This article is pretty good at summarizing the importance of microplastic to health (downside), including in cardiovascular disease etc..
Global companies are trying to address this issue for a long time. The most recent development is Starbucks’ announcement of redesigned single-use cups with 10-20% less plastic.
Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer.
Several of the major greenhouse gases occur naturally but increases in their atmospheric concentrations over the last 250 years are due largely to human activities. Other greenhouse gases are entirely the result of human activities. [IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report]
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities.
Emissions of CO2 from fossil fuel use and from the effects of land use change on plant and soil carbon are the primary sources of increased atmospheric CO2.
An electric car using average European electricity is almost 30% cleaner over its life cycle compared to even the most efficient internal combustion engine vehicle on the market today
In most countries, the majority of emissions over the lifetime of both electric and conventional vehicles come from vehicle operation – tailpipe and fuel cycle – rather than vehicle manufacture. The exception is in countries – Norway or France, for example – where nearly all electricity comes from near-zero carbon sources, such as hydroelectric or nuclear power. Lifecycle emissions for electric vehicles are much smaller in countries such as France (which gets most of its electricity from nuclear) or Norway (from renewables). [carbonbrief]
Producing batteries in a plant powered by renewable energy – as will be the case for the Tesla factory – substantially reduces lifetime emissions. The IVL researchers estimate that battery manufacturing emissions are between 61 and 106 kg CO2-equivalent per kWh.
With the technology advancements and cleaner energy sources for plants, the marginal and average cost of producing batteries will continue to go down.