Plastic
Plastic Facts
- 160,000 plastic bags are used globally every second! These are not recyclable.
- 5 trillion plastic bags are produced yearly. Side by side, they can encircle the world 7 times.
- The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is a floating landfill of garbage in the Pacific twice the size of Texas, is mostly composed of plastic.
- Plastic will only start degrading after 700 years and will only fully degrade in 1000 years. This means that all the plastic that has ever been produced has not degraded yet.
- Plastic remains toxic even after it breaks down. It doesn’t biodegrade, it photo-degrades. It means that after it degrades, it breaks down into smaller and smaller toxic micro particles, which contaminate and bleed into the environment.
Be a Plastic HoW Changer
- Refuse Say no to plastic! Shop at your local Farmer’s Market and reduce the plastic in your groceries.
- Replace Use plastic bag alternatives, such as reusable bags. More alternatives here.
- Request Request that your local grocery store refrain from using plastic packaging in produce. Request paper bags instead of plastic bags for those that forget to bring their own.
- Rally Attend local rallies and efforts for restricting and banning single use plastics, your voice matters.
- Reach Out Contact your local government to inquire and advocate about plastic bag bans and legislation.