Wonderful Ways to Save the World from Plastic

Why We Must Save the World from Plastic

We’re in the middle of an environmental epidemic. One that is killing our oceans, poisoning our planet, and even threatening freshwater supplies. The source of this catastrophe? Plastic.

Think for a second about all of the plastic products you encounter every day. Every bottle of water, every bit of excess packaging. Half of the plastic products we use are disposable, only used once before we discard them. But all of that plastic has to go somewhere, and it’s creating an environmental nightmare.

Sure, we can try to recycle as much of that plastic as possible. We can reuse plastic bags and bottles, bring our own mugs to the coffee shop, and pack our lunch in reusable containers. But we’re quickly reaching a point where all that is not enough.

The truth is that plastic pollution is far more dire than most people know. Forty percent of the ocean’s surface is covered in floating plastic. The average American throws away 185 pounds of plastic each year, and that number is only going to grow. This plastic waste is harming marine animals, poisoning our drinking water, and making all of us less healthy.

We’re going to need a revolution if we’re going to save our planet from this man-made calamity. Luckily, there are many ways that all of us can start moving away from plastics.

The average American throws away 185 pounds of plastic each year, and that number is only going to grow.

More Reason to Save the World from Plastic Pollution

Even if plastic pollution weren’t a major environmental problem, plastics would still be an issue. Producing all of that plastic uses an appalling amount of petroleum. Bottled water alone accounts for 17 million barrels of oil per year. And that’s before you even factor in the oil used for transporting those bottles around the country and across the globe.

There’s also the effect of plastic on public health to consider. Plastic is loaded with chemicals, and research has shown that these chemicals end up in our bodies. We don’t know the full impact of absorbing all of these chemicals, but we do know that they can affect hormones and contaminate groundwater.

Ways You Can Save the World from Plastic

You may not know where to start when it comes to cutting down on plastic waste. Considering the sheer amount of plastic that’s going into our waterways every day, the problem can seem insurmountable. But you can start making small changes today to reduce your personal environmental impact.

One of the biggest ways you can reduce your plastic use and environmental impact is buying and using products that cut plastic altogether. Plastic bottles play a huge role in pollution, so simply choosing products that use more sustainable packaging is already a step in the right direction. Plus, you don’t have to worry about those bottles leaching chemicals into products you’re putting into or onto your body.

It’s up to all of us to start finding ways to reduce the environmental impact of plastics. If you’re already recycling and bringing your own bags to the grocery store, you’re already having a positive effect. Keep up your current efforts, and try to find a new way to cut your plastic consumption! Skip the utensils when you get take-out, and support products and brands that are using more eco-conscious packaging.

It’s time to get serious about solving the plastic crisis. We here at GiveBody are always looking for effective ways to cut our own plastic use and consumption, and we hope you’ll join us. If we work together, we can start to solve the plastic pollution crisis before it’s too late!

Article’s main image is from the National Ocean Service.