Preserving Plastics and Synthetic Materials

Sunlight destroys most things, given enough time, and plastics and nylons are no exception. So the key to getting long life out of things like tents and plastic planting pots is, don't leave them in the sun when A) they are not being used, or B) for extended periods of time. When growing season is over, I empty my window planters and earth boxes out and store them inside for 6 months. They still show signs of degradation, but they will last twice as long as they would if I left them out all year. As for tents, I don't need them long term, as I only go camping for a few days a year. But I have seen tents that have been left out in the sun long-term, and they were in bad shape, bleached out with degraded netting. So, if I were to live in a tent long-term, I would set it up in shade or under cover. Tarps, too, degrade BADLY in the sun. Enough said.