PLASTIC POLLUTION: FACTS AND SOLUTIONS

It’s hard to imagine a life without plastic when it seems to be around us every day. But when it comes to the environment, there’s not much more dastardly; over the last ten years, we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century. This begs the question: what’s going on here, and what can we do to stop it? In a world where enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the earth four times, it’s time to think about the effects of our plastic use, and how to best transition into more sustainable living.

FACTS

• Every year the world uses 500 billion plastic bags.
• Each year, at least 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans, the equivalent of a full garbage truck every minute.
• In the last decade, we produced more plastic than in the whole last century.
• 50% of the plastic that we use is single-use or disposable.
• We buy 1 million plastic bottles every minute.
• Plastic makes up 10% of all of the waste we generate.

PLASTIC AWARENESS

So those are the facts about plastic pollution. Nothing we can do about it, right? Wrong! There's quite a bit that you and I can do in our day to day lives to reduce our impact and stop plastic pollution.

• Talk to people about plastic pollution. The fight to protect our planet is one that's going to involve everyone, and everyone has a good reason to treat the Earth better. So talk to people about it. Bring up plastic pollution. Talk about how we can work together to reduce and eventually stop it.
• Support local plastic bag bans. Paper, while not a perfect substance, is considerably more sustainable and less polluting than plastic. Paper bags are able to break down over time and naturally biodegrade.

• Pick up litter! Even if you're inland, picking up litter can help keep it from reaching the ocean. Trash in your neighborhood can end up in local waterways which often inevitably lead to the ocean. If you live on the coast, volunteer for beach trash cleanups.
• Recycle your plastics. Avoid accepting plastic bags and other non-recyclable plastics. If you do take a plastic bag, ask if your local grocer recycles them for customers.
• Consider all the items you purchase regularly and find out if there are plastic alternatives available for you.
• Store files in the cloud. Buy mp3s instead of CDs. Going digital isn't just way more efficient and convenient, it keeps a lot of CDs and DVDs out of the dump.
• Don't accept single-use cups from coffee shops and restaurants. Bring with you your own travel mug to use for drinks or ask for a reusable mug when you order.