Dear Editor:
I love living in Pagosa Springs—but every time I drive past many of our local businesses (uptown, midtown and downtown by the river), I’m heartbroken by the trash piling up in their lots. These businesses profit from our community, yet they treat our shared spaces like dumping grounds. Why is this acceptable?
Most of the waste is single-use plastic—cups, bags, wrappers—that never truly disappears. Despite the plastics industry’s decades-long promise that “recycling is the solution,” less than 6% of U.S. plastic actually gets recycled. And even if we improved recycling systems, they’ll never keep up with plastic production, which is expected to double by 2040 - from 400 million tons to 800 million tons per year. Not only that, but plastic is only recyclable a handful of times - then it becomes too toxic to reuse. Think about that for a minute. We eat and drink out of these materials.
Plastic isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a human health crisis. Over 16,000 chemicals are used in plastic production, many of which are toxic and linked to cancer, hormone disruption, fertility issues, and even premature death. Microplastics have been found in our blood, lungs, brains, breast milk, and even newborn babies. A recent study in The Lancet estimates plastic pollution costs the world $1.5 trillion in health damages annually.
And the damage doesn’t stop there. Plastic is everywhere—in Arctic ice, the Mariana Trench, our national parks, and even our food, water, and beer. The solution isn’t just recycling; it’s reducing plastic at the source.
We need change—and it starts with policy. These businesses won’t suddenly grow a conscience and take it upon themselves to make better choices for us - or will they? I’d love to be surprised.
Our Pagosa Springs City Council has a responsibility to protect our health and environment. Let’s urge them to ban single-use plastics and support businesses in switching to affordable, sustainable alternatives made from polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), bagasse (sugarcane pulp), bamboo fiber, coconut fiber, mycelium, algae-based products, and now even seaweed.
It would also be great if the local coffee shops could incentivize reusable coffee mugs by offering a discount for bringing your own!
Many of these single-use coffee cups and to-go ware are lined with Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) also known as ‘forever chemicals’ which are a group of 14,000 synthetic chemicals used since the 1940s for their water-, grease-, and stain- resistance properties. They don’t break down naturally and con persist in the environment and our bodies for decades. They are linked to cancer, immune system damage, hormone disruption, liver damage, obesity and diabetes and developmental issues in children.
This isn’t about blame—it’s about taking pride in our town and demanding better. Because Pagosa Springs deserves clean streets, healthy families, and a future free from pollution.
Who’s with me in asking our leaders to act?
Christa Chagra
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