S IN BICYCLE HELMETS,

AND IT'S IN THIS STRAP-ON

THIGH DILDO.

IMAGINE A WORLD BEFORE PLASTICS,

WHEN YOUR FEMUR PENIS WOULD HAVE

TO MADE FROM WOOD, OR IF YOU

WERE WEALTHY ENOUGH, IVORY.

IT DOESN'T BEAR THINKING ABOUT.

BUT FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS

PLASTICS HAVE BEEN AROUND,

THERE'S BEEN THE QUESTION OF

WHAT TO DO WITH THEM AFTER

THEY'RE USED -- A QUESTION ANY

NUMBER OF CREEPY RECYCLING

MASCOTS HAVE TRIED TO ANSWER.

FROM THE RECYCLING WIZARD IN

SOUTH CAROLINA, TO RECYCLING BEN

FROM GEORGIA, TO MUNCIE,

INDIANA'S MR. BLUE -- WHO

APPEARS TO BE A BAG OF RECYCLING

OR AN ASPHYXIATED SAUSAGE --

TO MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE,

TOTES McGOATS.

>> THE POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA

NEWS-SITE MASHABLE WRITES OF

"NIAGARA FALL'S TERRIFYING NEW

RECYCLING MASCOT" AND "HORRIFIC

GOAT-MAN HYBRID."

>> SURE, YEAH, AND YOU KNOW

WHAT?

I'VE SEEN CHILDREN CRY AT THE

EASTER BUNNY AND SANTA CLAUS AS

WELL.

UM, BUT OUR TARGET MARKET ISN'T

THREE AND 4-YEAR-OLDS OF COURSE.

IT'S SOMEONE WHO'S LEARNING

ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT,

SO MIDDLE SCHOOL, TEENAGERS,

PEOPLE WHO MAYBE AREN'T SO

AFRAID OF GOATS AND CLOWNS.

>> John: WELL, HANG ON.

WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT CLOWNS?

NO ONE WOULD EVER MISTAKE THAT

THING FOR A CLOWN.

I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TOUGH ON

CLOWNS IN THE PAST.

THEY'RE WEIRD, SCARY, NOT FUNNY,

AND THEY EAT CHILDREN, BUT

CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE -- THEY DO

PUT IN THE WORK.

YOU THINK A LOOK THIS FRESH

JUST COMES TOGETHER?

OF COURSE NOT!

THIS GUY CLEARLY MADE AN EFFORT.

HE DIDN'T JUST GOOGLE

"RUBBER GOAT MASK CHEAP," AND

BUY THE FIRST RESULT, WHICH,

INCIDENTALLY, SEEMS TO BE

THE EXACT MASK THAT FUCKED-UP

GOAT IS WEARING.

AND WE'VE PRODUCED A LOT OF

PLASTIC FOR ALL THOSE MASCOTS

TO RECYCLE.

SINCE PLASTIC'S INTRODUCTION,

PRODUCTION HAS SKYROCKETED

TO 380 MILLION TONS IN 2015.

IN FACT, HALF OF ALL PLASTICS

EVER MADE HAVE BEEN PRODUCED

SINCE 2005.

AND FOR ALL THE HYPE ABOUT

RECYCLING, A LOT LESS PLASTIC

WINDS UP GETTING RECYCLED THAN

YOU MIGHT THINK.

LESS THAN 9% OF THE PLASTICS

GENERATED ARE RECYCLED

IN THE UNITED STATES,

WITH THE VAST MAJORITY

ENDING UP IN LANDFILLS OR

IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

BUT BEFORE YOU START BLAMING

YOURSELF, OR YOUR NEIGHBORS,

FOR NOT SORTING THEIR TRASH AND

SEPARATING ITEMS, IT'S ACTUALLY

NOT THAT SIMPLE, AS THIS

REPORTER FOUND OUT WHILE WALKING

THROUGH A PORTLAND SUPERMARKET.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY IS

BUYING LETTUCE IN A BOX NOW.

IS THIS RECYCLABLE?

>> IN THIS STATE, NONE OF THIS

IS -- NONE OF THIS IS

RECYCLABLE.

>> OKAY.

WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THESE?

THIS IS EVERYWHERE IN EVERY

SUPERMARKET.

>> IN OREGON, AGAIN, THERE ARE

NO CURBSIDE PROGRAMS THAT WOULD

ACCEPT ANY OF THESE TUBS.

>> John: YEAH, THAT IS SHOCKING!

BECAUSE THINK OF WHAT THAT

MEANS: THE STUFF WE ALL

ROUTINELY BUY AT THE SUPERMARKET

-- ASSUMING, UNDERSTANDABLY, IT

WILL GET RECYCLED -- IS, IN MANY

CASES, NOT.

