Every year, enough plastic is thrown away to circle the Earth four times. Plastic is not biodegradable and essentially lasts forever. Every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists today. So where does all this plastic go when you throw it away? Statistically, the ocean. 90% of ocean pollutants are plastic. In fact, so much plastic ends up in the ocean that a massive plastic island has accumulated in the Pacific. It's called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and is twice the size of Texas. Something like 15,000 pieces of plastic are thrown into the ocean every day. It's obvious that we have a problem. How can you begin to help fix it? Over 50% of the plastic we use in our daily lives is used once and then thrown away. Using these tips, you can reduce the amount of one-time plastic you use.
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1. Swap plastic water bottles for a reusable one
You've probably heard this one a million times. Out of the 2.5 million bottles that will be used by Americans in the next hour, ever single one of them will still exist by the end of your lifetime.
2. Bring reusable grocery bags when you go the store
Plastic bags are often mistaken as jellyfish or other foods for marine life, accounting for millions of deaths in sea life.
3. Stop using straws
Straws are an entirely unnecessary use of plastic. Skip the straws, or swap them for reusable ones.
4. Don't buy juices or condiments that come in plastic bottles
Fruit juices and other juices and condiments, such as ketchup, are all readily available at grocery stores and convenience shops. Instead of buying those that come in plastic bottles, buy the ones that come in glass containers or jars.
5. Use soaps, shampoos that can be purchased in bars instead of plastic containers
Soaps, shampoos, and other hygienic or beauty products can be purchased in bars or reusable or recyclable containers.
6. Swap plastic disposable utensils for compostable ones
Consider every disposable plastic cup, plate, spoon, and fork you've used when at a party or going out to eat. That piece of plastic is still around, sitting in a landfill, contaminating soil, or floating in the ocean. Instead of buying disposable plastic, consider getting compostable and other eco-friendly disposable kitchenware.
7. Bring reusable mugs or thermoses to Starbucks
Most coffee shops, like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, will make your favorite drink order in a cup of your choosing. Bring a thermos to get coffee and instead of using a new disposable plastic cup every time you go.
8. Buy loose fruits and veggies instead of bagged produce
Bagged produce, such as lettuce and carrots, tend not to be good for you anyway. Buy loose fruits and vegetables instead of those that come in plastic bags.
9. Use Tupperware for lunch instead of plastic Ziploc bags
If you're using plastic Ziploc bags every day to pack items for lunch, you're generating an unnecessary amount of waste. Swap the plastic for reusable Tupperware. You'll save money too!
10. Opt for wooden or cloth toys for kids
As the holiday season rolls around, consider what you're buying as gifts. Most children's plastic toys will end up in a landfill when they're finished with. Try gifting more sustainably this season.
We use plastic because of its convenience. It is easier and far less time-consuming to use disposable items than to use more sustainable resources. However, to protect our oceans and communities from the tons and tons of plastic waste that end up in landfills and bodies of water every day, we must change our habits.
