Earth Day: Make Plastic Extinct

Earth Day: Make plastic extinct – If you were to go fishing in any of the world’s oceans in the year 2050, you will have a better chance of catching a piece of plastic than you will a fish. That’s because scientists at the United Nations believe in 30 years, there will be more plastic pollution floating in our oceans than there are fish.

In the Los Angeles area alone, 10 metric tons of plastics — like grocery bags, straws, and throw-and-go soda bottles — are carried into the Pacific Ocean EVERY DAY. That’s about the size of 3 fully grown elephants!!! Can that much plastic waste even make sense??

In the last 10 years, humans produced more plastic than the last 100 years combined and with that fact, it becomes a reasonable, albeit a terrifying, reality check on our dependence on all things plastic.

Want to change that? Here is how.

Plastic & oil

Let’s skip to the point, conventional plastics are made with petroleum products that DO NOT BIODEGRADE. Also, a recent study showed that drinking from plastic bottles = drinking plastic. Instead replace your plastic with glass bottles, food-grade stainless steel or a nonreactive ceramic bottles from Life Without Plastic.

50% of that plastic is used once and then thrown away.

Be straw free #strawssuck

Everyday more than 500 million straws are thrown away in the US alone. But why? When did the all mighty straw conquer the cup? Sure, moving the tasty beverage 3 inches closer your lips saves sipping time but is it worth finding used straws on beaches, street gutters and in the noses of turtles? Watch the turtle video if you have not seen it… you will see why straws suck.

Enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the equator 4 times.

Recycle!

Sometimes you can’t avoid using plastic, we have all been there. But when you do, make sure to toss it in the right spot. Many of the plastic we use take up to 1,000 years to degrade in a landfill whereas Recycling plastic takes 88% less energy than making plastic from raw materials. Win for you, the landfill and the environment!

Enhance your nature karma

When you see trash pick it up. Just that simple. Of course, avoid the biohazard looking goop and used [fill in the blank with something you would never touch]. But if it looks clean, then just snag it, improve your nature karma and remember to wash your hands.