AND THAT IS DESPITE THE

IMPRESSION WE MIGHT HAVE TAKEN

FROM MASCOTS LIKE TOTES McGOATS,

WHOSE NAME I'M HONESTLY

UNCOMFORTABLE EVEN UTTERING OUT

LOUD, JUST ON THE OFF-CHANCE

THAT HE'S LIKE BEETLEJUICE AND

SAYING "TOTES McGOATS"

THREE TIMES SOMEHOW SUMMONS HIM

INTO --

OH, SHIT!

HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET

IN HERE?

THIS IS A COVID-COMPLIANT SET!

YOU CAN'T BE HERE!

WAIT -- YOU GOT THE VACCINE?

HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU ELIGIBLE

FOR THE VACCINE?

>> HYPERTENSION, JOHN.

>> John: OH, BULLSHIT!

YOU KNOW WHAT?

I DON'T CARE!

YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!

GET OUT OF HERE!

YOU'RE SO MUCH WORSE IN PERSON,

TOTES!

YOU LOOK LIKE A FURRY

WHO CAN'T COMMIT.

GET OUT OF HERE!

THE FACT IS, A HUGE AMOUNT OF

THE PLASTIC SURROUNDING US

ISN'T RECYCLED BECAUSE IT'S

NOT REALLY RECYCLABLE.

AND THAT MEANS IT ENDS UP IN

LANDFILLS, OR BURNT, OR IN THE

OCEAN, WHERE IT BREAKS DOWN INTO

"MICRO-PLASTICS," GET EATEN BY

FISH, AND CAN END UP INSIDE US.

>> PLASTIC IN THE OCEAN HAS A

TENDENCY TO BREAK DOWN INTO EVER

SMALLER PIECES.

AND THESE TINY PIECES THEN GET

TAKEN UP EVEN LOWER DOWN

IN THE FOOD CHAIN.

SO WE KNOW THAT IT ENDS UP ON

OUR DINNER PLATES.

THERE IS PLASTIC IN YOUR FOOD,

PLASTIC IN YOUR SEA SALT,

AND PLASTIC COMING OUT OF YOUR

TAP.

>> John: IT'S TRUE.

A RECENT STUDY EVEN ESTIMATED

THAT AN AVERAGE PERSON GLOBALLY

COULD BE INGESTING ABOUT A

CREDIT CARD'S WORTH OF PLASTIC

INTO THEIR SYSTEM EVERY WEEK.

WHICH KIND OF EXPLAINS

CAPITAL ONE'S NEW SLOGAN,

"WHAT'S IN YOUR STOMACH?"

GOOD QUESTION, MR. JACKSON.

BECAUSE APPARENTLY, IT'S

1.5% CASH BACK, A FEW THOUSAND

FREE AIRLINE MILES, AND A

FUCKING SHITLOAD OF PLASTIC.

SO HOW IS IT THAT TONS OF

PLASTIC THAT WE ASSUME IS

GETTING RECYCLED CAN INSTEAD

SOMETIMES END UP INSIDE OF US?

WELL, THAT IS WHAT THIS STORY IS

ABOUT.

IT'S ABOUT WHY SO LITTLE PLASTIC

GETS RECYCLED, THE HARM THAT

CAN DO, AND HOW THE PLASTICS

INDUSTRY HAS MANAGED TO CONVINCE

US ALL THAT IT'S OUR FAULT.

AND LET'S START WITH SOME

HISTORY.

AS PLASTIC PRODUCTION

BEGAN TO GROW IN THE 1950s,

SO DID PLASTIC WASTE, AND

THEREFORE, PUBLIC BACKLASH.

BY THE '60s AND '70s,

ORGANIZATIONS BEGAN DRAWING

ATTENTION TO ALL THE PACKAGING

WASTE LITTERING THE LANDSCAPE,

THROUGH ADS LIKE THIS ONE.

>> SOME PEOPLE HAVE A DEEP,

ABIDING RESPECT FOR THE NATURAL

BEAUTY THAT WAS ONCE THIS

COUNTRY.

AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T.

PEOPLE START POLLUTION.

PEOPLE CAN STOP IT.

>> John: NOW YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

THAT AD BEFORE.

IT REALLY TOUCHED PEOPLE'S

HEARTSTRINGS, BECAUSE APPARENTLY

THE WORST THING WHITE PEOPLE

EVER DID TO AMERICA'S INDIGENOUS

POPULATIONS WAS LITTER ON THE

FREEWAY.

BUT THERE ARE A FEW MISLEADING

THINGS ABOUT IT.

FIRST, THAT MAN WASN'T ACTUALLY

NATIVE AMERICAN -- HE WAS AN

ITALIAN-AMERICAN ACTOR WHO

PLAYED THEM FOR A LIVING.

