As many of you know, humans produce way too much trash. There is so much trash, that humans are running out of space to put it all so its being dumped in oceans, rivers, lakes etc. People think that by dumping their trash in places where they can no longer see it means the problem is solved. WRONG!
Certain plastics and forms of trash can take 100's of years to biodegrade. One piece of plastic can have a longer life span than a human being. That's crazy! Littering is also a huge problem as well, people who throw their trash, or even gum out the window don't know the crazy negative affect it can have on the environment.
"Well so what, its only one piece of gum," said 8 million people.
Your one piece of trash could be the piece of trash that harms a bird looking for a worm, harms a sea turtle that mistakes a floating piece of plastic for a fish, or even harms a human trying to bring clean water or food back to their family. Not only animals struggle with this crisis, humans do too. People in some countries use river for bathing and for clean drinking water. This crisis has become so bad, that these people are bathing in trash-filled water, and people are drinking water that's unsafe and can be damaging to their health. Its time to make a change, and that change can start with one person, and that person is YOU!!
Many people on a daily basis go to Starbucks for a coffee, or a tea to start off the day. Each coffee cup usually comes in a plastic cup with a plastic straw that usually gets dumped in the trash. Thankfully Starbucks' around the world are starting to make plastic cups that don't require a straw. If everyone around the world used a cup without a straw, we would be saving over a million straws a day from ending up in landfills. Even in a restaurant when they give you a glass cup with a straw, you can ask for it without a straw.
It is so easy to drink out of a glass cup without a straw and the best part about it is the glass is reusable!
Another thing you can do to help reduce plastic is by using a reusable water bottle. Using plastic water bottles that you buy at the store such as Poland Spring, Aquafina, etc. are very damaging to the environment as well especially if they aren't recycled. If you have to use the nonreusable water bottle, recycling them is your next best option because the plastic can be broken down and used again. If you have a reusable water bottle, you can save a lot of money, and you could save a lot of plastic from being just thrown away into the environment.
Lastly, when you're in the grocery store trying to buy products that are packaged or you're trying to buy utensils, cups, and straws, look for products made with organic, biodegradable material. So when you do go to throw these products away, and they end up in our environment they will biodegrade and be way less harmful to the earth.
There are so many simple and easy choices that you can make every single day to help preserve and take care of our beautiful earth. Even one person a day can make a huge difference and can help save an animal life. Please consider what products you use on a daily basis, and how you can eliminate them from harming the earth. Also be mindful of what you throw out your car window, even if it's as simple and small as a piece of gum.
