Stop Plastic
While plastic has many valuable uses, we have become addicted to single-use or disposable plastic — with severe environmental consequences. Around the world, one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute, while up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year. In total, half of all plastic produced is designed to be used only once — and then thrown away. Plastic waste is now so ubiquitous in the natural environment that scientists have even suggested it could serve as a geological indicator of the Anthropocene era.
Today, we produce about 300 million of tonnes plastic waste every year. That is equivalent to the weight of entire Human Population!!
Researchers estimate that more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the early 1950s. About 60% of that plastic has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment.
We’re seeing some other worrying trends. Since the 1950s, the rate of plastic production has grown faster than that of any other material. We’ve also seen a shift away from the production of durable plastic, and towards plastics that are meant to be thrown away after a single use. More than 99% of plastics are produced from chemicals derived from oil, natural gas and coal — all of which are dirty, non-renewable resources. If current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic industry could account for 20% of the world’s total oil consumption.
These single-use plastic products are everywhere. For many of us, they’ve become integral to our daily lives.
Some Ways to Stop Plastic Waste
1. Stop using plastic straws, even in restaurants. If a straw is a must, purchase a reusable stainless steel or glass straw.
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2. Use a reusable produce bag. A single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade. Purchase or make your own reusable produce bag and be sure to wash them often!
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3. Give up gum. Gum is made of a synthetic rubber, aka plastic.
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4. Buy boxes instead of bottles. Often, products like laundry detergent come in cardboard which is more easily recycled than plastic.
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5. Purchase food, like cereal, pasta, and rice from bulk bins and fill a reusable bag or container. You save money and unnecessary packaging.
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6. Reuse containers for storing leftovers or shopping in bulk.
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7. Use a reusable bottle or mug for your beverages, even when ordering from a to-go shop
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8. Bring your own container for take-out or your restaurant doggy-bag since many restaurants use styrofoam.
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9. Use matches instead of disposable plastic lighters or invest in a refillable metal lighter.
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10. Avoid buying frozen foods because their packaging is mostly plastic. Even those that appear to be cardboard are coated in a thin layer of plastic. Plus you'll be eating fewer processed foods!