AND WHILE IT'S BY NO MEANS

THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE OF

ITALIAN DESCENT INSERTED

THEMSELVES INTO A

NATIVE AMERICAN NARRATIVE

WITHOUT ASKING, I GUESS AT LEAST

THIS TIME NO ONE NAMED A HOLIDAY

AFTER HIM.

BUT MORE TO THE POINT,

THE ORGANIZATION THAT PRODUCED

THAT AD, KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL,

WAS FUNDED IN PART BY A PLASTICS

INDUSTRY TRADE GROUP, AND

COMPOSED OF LEADING BEVERAGE AND

PACKAGING CORPORATIONS.

WHICH MIGHT SEEM ODD, UNTIL YOU

REALIZE THAT THE UNDERLYING

MESSAGE THERE IS,

"IT'S UP TO YOU, THE CONSUMER,

TO STOP POLLUTION."

AND THAT HAS BEEN A MAJOR

THROUGHLINE IN THE RECYCLING

MOVEMENT -- A MOVEMENT OFTEN

BANKROLLED BY COMPANIES WHO

WANTED TO DRILL HOME THE MESSAGE

THAT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

TO DEAL WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT OF THEIR PRODUCTS.

AND NOWHERE IS THIS CO-OPTING OF

ENVIRONMENTALISM CLEARER THAN

WITH THAT RECYCLING SYMBOL THAT

YOU FIND ON PLASTIC PRODUCTS YOU

BUY -- THE FAMOUS "CHASING

ARROWS."

THEY ARE ON EVERYTHING,

AND THE NUMBERS INSIDE THEM ARE

PRETTY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THEY

REPRESENT WHAT TYPE OF PLASTIC

IT IS.

>> NUMBER 1 STANDS FOR P.E.T.

THINK WATER AND SODA BOTTLES.

NUMBER 2 IS HDPE, OFTEN USED AS

PACKAGING FOR DETERGENT AND

SHAMPOO.

THEN, THERE'S 3, 4, 5, 6, AND

WILD CARD NUMBER 7, WHICH STANDS

FOR OTHER -- MEANING EVERYTHING

ELSE.

>> John: RIGHT, NUMBER 7 IS

BASICALLY THE CATCH-ALL FOR

"EVERYTHING ELSE," IN THE SAME

WAY THAT THAT ONE DRAWER

IN YOUR KITCHEN IS A CATCH-ALL

FOR EVERYTHING.

YEAH, THERE'S KETCHUP PACKETS,

BUT ALSO, RUBBER BANDS,

THE INSTRUCTIONS TO AN IMMERSION

BLENDER YOU LOST A YEAR AGO,

AND A POST-IT NOTE WITH JUST

A PHONE NUMBER ON IT AND

NO INDICATION WHO IT BELONGS TO.

CALL THAT NUMBER!

I DARE YOU!

BUT CRUCIALLY, VERY FEW OF THOSE

SEVEN TYPES OF PLASTIC ARE

COMMONLY RECYCLABLE.

CERTAIN TYPES OF NUMBER 1 AND 2

PLASTICS -- THINGS LIKE SODA AND

LAUNDRY DETERGENT BOTTLES -- DO

GET RECYCLED.

ALTHOUGH, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU

LIVE, CERTAIN OTHER TYPES --

LIKE THOSE LETTUCE TUBS YOU SAW

EARLIER -- MAY NOT.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO PLASTICS

NUMBERS 3 THROUGH 7 -- WHICH CAN

BE THINGS LIKE PLASTIC BAGS,

CUPS, OR POUCHES -- WE HAVE THE

CAPACITY TO RECYCLE LESS THAN

5% OF IT.

SO OUT OF THE SEVEN NUMBERS,

ONLY TWO ARE REALLY MUCH GOOD.

AND THAT IS A PRETTY BAD RATIO

FOR A GROUP OF SEVEN.

IDEALLY, YOU'D WANT A BALANCE

A LITTLE MORE LIKE BTS.

THERE'S NOT A WEAK LINK IN THAT

UNBREAKABLE CHAIN OF

HEARTTHROBS.

WITH SO MANY PEOPLE ONSTAGE,

YOU'D UNDERSTAND IF SOMETIMES

JIMIN ONLY GAVE 50%,

BUT HE DOESN'T, HE BEATS UP

THE DANCE FLOOR EVERY NIGHT

LIKE HE JUST CAUGHT IT

ROBBING HIS HOUSE.

AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF

REASONS WHY CERTAIN PLASTICS

DON'T GET RECYCLED.

SOME ARE COMPLEX MIXES OF

DIFFERENT RESINS, MAKING

RECYCLING THEM DIFFICULT.

OTHER TIMES, THERE ARE PRACTICAL

OBSTACLES -- THAT THE PLASTIC IS

CONTAMINATED, OR DIFFICULT TO

SORT.

