Happy Earth Day!
We all can make a difference by reducing our plastic footprint.
The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Planet VS Plastic. The hazards of plastic are great, and we all need to take steps to reduce the harmful effects of plastic pollution in our environment and bodies.
What will you do to help our warming planet?
Greenpeace has nothing to do with this post.
Things you should know about plastic:
- Plastic is made of fossil fuels and contains many toxic chemicals that are harmful to our health.
- These toxic chemicals leach into our food from plastic packaging.
- Plastics break down into microplastic. We each consume about a credit card of microplastic a week from our food and environment. These microfibers are found in our lungs, brains, blood and arteries.
- When plastic is recycled it becomes more toxic.
- 40% of plastic is single-use.
- The production of plastic continues to increase.
- If plastic were a country, it would be the 5th largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Much of plastic’s pollution affects minorities and people without power.
- Clothing with polyester and nylon contain plastic.
- The producers of plastic should be held responsible for the harm they create in the environment and our bodies.
By banning the worst forms of single-use plastic, holding plastic producers accountable for their waste, getting wasteful packaging off store shelves, and more — a future beyond plastic is possible.
1. Sandra Laville, “Single-use plastics a serious climate change hazard, study warns,” The Guardian, May 15, 2019.
2. “What do plastics have to do with climate change?” United Nations Development Programme, November 15, 2022.
3. Oliver Milman, “‘Deluge of plastic waste’: US is world’s biggest plastic polluter,” The Guardian, December 1, 2021.
4. “We know plastic pollution is bad — but how exactly is it linked to climate change?,” World Economic Forum, January 19, 2022.
5. “We know plastic pollution is bad — but how exactly is it linked to climate change?,” World Economic Forum, January 19, 2022.
6. “Reducing plastic waste in the states” U.S. PIRG, July 26, 2022.
7. Celeste Meiffren-Swango, Jenn Engstrom and Mark Morgenstein, “Statement: Amazon to phase out single-use plastic shipping bags,” Environment America, July 19, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80Rya-ZOJ7g (microplastics)
Future generations deserve a safe and healthy future, free from the plastic waste crisis — and we can make it happen.
Donate to non-profits working to end plastic pollution:
Plastic Pollution Coalition
The Story of Stuff https://www.storyofstuff.org/
Ways to reduce your plastic use:
- Always carry a reusable glass or metal water bottle, and reusable shopping bags with you.
- Learn to refuse single-use plastics, such as plastic water bottles and coffee cups, straws, plastic bags and plastic utensils.
- Purchase fruit and produce in the bulk section, and don’t place items in plastic bags.
- Always search out products in glass jars instead of plastic containers.
- When you must buy plastic products, choose ones that you can recycle rather than ones you must put in the trash.
- Bring your own containers and shop the bulk section of your local food coop.
- Purchase clothing made from cotton and wool instead of polyester or poly fibers. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/19/1188343293/is-toxic-fashion-making-us-sick-a-look-at-the-chemicals-lurking-in-our-clothes
- Store food in glass containers instead of plastic.
- Ditch the baggies!
Health4earth 