Take a look around your space and count the plastic items in your line of sight. Chances are there’s more than you thought. Most of us are accustomed to relying on single-use plastics in our daily lives, and it’s simply not sustainable. While guilt and negativity about our current lifestyle isn’t helpful, there are some simple actions you can take to create a more sustainable world going forward. The swaps illustrated above are quick and have numerous benefits: they save time, money and, most of all, they save people and animals from a literal growing sea of discarded plastics.
Here’s some facts on the seriousness of plastic waste and pollution:
- Worldwide 5 trillion plastic bags are used annually!
- It takes up to 1,000 years for one plastic bag to break down. (And ‘biodegradable’ plastic products are often required to go into the trash because most cities don’t have the facilities to break down the plastic properly)
- Plastic bags, bottles and other uses can harm animals and even cause death
- In Canada, more than one-third of plastics are made for single-use products
There is a common misconception that plastic waste is a problem for other countries, and not here at home. However, plastics from North America are often sent overseas to Asia to be recycled and these countries don’t have the infrastructure to manage this waste. That’s one way how plastic can enter the environment.
What can an individual do to reduce their plastic waste?
Take the initiative to purchase eco-friendly alternatives when shopping. Drink out of metal straws, use your reusable water bottle or ditch plastic shopping bags for a tote.