AND THEN THERE ARE ECONOMIC

REASONS -- SOMETIMES, THERE'S

NO MARKET FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF

PLASTIC.

AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S CHEAPER FOR

COMPANIES TO MAKE VIRGIN PLASTIC

THAN FOR THEM TO RECYCLE IT.

BUT THE THING IS, DESPITE

KNOWING THAT MOST PLASTICS

CAN'T BE RECYCLED, THE INDUSTRY

LOBBIED STATE LEGISLATURES TO

PASS LAWS REQUIRING THAT CHASING

ARROWS SYMBOL TO BE PLACED ON

ALL OF THEIR CONTAINERS,

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY COULD

ACTUALLY BE RECYCLED OR NOT.

MANUFACTURERS AND COMPANIES

LIKE COCA-COLA ALSO LOBBIED

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO INVEST

IN CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAMS,

EVEN THOUGH, BEHIND DOORS,

ONE INDUSTRY INSIDER

ACKNOWLEDGED AS FAR BACK AS 1974

THAT, "THERE IS SERIOUS DOUBT

THAT RECYCLING PLASTIC CAN EVER

BE MADE VIABLE ON AN ECONOMIC

BASIS."

AND HONESTLY, IT WASN'T ALL THAT

DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO CONVINCE

US THAT ALL THEIR WASTE IS

RECYCLABLE, BECAUSE WE SO BADLY

WANT TO BELIEVE IT.

LIES GO DOWN EASIER WHEN YOU

WANT THEM TO BE TRUE.

IN FACT, OUR DESIRE FOR THINGS

TO BE RECYCLED IS SO STRONG THAT

PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY

EVEN HAVE A SPECIAL TERM FOR IT.

>> A LOT OF THINGS REALLY AREN'T

RECYCLABLE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH

WE WANT THEM TO BE.

PEOPLE JUST WANT TO THROW,

YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IN AND,

YOU KNOW, THEY WISH IT WAS

RECYCLING.

SO WE CALL IT "WISHCYCLING."

HERE'S SOME "WISHCYCLING"

FOR YOU.

HERE'S AN UMBRELLA.

I WISH IT WAS RECYCLABLE.

IT'S NOT.

>> John: NOW, FIRST OFF,

HE'S RIGHT THAT UMBRELLAS ARE

NOT RECYCLABLE, WHICH IS A PITY,

AS THE AVERAGE AMERICAN GOES

THROUGH ROUGHLY 4,000 OF THEM

A YEAR.

I'VE ALREADY SOMEHOW LOST 12

SO FAR THIS YEAR, AND IT DOESN'T

EVEN RAIN IN THIS VOID.

AND SECONDLY, THE TERM

"WISHCYCLING" IS JUST TOO GOOD

TO BE WASTED ON GARBAGE.

"WISHCYCLING" SOUNDS LIKE

A SPIN CLASS TAUGHT BY A

UNICORN, OR THE SEWAGE TREATMENT

SYSTEM AT HOGWARTS.

"AND THIS, CHILDREN, IS WHERE

WE WISHCYCLE ALL YOUR COLLECTED

URINE INTO THIS DELICIOUS

BUTTERBEER!

OH, IT'S FINE, CALM DOWN, IT'S

MAGIC, STOP CRYING, IT'S FINE."

BUT WISHCYCLING CAN END UP DOING

REAL HARM.

BECAUSE AT BEST, NON-RECYCLABLE

ITEMS CAN BE A HASSLE TO REMOVE.

PLANTS OFTEN HAVE TO STOP

MACHINES TO CUT OUT ALL OF

THE PLASTIC BAGS THAT PEOPLE

DESPERATELY WANT TO THINK THEY

CAN HANDLE.

AND AT WORST, THEY CAN END UP

CONTAMINATING LOADS OF PLASTICS

THAT COULD OTHERWISE BE

RECYCLED.

SO THE FALSE IMPRESSION WE'VE

ALL BEEN GIVEN THAT ALL

THE PLASTICS WE'RE PUTTING INTO

THE RECYCLING ARE BEING

RECYCLED IS VERY MUCH

NOT THE CASE.

AND FOR A FEW BLISSFUL DECADES,

AMERICA AND MOST OF THE WORLD

DIDN'T REALLY WORRY ABOUT THIS,

BECAUSE WE SIMPLY SHIPPED MUCH

OF THE LOWER-QUALITY PLASTIC

WASTE WE COULDN'T USE, IN BULK,

TO CHINA.

AT ONE POINT, ROUGHLY 70% OF

THE WORLD'S PLASTIC WASTE WENT

THERE.

BUT THAT STOPPED IN 2018, WHEN

CHINA FLAT-OUT BANNED THE IMPORT

OF MOST PLASTICS.

