It's an old chestnut that any problems we create for ourselves, we can solve with new technology. I don't agree, but it is true in some cases, and here's a hopeful sign that it might be true for one of the knottiest problems for our plasticized economy: we make plastic from a non-renewable resource, petroleum. Some researchers have invented a process to make plastic from oranges and CO2. What problems it will cause in turn, and how cost effective it will truly be, is another matter, but for now, it's hope for freedom from oil dependency.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4191737.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4191737.stm