Single-use plastic is everywhere, and we don’t need to tell you – that’s not a good thing! Especially with a shocking prediction of up to 500 years decomposing time. Buying a plastic water bottle feels convenient in the moment, but it has a huge impact on the environment. Through a number of processes, potentially out of your control, it can contribute to ocean pollution, endangering wildlife and climate change. In this month’s blog, we are diving into the impact that plastic has on our planet.
Plastic Vs Ocean And Marine Life
Plastic products enter the ocean in a number of ways. Through waste from ships, litter from around beaches and in some extreme cases, even domestic waste from our household. Not all drains lead to the ocean, but we don’t need to remind you of the spillages that are occurring for some water companies. A staggering 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year, and statistics show there’s the potential for 10 million tonnes of that plastic to enter our oceans and other waterways.
As plastic floats around in the ocean, it starts to break down, forming microplastics – a pesky tiny piece of plastic often invisible to the human eye. Microplastics enter the food chain as fish accidentally ingest them and goes full circle, back to you as the consumer!
Other larger forms of plastic pollution also harm marine life when animals become tangled in fishing nets and other plastic items. Not to mention digesting the microplastics, which causes thousands of seabirds, sea turtles and marine animals to die. Microplastics can be mistaken for food, leaving animals to starve from the nutrients they need for survival.
Plastic Vs Climate Change
When talking about climate change, it can seem daunting. But plastic is a great area to tackle, one that we all have the power to reduce our impact with. So, let’s look at how plastic production can affect climate change. The lifecycle of single-use plastics contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, and by 2040, it is projected that plastics could account for 19% of these emissions.
Greenhouse gases contribute to global warming, so it’s crucial to lower our emissions in any way that we can. While the extraction of fossil fuel, the transportation, production and disposing of plastics fall out of our remit, we do have power in what we purchase and how we dispose of items. Stopping plastic production won’t be easy, but if we make small changes ourselves and encourage our peers, it can make a huge difference.
How To Change Your Bad Plastic Habits
Start changing your bad plastic habits and make a difference. Government intervention in banning single-use plastic cotton buds and straws has helped push the statistics in the right direction, but what changes can you make personally?
The fight against single-use plastic starts with small but meaningful actions. Here’s some examples of how to make a difference:
Stop using plastic bags: Even bags for life! Grab a reusable tote bag instead.
No more single use straws: We don’t need straws at all! Unless it’s a medical need or milkshake drinks – nobody ever needs a straw!
Use your own cups: start using reusable coffee cups and water bottles; it can make a massive difference! You can even get a discount at coffee shops for bringing one!
Don’t choose plastic packaging: Use glass, metal or biodegradable alternatives where possible. An easy way to do this is by going to a refill shop!
Spread Awareness: Share information with friends and family about the dangers of plastic pollution.
Recycle properly: Educate yourself on recycling rules in your area (and in the workplace as they may differ!) to ensure plastic waste is disposed of correctly.
Support sustainable brands: Let’s choose companies which prioritise eco-friendly materials. Here’s a challenge; next time you shop check out the products you buy, you might be surprised at how many plastic-alternatives are out there.
So, What Have We Learnt?
The convenience of single-use plastic is damaging our environment, if we can all start swapping one plastic product to a plastic-free one, we can collectively make an impact. We can make a difference, so choose sustainability over convenience; our plant depends on it.