AND SINCE THEN, MUCH OF OUR

WASTE HAS BEEN LEFT TO EITHER

PILE UP IN DOMESTIC RECYCLING

PLANTS WITH NO ONE TO BUY IT OR

SHIPPED OUT TO OTHER COUNTRIES

IN ASIA, WHERE IT CAN GET

DROPPED INTO LANDFILLS, LIKE

THIS ONE IN MALAYSIA.

>> LOOK AT HOW BIG THIS IS.

JUST TAKE A LOOK.

LOOK HOW FAR IT GOES.

THIS IS JUST ONE DUMP.

ONE DUMP.

A VAST FIELD OF PLASTIC.

TWO STORIES HIGH.

>> SEE IF WE CAN LOOK ON THE

BACK HERE, "MARYSVILLE, OHIO."

THIS IS FROM ITALY,

PENNSYLVANIA, NEW YORK.

LOOK, WALMART BAG.

>> John: YEAH, A LOT OF OUR

PLASTIC JUST ENDS UP SITTING

IN GIANT LANDFILLS ON THE OTHER

SIDE OF THE WORLD.

SO I GUESS KATY PERRY'S

QUESTION, "DO YOU EVER FEEL

LIKE A PLASTIC BAG DRIFTING

THROUGH THE WIND, WANTING TO

START AGAIN?"

SHOULD REALLY BE, "DO YOU EVER

FEEL LIKE A PLASTIC WALMART BAG

DROWNING IN TWO STORIES OF

SOCIETY'S UNMITIGATED FILTH?"

AND SINCE YOU'RE ASKING -- YEAH,

KATY, I DO.

ALL THE TIME.

AND THE PROBLEM IS, THOSE

COUNTRIES DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE

THE CAPABILITIES TO DEAL WITH

THEIR OWN PLASTIC WASTE, LET

ALONE MILLIONS OF TONS OF OURS.

WHICH CAN HAVE SERIOUS

CONSEQUENCES FOR THE HEALTH AND

SAFETY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE.

IN MALAYSIA, SOME OPERATIONS ARE

ILLEGALLY INCINERATING LOTS OF

PLASTIC WASTE.

AND JUST LISTEN TO THIS

COMMUNITY ACTIVIST DESCRIBING

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE NEARBY.

>> THE AIR POLLUTION BECOMES

VERY SERIOUS IN MY VILLAGE.

THE BURNING CAUSED A LOT OF

RESPIRATORY DISEASE PROBLEMS

TO OUR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OUR

CHILDREN AND OUR ELDERLY, WHO

HAS THIS PROBLEM OF REPEATING

ASTHMA, REPEATING COUGHING

ALSO.

>> John: THAT'S TERRIBLE.

AND I HAVE TO SAY, THERE'S JUST

NO WAY THAT THE PEOPLE

RESPONSIBLE FOR BURNING THAT

WASTE DON'T KNOW THE FUMES ARE

TOXIC.

WHEN YOU SMELL BURNING PLASTIC,

YOU DON'T THINK, "OOH, THAT

SMELLS GREAT.

IS SOMEONE BAKING COOKIES?"

YOU THINK, "MY NOSE SEEMS TO BE

DYING AND IT'S TAKING MY BRAIN

DOWN WITH IT."

NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS, MORE THAN

180 COUNTRIES AGREED LAST YEAR

TO PLACE STRICT LIMITS ON

EXPORTS OF PLASTIC WASTE FROM

RICHER COUNTRIES TO POORER ONES.

THE BAD NEWS IS THAT,

THE UNITED STATES IS ONE OF THE

FEW COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT

DIDN'T RATIFY THAT GLOBAL BAND.

AND THE THING IS,

WHEN PLASTIC ISN'T

BURNED, IT CAN END UP IN

LANDFILLS OR IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

ACROSS THE WORLD, MORE THAN

EIGHT MILLION TONS END UP

IN OUR OCEANS EVERY YEAR.

THERE'S FAMOUSLY EVEN A SWIRLING

GARBAGE PATCH OF MICROPLASTIC

WASTE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN,

SPREAD OUT OVER AN AREA THAT IS

"BIGGER THAN FRANCE, GERMANY,

AND SPAIN COMBINED."

AND BY 2050, THE OCEAN IS

EXPECTED TO CONTAIN, BY WEIGHT,

MORE PLASTICS THAN FISH.

THAT IS ALL FISH.

THAT INCLUDES THE RED SNAPPER,

SALMON, AND, OF COURSE

THE BLOB FISH, THE ONLY FISH

WITH A FACE THAT SCREAMS

"I WOULD BE VOICED BY

RICHARD KIND IN A PIXAR MOVIE

AND HE WOULD ABSOLUTELY

NAIL IT."

ISN'T THAT RIGHT, BLOB FISH?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY, JOHN, 100%!

I MEAN, LOOK AT ME!

I'M A BLOB FISH!

