We all recognize the Mobius-like recycling symbol on the bottom of plastic containers. Many of us associate it with a sense of hope and optimism that we are doing good for the planet. Follow this fascinating article by The Grist to learn about its origins as a campaign logo for Earth Day in the 1970s which was usurped by the plastics industry to use as a resin code on the bottoms of plastic containers, and then used in greenwashing tactics to make us believe that plastic could be easily recycled. Read the article.

The article was originally published in The Grist.