Tears of Plastic

Jennifer Mateo Ramos

It was January 6th of a year that became my last one as a child. It was going to be the last time I would receive gifts from my aunts, uncles, and other close relatives on “El Día de Reyes” (Three Kings Day); a day which meant joy, tradition, and enchanting memories in my childhood, a time when I believed that “los tres reyes” (the three kings) were living characters. This holiday meant a connection to a magical world which brought me thrill and presents. I was sixteen years old, and celebrating the usual “Día de Reyes” family gathering at my house. Everyone was having a good time. I remember getting lots of presents (clothes, table games, jewelry, and money), all inside dazzling gift bags, and colorful wrapping paper. The day was filled with excitement, and also with paper and plastic bags used to package, transport, and collect all the garbage after the gathering. So paper and plastic bags ended up everywhere: on the couch, on the floor, on the kitchen cabinet, in the garage, in my parent’s room, and in my bedroom. Nobody cared how many there were, not even me. I thought they were being used for a reasonable cause.

It didn’t occur to me that the paper and plastic bags we used were a menace for any kind of animal (including human beings) or to the entire natural environment. In a few years we may be living in a world surrounded by plastic trash. I hope that instead of using paper and plastic materials so excessively, we just use them only when they’re needed, and this doesn’t include gift wrapping. For instance, I have a cousin who has a colostomy; she uses an Ostomy Pouching System (also called a colostomy bag). Plastic is used to make these devices, but it is a biological need for her, she cannot stop using them. However, plastic bags are not really needed to collect trash, or other objects, other options such as biodegradable bags and cloth bags are healthier for the environment, and for us.

I try to recycle the paper and plastic that I receive in gifts, or in other stuff, and I try not to purchase many products that use them. I cannot stop certain establishments’ employees from giving me plastic bags, and they get kind neurotic if I reject using them, but I still do my part.

I have become aware of nature's pain, the prolonged contamination in its seas, creatures, and forests. My dog, Flora, is a victim of our constant use of paper and plastic bags. She finds them in my house’s backyard, and buried in the ground, and she enjoys swallowing them. My enchanting Barrio Nuevo is also a victim of plastic and paper materials, which have become the unnatural but frequent decoration in its roads, trees, and rivers. My pledge to nature is not to cause it another tear by using plastic and paper bags unnecessarily.

I wonder how it can be possible that in a beautiful tradition such as “El Día de Reyes” plastic bags are so prominent. It is interesting that a tradition that brings so much joy to many people also brings nature so many tears, caused by peoples’ obsession to use non biodegradable material in this celebration. The next time I attend another family gathering, even if it is not “El Día de Reyes,” I will make others aware of the harm plastic and paper bags cause; let others know that as a result of their ignorance, that they are “a cuchillito de palo” (with a miniature wooden knife) slowly killing our natural environment. Hence, it is sad that we have come to this, celebrating on nature’s behalf (celebrando a costillas de la naturaleza), no matter what the consequences.

Silver and Pink
-Norma Marcano Mulero

Whenever I come in contact with a plastic bag, I remember mom. She seems to be fond of plastic bags, especially the big, strong, and pretty ones. She always saves those she thinks she can easily reuse and those that are just "too cute to throw out." The ones she keeps the most are from OLD NAVY, for being both pretty and strong. I don't think that her recycling strategy is environmentally friendly, but she does take it seriously. Since I was a little girl she has taught me to save the worthy ones under the bed, so that they won't get wrinkled. We keep them between the mattress and the box spring, being that the most suitable place for storage (or so mom thinks.) I used to hate this ritual after a day of shopping; but I find the supply it produces rather useful when I have to take things to school that don't fit in my backpack.

Several years ago my view of saving plastic bags drastically changed. I still don't like to save bags under my bed, but I now understand my mother's mania, ever since receiving my first plastic bag from CHARLOTTE RUSSE. I guess it's because I found the bag to be so eye friendly, unlike most plastic bags, and couldn't consider throwing out something that looked so good and resembled art more than trash. It was like a token of appreciation the store gave customers for shopping.

Since in middle school this has been my favorite store. It's the only place I always go and like everything; the blouses, jeans, jewelry, shoes, and purses are the best you can find for the price they sell them. The bag was glossy silver with a pink stripe on the middle that held the white letters of the name of the store. The texture of the bag was unlike any other, the silver spaceship color made it look futuristic, but in a old-fashioned way. It was also strong and mid-size, making it really practical to use. Definitely a dreamy type of bag. When needed I proudly used it outside. Instead of dragging along an awful looking supermarket plastic bag, the silver and pink one almost made a fashion statement, provoking many complements from peers as well as teachers.

Even though am not a fashion freak, and don't particularly care much about how I look, I do have issues about carrying an ugly plastic bag in public. I think that most Puerto Ricans don't care much about what type of plastic bag they carry around. I've seen some pretty ugly ones, in bright yellow, for example, with owners that seem to be oblivious to the fact that those are better off not shown out of the context of the supermarket. Or it could be that they don't go to any store that has pretty plastic bags for customers (like silver and pink ones perhaps.) Unfortunately, I have to refer to my CHARLOTTE'S bag in the past tense because they killed that pretty plastic bag. I can't recall the specific time, but they simply and quietly discontinued it. They replaced with a baby blue and aqua-colored bag that resembles the former one only in size. I now don't save my favorite store's plastic shopping bag as happily as before.