I'M SLURP THE BLOB FISH!

>> John: OF COURSE YOU'RE CALLED

SLURP!

THAT IS SOME SPOT ON CASTING

RIGHT THERE.

>> WELL, I'D ONLY BE A

SUPPORTING CHARACTER, BUT, LOOK,

WITH THIS FACE?

YOU KNOW DAMN WELL I'M GONNA

STEAL THE SHOW.

>> John: I KNOW YOU WILL, SLURP!

>> I WOULD PROVIDE COMIC RELIEF

THROUGHOUT A VERY FUN, YET

INTERMITTENTLY TOUCHING FILM.

AND WORD HAS IT THERE'S GONNA

BE AT LEAST TWO SEQUELS.

AND JOHN?

ENTRE NOUS?

>> John: YES?

>> I DIE AT THE END OF

THE THIRD ONE!

BUT DON'T WORRY, I'VE GOT PROFIT

PARTICIPATION!

>> John: GOOD FOR YOU, SLURP!

GET THAT MONEY.

AND FRUSTRATINGLY, THE PLASTICS

INDUSTRY'S RESPONSE TO ALL THE

DAMAGE YOU'VE SEEN HAS BEEN

TO MAKE A BIG SHOW OF TINY

IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN REVERT

TO WHAT THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE,

WHICH IS HEAVILY PUSH THE IDEA

THAT IF WE AS CONSUMERS SIMPLY

TRIED HARD ENOUGH, WE COULD MAKE

OUR PLASTIC PROBLEM GO AWAY.

KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL --

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THAT FAKE

NATIVE AMERICAN AD -- IS STILL

AROUND, MAKING DUMB COMMERCIALS

LIKE THIS ONE, WHERE A BOTTLE

GOES ON A LONG, INSPIRING

JOURNEY TO A RECYCLING BIN AND

ENDS UP FULFILLING ITS DREAM OF

BECOMING A BENCH.

AND IF BOTTLES WERE SENTIENT,

I'D GENUINELY BE SURPRISED IF

THEIR BIGGEST DREAM WAS

"I WISH OLD PEOPLE WOULD PLAY

CHESS WHILE SITTING ON MY FACE."

BUT I WILL SAY, AT LEAST

THEY'RE BEING HONEST THERE THAT

THE BOTTLE BECAME A BENCH AND

THEN NOTHING ELSE.

BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, ONLY ABOUT

2% OF ALL RECYCLED PLASTIC WINDS

UP IN A SO-CALLED CLOSED-LOOP

SYSTEM, WHERE IT BECOMES THE

THING IT ORIGINALLY WAS,

IN OTHER WORDS, A BOTTLE GETTING

RECYCLED AND BECOMING A BOTTLE

AGAIN.

INSTEAD, MOST RECYCLED PLASTIC

GETS "DOWNCYCLED" TO

BECOME A CARPET,

OR A FLEECE SWEATSHIRT, OR

INDEED, A BENCH, AND IT THEN

CAN'T BE RECYCLED AGAIN.

AND YET DESPITE THIS FACT,

COMPANIES LIKE NESTLE WATER HAVE

GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE

ADS INDICATING THAT IF WE JUST

DID OUR PART, PLASTICS COULD BE

PUT INTO CONTINUOUS REUSE, LIKE

THIS AD FROM 2012.

>> NATURE HAS A BIOLOGICAL

METABOLISM WHERE ONE THING'S

WASTE BECOMES ANOTHER THING'S

FOOD.

SO IF I LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE

A PLASTIC BOTTLE, I DON'T SEE

WASTE, I SEE A NUTRIENT.

>> THIS IS RAW MATERIAL?

>> SO IF THIS IS RAW MATERIAL,

PEOPLE NEED TO START THINKING

ABOUT IT THAT WAY.

>> IT COULD COME BACK AS A

BOTTLE, OF COURSE.

>> WE ONLY HAVE TO MAKE THIS

VIRGIN MATERIAL ONE TIME.

AND THE REST OF IT'S UP TO YOU.

WE GET THE BOTTLE BACK, WE'LL

MAKE THIS BOTTLE OUT OF RECYCLED

CONTENT AGAIN.

>> John: WELL, THAT SOUNDS

AMAZING!

UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT THAT

EXECUTIVE BOARD KEN DOLL IS

SUGGESTING THERE IS COMPLETE

BULLSHIT.

BECAUSE NESTLE WATER DOESN'T,

IN FACT, HAVE TO MAKE VIRGIN

PLASTIC JUST "ONE TIME" IF YOU

SIMPLY GIVE YOUR BOTTLE BACK.

AND THE REASON WE KNOW THAT IS,

EVEN EIGHT YEARS AFTER THAT AD

AIRED, ONLY 20% OF THE PLASTIC

THEY USE WAS RECYCLED, MEANING

80% WAS FROM VIRGIN MATERIAL.

