This summer I officially started my first internship. I work at the Philadelphia Zoo as a Public Education intern. I plan events and also go out into the zoo and educate the public on the animals we house and many conservation efforts the zoo is focusing on. This internship is so fulfilling, but I do not get paid. As a student in college I need to find a way to pay the bills. I have held a job at my local farmers’ market for a couple of years now. I sell meats and cheeses to people—a pretty standard college student job. As the dedicated tree hugger I am, I always ask people after I ring them up, “Do you need a bag?”. People’s items can range from one to about fifteen items. During the course of my day I find myself handing out a hundred or so plastic bags, not to mention the other bags my eight to 10 coworkers are also handing out.

I always have the customers who shove the items into their already purchased bags, those who bring their reusable bags (my favorite), those who carry their items out by hand, and those who only have a couple items and insist that they need an additional bag because they can’t mix items from the other 10 bags they already have. These are the customers I can’t stand. As crazy as it may sound, it actually hurts a part of me every time I hand out an unnecessary plastic bag. In my mind, all plastic is unnecessary, but I can understand the need for a bag in some circumstances. However, knowing all the facts we have about plastic, I still have trouble understanding how people can still fill their hands with these toxins. In fact, 50 percent of the plastic we use is only used once and then thrown away. Enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the earth four times! There are so many alternatives to plastic out there, and I find our addiction to the substance mind boggling. Most people take these bags, empty out their items, and then simply toss the thing. They don’t reuse the bags or even look into recycling them. I think people don’t realize the damage plastic can do.

It takes 500-1,000 years for plastic to degrade. That means it is sitting in a landfill, floating in the ocean, stuck in a tree, or being ingested by wildlife. One million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed from plastic simply floating in the oceans. I’m sure by now you have heard of the giant island of trash floating in the Pacific Ocean that is twice the size of Texas. If that doesn’t scare you, plastic chemicals can be absorbed by the body and 93 percent of Americans, age six or older, have tested positive for BPA, which is a chemical found in most plastics. These chemicals have been found to alter hormones and have other harmful health affects on humans. With all of these facts, if you take a plastic bag, you are contributing to this problem. This issue of litter, species lost, climate change, and beyond are the greatest problems facing our generation.

But there are plenty of ways for us to fix these problems and save the environment while we still have the chance:

1) Bring reusable bags whenever you go shopping. Or if you forget, opt for a paper bag instead. Most stores will give you a discount for every reusable bag you bring. Such as Whole Foods, which offers ten cents off your purchase for every reusable bag you bring.

2) Keep an eye out for bag recycling. Many stores or towns have places to drop off your plastic bags when you are done with them. You can even ask your grocery store if you should simply bring the bag back for them to recycle.

3) Invest in a reusable bottle. There are so many brands out there you can purchase these bottles from. It’ll save plastic, money, and keep you away from those harmful chemicals.

4) Bring a thermos or cold cup next time for coffee. The people at my local Starbucks love my family and I every time we bring in our reusable cups. If a barista gives you a hard time, remind them you are saving the planet. But generally I get nothing but smiles.

5) Avoid micro beads! Many brands of face wash have plastic micro beads for exfoliating. But when you wash your face these beads go down the drain and into our water. Find biodegradable solutions, get a hand towel, or make your own.

6) No disposable razors. Now this may seem strange, but many companies offer razors where all you have to do is switch the blades rather than throwing out the whole thing.

7) Cloth Diapers!!! Even if you aren’t close to having a baby, consider it as your next great gift for your newest baby cousin. I grew up with cloth diapers. They are simply cloth padding to collect the waste, and there is an extra outside layer with the Velcro to hold it all together. Not only does this cut down on waste, but they are super comfortable and also will save you a ton of money on diapers.

These are just some of the thousands of ways to help save the environment and avoid the use of plastic. Most importantly, do your research and educate your friends and family. The environmental movement is growing everyday, and everyday is an opportunity for you to make a difference.