Obsessed with Preservation
- Adriana Gonzalez Herédia

I know how it feels to be passionate about something. My joy lies in collecting keepsakes from the Japanese anime and manga series Inuyasha, specifically the character "Sesshoumaru." Everywhere I go I keep my eyes open for even a glimpse of an item with his design. Bedding or a keychain of this type will be tucked behind sheer plastic protection, the only obstacle standing between my fingers and his striped face. When I finally take something of his home with me, I always exchange smiles with the happy-faced shopping bag before I let my youkai warrior breathe in fresh air. I never find it odd that even the plastic bag knows my happiness. "'Have a nice day' to you too," I laugh.

There is only one person that can fully comprehend how I am with my Sesshoumaru-sama, my little sister, Amanda. She is a die-hard Pirates of the Caribbean fanatic and holds an equal passion for her own beloved character, "Jack Sparrow." She admires his quirky attitude and finds it exciting that he navigates the ancient waters surrounding our island of Puerto Rico. My sister has more posters of him hanging in her room than I do of Sesshoumaru, his face on more pencil boxes and pins than I can add up. If I am not careful, Amanda could out number me in throw pillow count! However, we hold no real competition between us; instead, we have an understanding and respect for each other's "guy" and feel the same pain when the other loses something from the franchise. Once, though, the object of value was saved before it ever walked the plank.

Mom, Amanda and I were at the mall. My sister had just purchased a Pirates necklace at Claire's, a gold coin with a skull embedded in it. It was bought with her own money, which she earned by selling hand-made jewelry at her school for low prices, and saving the change she got from buying eggs and toast in the mornings. As she carefully opened the plastic that surrounded the necklace, her eyes glistened with delight. She had mom clasp the accessory around her neck immediately.

While my sister studied the gem, I noticed a crinkling sound to my right, where mom began crumbling the shiny, clear plastic and bending the cardboard to throw it away. I gasped audibly, catching Amanda's attention. She pivoted on her heel in an instant, wide-eyed. "Mom! What are you doing!" she exclaimed. My sister quickly snatched her treasures out of the hands of a very surprised and confused adult, held them close to her heart, and unfolded them tenderly until all that was left of the damage were creases. Her actions left mom baffled, but I merely smiled. Not only did Amanda have another picture of Jack, but the jolly buccaneer's image would last longer if it could be guarded from wear and damage, leaving no reason to throw away the package it came in. When we got home, the laminated cardboard print of the pirate went into her drawer for safe-keeping, along with the rest of her loot. An obsession, we agree, is better preserved within plastic.

Amigo’s Not So Friendly Plastic Shopping Bags

- Carola Matta

Plastic shopping bags, especially from the supermarkets, are a must have in my house. We use them for everything. Whenever my girl friends come over, for sleepovers and such, my mom always gives them a plastic shopping bag from Amigo for dirty laundry. When my family is invited to parties, we always carry our musical instruments in them during the “parranda” days of Christmas. Any refreshments taken along we bring in a plastic bag. Every weekend, when we go to our beach house in Luquillo, we pack the things we take with us in plastic shopping bags. A few days later, we return with the stuff that can rot in the fridge in the same bags. There are so many plastic shopping bags in my house that my mom always finds a use for the. When it’s raining outside and my sister and I can’t find an umbrella, my mom gives us a plastic shopping bag so we can protect our blow-dried hair from getting ruined. One time, when it was pouring rain outside, my parents were going to a wedding and my mom had on expensive new shoes from “La Favorita” which she did not want to ruin. She covered each foot with a plastic shopping bag until she got in the car.

The only chore that I am personally responsible for, the chore that has my name written on it (even though I also have to help around with the cleaning, the dishes and such) revolves around plastic bags. Whenever we come home from Amigo, our grocery store, I take the groceries to the kitchen and remove them from the plastic bags. I place all of the bags inside one bag and then put that one bag behind the kitchen trash can.

One time, there were so many bags filled up with other plastic bags that my mother told me to throw them away in the trash can outside; and so I did. Minutes after I threw the five to six bags full of other plastic bags in the outside trash, my dad came home from work and noticed how two Beagle puppies were choking from chewing the plastic bags. My dad suffers from back pain so I always step outside to check if he needs help carrying thongs inside. When I stepped outside, both puppies had died. I was infuriated with myself.

Our neighborhood is full of dogs with hungry looks on their faces. Every time I see one, I usually give them a slice of ham or meat, so they usually wonder around my front yard looking for food. That day, one of the plastic bags had a used turkey ham container in it. It’s what I believe attracted the puppies to our trash. All this time, I wanted to avoid that neglected dogs from our neighborhood starving to death. I was trying to be friendly and I ended up killing them with plastic bags as my weapon. From that moment on my little sister became the one in charge of putting away Amigo’s not so friendly plastic shopping bags.