To all scientists, researchers, engineers, environmentally concerned people..?

Sadly we're boned. It's due to opportunism. Individuals, groups and countries can become advantaged by taking the easy way. It's because negative byproducts (externalities) are not in the price of the products. Producing plastic is really cheap so everyone packages their products with it. However the cost to the environment is great and for many years. The only solutions are technology increasing to a point where they can fix human byproducts, an enforcement body can make sure people don't ruin the planet (take advanced technology too), or the pollution gets bad enough so that the people making money by causing the pollution are directly affected and change their ways.