SO THAT'S THE MOST OBVIOUS

OVERSTATEMENT IN AN AD SINCE

THIS ONE FOR GAMEBOY IN THE '90s

THAT CLAIMED IT WAS

"MORE FUN THAN A FERRET DOWN

YOUR TROUSERS."

THAT AD IS REAL.

AND I'M SORRY, MARIO, BUT NO,

YOU'RE NOT MORE FUN.

NOT IF THE FERRET KNOWS WHAT

IT'S DOING.

AND THE CRAZY THING IS,

THAT COMPANY ACTUALLY HAS

A BETTER TRACK RECORD THAN MANY

OTHER BRANDS WHEN IT COMES TO

THIS.

THAT IS HOW BAD THINGS ARE.

TAKE COCA-COLA.

BRAND AUDITS OF OF PLASTIC WASTE

COLLECTED AT CLEANUPS HAVE

CONSISTENTLY FOUND COKE PRODUCTS

AS THE NUMBER ONE TOP GLOBAL

POLLUTER.

WHICH IS DAMNING.

AND PROBABLY WHY COKE HAS BEEN

SO ANXIOUS TO MAKE SPLASHY

PROMISES WE ALL SO BADLY

WANT TO HEAR,

LIKE PLEDGING TO USE AT LEAST

50% RECYCLED MATERIAL IN THEIR

PACKAGING BY 2030.

WHICH DOES SOUNDS REALLY GOOD.

THE PROBLEM IS, COKE HAS BEEN

MAKING AND BREAKING PROMISES

LIKE THAT FOR DECADES.

OVER THE YEARS, THEY'VE

REPEATEDLY, LOUDLY LAUNCHED BIG

RECYCLED-PLASTIC INITIATIVES

THAT THEY THEN QUIETLY

ABANDONED WITH NO ONE REALLY

NOTICING.

IN 2009, THEY ANNOUNCED PLANS

TO SOURCE 25% OF THEIR PLASTIC

FROM RECYCLED MATERIAL BY 2015.

EXCEPT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT

IT'S SIX YEARS PAST THAT

DEADLINE, AND THEIR CURRENT

PROPORTION IS JUST 10%.

SO I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF,

BY 2030, THE MAIN THING COKE IS

RECYCLING IS THE SAME BULLSHIT

PROMISES IT'S BEEN MAKING FOR

YEARS.

AND LOOK, ON A PERSONAL LEVEL,

I KNOW THIS CAN FEEL

DEMORALIZING,

BECAUSE IT CAN SEEM THAT

RECYCLING IS POINTLESS.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT

IT'S NOT.

WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY KEEP

RECYCLING PAPER, CARDBOARD, AND

ALUMINUM.

AND EVEN RECYCLING PLASTIC --

WHILE IT MIGHT BE 90% MORE

POINTLESS THAN YOU ASSUMED --

CAN STILL HAVE MODEST

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.

ALTHOUGH, WE SHOULD DO IT MORE

MINDFULLY -- YOU SHOULD CHECK

WITH YOUR LOCAL MUNICIPALITY TO

SEE WHAT TYPES OF PLASTIC THEY

ACCEPT, AND THEN ONLY RECYCLE

THOSE.

OTHERWISE, REMEMBER, YOU COULD

END UP CONTAMINATING USABLE

MATERIALS.

AND AS A GOOD RULE, DEFINITELY

DON'T "WISHCYCLE" THINGS LIKE

UMBRELLAS, BECAUSE THERE'S A

NONZERO CHANCE THAT YOU'RE GOING

TO END UP ANGERING

TOTES McGOATS.

OH, SHIT.

NO.

NO.

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

NO.

LEAVE THIS PLACE.

NO!

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,

OUR PERSONAL BEHAVIOR IS

NOT THE MAIN CULPRIT HERE,

DESPITE WHAT THE PLASTICS

INDUSTRY HAS SPENT DECADES,

AND MILLIONS OF

DOLLARS TRYING TO CONVINCE US.

SO YES, WE SHOULDN'T BE USING

SINGLE-USE PLASTICS LIKE

GROCERY BAGS OR TAKE-OUT

CONTAINERS -- REDUCING THAT

WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, AS

NEARLY HALF OF THE PLASTIC WASTE

GENERATED GLOBALLY IN 2015 WAS

PLASTIC PACKAGING, MOST OF IT

SINGLE USE.

BUT IT CAN BE HARD, ON AN

INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, TO END THEIR

USE.

A BETTER MOVE WOULD BE TO

IMPLEMENT SMART, THOUGHTFUL,

TARGETED BANS THAT FORCE THE

INTRODUCTION OF ALTERNATIVES.

