End Plastic Pollution
Ending plastic pollution is about avoiding plastic in the first place and if unable to,
reusing or recycling the material
as opposed to
tossing it into the garbage towards the landfill
or onto the ground embarking it upon a journey to the sea. Plastics
do not biodegrade. They actually resist biodegradation, but will eventually break down into small particles from exposure to the elements, sunlight and especially seawater.
These small particles resemble food to marine life and the results are tragic
and come back to us in the form of toxic food, the environment in the form of toxic degradation and to wildlife in the form of toxic death.
Plastic constitutes 90% of all trash floating in the world's oceans
with some areas having a
ratio of 6-to-1 plastic to plankton by weight in 1999 and 46-to-1 plastic to plankton ratio in 2008
.
The world produces 300 billion pounds of plastic each year. 10% of this plastic ends up in the oceans where 70% eventually sinks
damaging habitats on the ocean floor. The rest floats or remains suspended just below the ocean surface forming these massive garbage patches, or washing up on a distant shore. There is little we can do to clean our oceans,
for a cleanup effort would bankrupt any country, but there is much we can do to change our ways to prevent further destruction both in the ocean and on land. The best solution is prevention.
Discover 16 Ways to Reuse Plastic Bags.
"The amount of plastic pollution in the ocean is expanding at a catastrophic rate, but there are similar concentrations of plastic in the desert, in every community around the world, in our homes and in us." ~ Plastic Pollution Coalition
"We live on one planet, we have one ocean. Even though we call it different names it is all connected. So you know, we're going to be swimming in it, eating it, surfing in it, etc.. I mean, I don't, I don't want to be in water that's a garbage dump and I'm sure many other people don't either. But there is this mentality that somehow you put it in this vast ocean and it's going to disappear. But it doesn't! " ~ Suzanne Frazer, Co-Founder, B.E.A.C.H. Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai'i
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The Plastic Pollution Coalition
Invites you to Take The Pledge
and Follow the 4 R's of Sustainable Living
Refuse
Simply say NO to single-use and disposable plastics, such as bags, bottles, straws, cups, plates, silverware and razors! Discover alternatives. This is the most effective of the 4r's and will allow you to discover that life without disposable plastics is not only entirely feasible, but also healthier! Learn more.
Simply say NO to single-use and disposable plastics, such as bags, bottles, straws, cups, plates, silverware and razors! Discover alternatives. This is the most effective of the 4r's and will allow you to discover that life without disposable plastics is not only entirely feasible, but also healthier! Learn more.
Reduce
Reduce your plastic footprint entirely by avoiding plastic in the first place or by buying in bulk, choosing products with the least packaging and amount of disposable parts, purchasing vegetables and legumes without prepackaging, looking for products and packaging made from renewable resources, and avoiding plastic packaging and containers.
Reduce your plastic footprint entirely by avoiding plastic in the first place or by buying in bulk, choosing products with the least packaging and amount of disposable parts, purchasing vegetables and legumes without prepackaging, looking for products and packaging made from renewable resources, and avoiding plastic packaging and containers.
Reuse
Reuse preferably nontoxic, such as glass or stainless steel, containers and goods to make less waste. If you have plastic bags or containers, reuse them as well to prolong their life before recycling them.
Reuse preferably nontoxic, such as glass or stainless steel, containers and goods to make less waste. If you have plastic bags or containers, reuse them as well to prolong their life before recycling them.
Recycle
Recycle what you can’t refuse, reduce or reuse. Recycling plastic has many benefits, but is a last option because it uses energy, there may not be a market for the refabricated, usually less useful materials, the waste may be shipped overseas where it isn't recycled, but burned causing toxic emissions, and most plastics aren't actually recycled, but downcycled. Learn more.
Recycle what you can’t refuse, reduce or reuse. Recycling plastic has many benefits, but is a last option because it uses energy, there may not be a market for the refabricated, usually less useful materials, the waste may be shipped overseas where it isn't recycled, but burned causing toxic emissions, and most plastics aren't actually recycled, but downcycled. Learn more.
"Everyone, no matter how close to or far from the ocean, can contribute to the solution. It’s simple: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle - (1) Try to reduce the amount of trash you produce (e.g., try to purchase items with minimal additional packaging); (2) Make use of items that are reusable rather than disposable; and (3) when you do use disposable items, remember to recycle!" ~ NOAA
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Explore, join and support these organizations working hard to spread awareness on the environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution and marine debris and what we can do to stop it in our communities, around the world, in the stomachs of wildlife and within our own bodies!
*Be sure to search out your local organization!
*Be sure to search out your local organization!
- 5 Gyres - "Our mission is to conduct research and communicate about the global impact of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans and employ strategies to eliminate the accumulation of plastic pollution in the 5 subtropical gyres."
- Plastic Pollution Coalition
- "Plastic Pollution Coalition is a global alliance of individuals, organizations and businesses working together to stop plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on humans, animals and the environment."
