Today is Earth Day, a day in which each of us should determine what one action that we can take to change the course of the degradation of the earth. This year’s theme is to End Plastic Pollution. To end Plastic Pollution each of us individually needs to make a commitment to use less plastic. Whether is is to eliminate plastic bags, wean yourself off of plastic bottles, to take your own packaging to the store, to buy less stuff, take your own coffee cup, refuse styrofoam containers, the ways to use less plastic in your life are endless.
The problem is plastic use is growing. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is growing. It is growing faster than expected and now is 3x the size of France. France is 248,573 square miles or the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is almost the size of Mexico.
Plastic Pollution has been largely ignored for years, until the 2014 discovery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the follow up discoveries of 4 other Plastic Gyres in the world. Movies such as Blue Planet, viral images of marine animals killed by marine debris, has the world started taking notice and realize how important the ocean is to the world.
Plastic Pollution Health Costs
- Health Costs: Plastic’s container pollutants such as PCBs, DDT and PAH and bisphenol A (BPA)Studies have show that PCB’s in plastic have been 100,000 to 1 million times that of surrounding waters. These pollutants cause damage to both humans and marine animals. Marine animals eat them.. and ultimately they might end up in our stomaches.
Plastic Pollution Economic Costs.
- The Ocean Economy is worth…. $24 Trillion… an unhealthy ocean will drastically reduce the majority of the world economic status. That includes the fishing industry, tourism, beach clean up, medical industry, sports.. it all adds up.
Plastic Pollution Kills Animals and harms the food chain.
- 267 marine species globally are effected by plastic pollution: That includes 86% of all sea turtle species, 44% of all seabird species and 43% of all marine mammal species.
- Most likely every sea bird is eating plastic, That toxic waste is not just killing birds, but is being spread down the food chain. ‘Plastic ingestion reduces the storage volume of the stomach, causing birds to consume less food and ultimately starve. Nearly all Laysan albatross chicks — 97.5 percent — have plastic pieces in their stomachs; their parents feed them plastic particles mistaken for food. It’s estimated that 60 percent of all seabird species have eaten pieces of plastic, with that number predicted to increase to 99 percent by 2050. (Source)
- Over 50 species of fish are eating plastic. The plastic toxic compounds again transfer to and accumulate in fish tissues. Some of these fish are human food fish such as mackerel, striped bass and Pacific oysters, all which have been found with toxic plastic chemicals.
There are three main issues with plastic pollution in the ocean (and everywhere)
1.) How to clean up the ocean plastic
2.) What to do with the ocean plastic?
3.) How to stem the tide of plastic pollution.
My mother says, we (USA) are not the worst polluter… that to me is prime example of not taking responsibility for our own actions. Each of us (and I include myself) that uses plastic contributes to plastic pollution. Each of us individually can control how much plastic we use on a daily basis.
It is an individual choice to:
- Use a reusable water bottle in another material other than plastic.
- Say no to all plastic bags. Rid oneself of ziploc bags and saran wrap, bring your own bags to the grocery store and that includes bulk purchase items, fruits and vegetables.
- Say no to straws, plastic and paper.
- Say no to styrofoam.
- Take your own coffee cup, plastic and paper.
- Bring your own lunch to work without using plastic.
- Eliminate plastic utensils.
- Eliminate Balloons.
- Use glass storage containers instead of plastic. Use metal bowls instead of plastic.
- Buy cosmetics, toothpaste and shampoo from companies that do not have microbeads. For product listing see Beat the Microbead.
- Eliminate Cleaning products that come in plastic. The only thing I use now is Baking Soda (which does come in plastic) Lemon (from family trees) Vinegar (large size is plastic unfortunately) You can do everything from wash hair- brush-teeth-do laundry-clean oven.. with those 4 ingredients.
- Search for or eliminate products that come in plastic containers such as liquid hand soaps (use bar soap), deodorant (eliminate) electrical razors instead of plastic disposable. The key is to look for alternatives to plastic and you would be surprised at what is available.
- Shop used products, buying used instead of new will not only save you money, it will help save the environment .
- Use and support products and companies that materials are made from recycled plastic.
Bottom, we need to use less or NO plastic in general. In order to get our oceans, waterways, roadsides and streets back, each of us must assume responsibility for stemming the tide of plastic. Reduce, Recycle and Reuse should be the mantra of everyone.
Resources
5 Gyres Plastic Free Shopping Guide
Ocean Life Eats Tons of Plastic
Center For Biological Diversity: Plastic Pollution