AND TO THEIR CREDIT, MANY CITIES

HAVE BANNED SINGLE-USE PLASTIC

BAGS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE INDUSTRY HAS

FOUGHT THOSE BANS HARD,

EVEN LOBBYING SOME STATE

LEGISLATURES, TO THE

POINT THAT EIGHTEEN STATES NOW

HAVE PREEMPTIVE LAWS STOPPING

LOCAL REGULATION.

WHICH IS A BIT WEIRD.

I GUESS THOSE STATES JUST HAVE

A HARD-ON FOR PLASTIC BAGS NOT

SEEN SINCE THAT CREEPY KID FROM

"AMERICAN BEAUTY."

THE KID LOVED.

SO WHAT CAN WE REALLY DO HERE?

WELL, THE REAL BEHAVIOR CHANGE

HAS TO COME FROM PLASTICS

MANUFACTURERS THEMSELVES.

WITHOUT THAT, NOTHING

SIGNIFICANT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM INTERNALIZE

THE COSTS OF THE POLLUTION THAT

THEY ARE CREATING.

AND THERE IS A WAY TO DO THIS,

THROUGH A CONCEPT CALLED

"EXTENDED PRODUCER

RESPONSIBILITY" OR

"THE POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE."

THE IDEA IS TO CREATE LAWS

THAT ESSENTIALLY SHIFT

RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE COSTS OF

COLLECTION, FROM THE PUBLIC

SECTOR AND ALL OF US TO THE

ACTUAL PRODUCERS OF THE PLASTIC

WASTE.

EPR LAWS COULD, AMONG OTHER

THINGS, FORCE COMPANIES TO

EITHER CREATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE

AND MARKETS TO RECYCLE THE

PRODUCTS THEY MAKE, OR FORCE

THEM TO STOP MAKING THEM

ALTOGETHER.

THE U.S. IS ONE OF THE ONLY

DEVELOPED COUNTRIES ON EARTH

WITHOUT A NATIONAL EPR LAW

ADDRESSING PACKAGING.

BECAUSE OF COURSE IT IS.

BUT ON THE POSITIVE SIDE,

SEVERAL STATES ARE CURRENTLY

CONSIDERING EPR LAWS, AND THERE

WAS EVEN A NATIONAL LAW

INTRODUCED IN THE LAST CONGRESS.

IT WENT NOWHERE, BUT IT'LL SOON

BE INTRODUCED AGAIN, AND WE'RE

GOING TO NEED SOME VERSION OF AN

EPR LAW TO PASS, AND SOON.

BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM'S GETTING

WORSE.

PLASTIC PRODUCTION IS EXPECTED

TO TRIPLE BY 2050.

AND IT'S OBVIOUS THAT MEANINGFUL

CHANGE IS ONLY GOING TO COME

THROUGH BEING ABLE TO FORCE

THIS VERY POWERFUL INDUSTRY TO

DO THINGS THAT IT'S SHOWN FOR

HALF A CENTURY IT HAS ABSOLUTELY

NO INTEREST IN DOING.

WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM CHANGE --

AND IF NOT FOR OUR SAKE, OR THE

SAKE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS,

LET'S AT LEAST DO IT FOR ALL

THE FISH WHO ARE ABOUT TO BE

OUTNUMBERED BY PLASTIC

IN THE OCEAN.

>> JUST LIKE ME!

AIN'T THAT RIGHT, JOHN?

>> John: EXACTLY, SLURP,

JUST LIKE YOU!

THAT'S OUR SHOW, THANK YOU SO

MUCH FOR WATCHING.

WE'RE OFF NEXT WEEK, SO WE'LL

SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS' TIME.

>> A HIATUS?

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

ALREADY?

JESUS.

GOD ALMIGHTY, JOHN.

C'MON, JOHN, BUCKLE DOWN.

YOU'VE GOT MORE WRITERS THAN

THE JONESTOWN MASSACRE.

MY GOD!

>> John: SLURP, IT'S A VERY

INTENSIVE PRODUCTION.

OUR STAFF IS ENTITLED

TO A BREAK.

SEE YOU ALL APRIL 4th.

GOOD NIGHT!

>> HEY!

LOOK AT ME, EVERYBODY!

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.

YOU'RE THINKING I LOOK LIKE

SOMETHING ANOTHER FISH COUGHED

UP.

HUH?

THAT MY HEAD LOOKS LIKE A BASKET

INGREDIENT FROM "CHOPPED."

YEAH, OKAY.

TO EVERYBODY OUT THERE

ON THE INTERNET WHO SAID I LOOK

LIKE TED CRUZ, REMEMBER:

I GOT FEELINGS.

AND YOU'VE HURT THEM.

GOOD NIGHT.

I LOVE YOU ALL.

MIAMI BEACH IS THE GREATEST

AUDIENCE IN THE WORLD!

MWAH!

GOOD NIGHT!