- Ocean Conservancy - "Ocean Conservancy educates and empowers citizens to take action on behalf of the ocean. From the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico to the halls of Congress, Ocean Conservancy brings people together to find solutions for our water planet. Informed by science, our work guides policy and engages people in protecting the ocean and its wildlife for future generations."
- B.E.A.C.H. Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai'i
- "Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai`i (B.E.A.C.H.) is an all volunteer, non-profit organization that brings awareness and solutions to the problem of marine debris on Hawai`i's beaches through environmental education marine debris removal and research, plastic reduction and litter prevention campaigns for the purpose of saving and protecting marine life, sea birds and the ocean/coastal environment."
- Save Our Shores - A 501 (c) 3 non-profit marine conservation organization in Santa Cruz, California, whose mission is caring for the marine environment through ocean awareness, advocacy, and citizen action.
Purchase Compostable and Reusable Items:
Reusable Bags, Mugs and More
Compostable and Biodegradable
"Walk into any grocery or department store and try to fill a grocery cart with individual products that are not made from, packaged, or labeled with plastic. Though some products, like plastic bottles, have a recovery plan, most do not. Even fewer are truly recycled. Plastic lost at sea is an environmental and potential human health hazard. We must demand zero tolerance for plastic pollution. Reducing our consumption and production of plastic waste, and choosing cost-effective alternatives will go a long way towards protecting our seas- and ultimately ourselves." ~ 5 Gyres
"In 2010, a California grey whale washed up dead on the shores of the Puget Sound. Autopsies indicated that its stomach contained a pair of pants and a golf ball, more than 20 plastic bags, small towels, duct tape and surgical gloves." ~ Clean Water Action
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Go The Extra Mile!
Educate Others
Any chance you get, educate others about the suggestions listed above and how plastics are dangerous. Whenever you can, set an example by being a conscious consumer, avoiding plastic, picking up litter in your community, holding onto your items longer and reusing potential waste. People will catch on even if it takes a while and you'll be educating with a powerful combination - your actions and words!
Any chance you get, educate others about the suggestions listed above and how plastics are dangerous. Whenever you can, set an example by being a conscious consumer, avoiding plastic, picking up litter in your community, holding onto your items longer and reusing potential waste. People will catch on even if it takes a while and you'll be educating with a powerful combination - your actions and words!
Take Responsibility
Whether you represent yourself or a business, know how much you or your organization is contributing to the problem of plastic pollution by conducting a waste audit and sharing the information and by setting specific goals to reduce or eliminate your plastic waste generation. This can save you money, give your organization a boost in public perception and put you on the path to living greener.
Whether you represent yourself or a business, know how much you or your organization is contributing to the problem of plastic pollution by conducting a waste audit and sharing the information and by setting specific goals to reduce or eliminate your plastic waste generation. This can save you money, give your organization a boost in public perception and put you on the path to living greener.
Join a Beach Clean-Up
Many organizations host clean-up days where you can volunteer to pick up trash at your local beach or by participating in Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. A few hours of your time can make a big difference and even lead to making new friends and connections. Furthermore, you can pick up trash along the roadways, in parks and around your community or as the opportunity presents itself to you. Start Your Own Local International Coastal Cleanup Event!
Many organizations host clean-up days where you can volunteer to pick up trash at your local beach or by participating in Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. A few hours of your time can make a big difference and even lead to making new friends and connections. Furthermore, you can pick up trash along the roadways, in parks and around your community or as the opportunity presents itself to you. Start Your Own Local International Coastal Cleanup Event!
Reduce or Ban Plastic Bags
What we do as individuals matters and adds up. What our laws tell us to do as a society matters even more. Get involved with legislation and join the many cities, states and countries across the globe that have passed laws to reduce or ban plastic bags. Start locally or go globally. Bans and fees on disposable plastics are working to protect people and the environment worldwide. Learn more.
What we do as individuals matters and adds up. What our laws tell us to do as a society matters even more. Get involved with legislation and join the many cities, states and countries across the globe that have passed laws to reduce or ban plastic bags. Start locally or go globally. Bans and fees on disposable plastics are working to protect people and the environment worldwide. Learn more.
306 pieces of plastic removed from a Laysan Albatross Chick during a necropsy on Green Island in the Kure Atoll State Wildlife Refuge in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. Credit: Claire Fackler, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries
"Plastic pollution affects every waterway, sea and ocean in the world. When we damage our water systems, we're putting our own well-being at risk. Floating plastic particles look like food to many marine species – including the fish that we eat. Compounds found in some plastics have been linked to cancer and hormone disruption. Back on the shore, the garbage that washes up on our beaches is much more than an eyesore: it can be dangerous to animals and children, and cost millions of dollars in cleanup costs and loss of tourism. The most effective way to stop plastic pollution in our oceans is to make sure it never reaches the water in the first place. By using better waste management practices, individuals, companies, and governments can all make a big impact" ~ Natural Resources Defense Council, Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans
