Why I'm Reducing My Plastic Intake

I recently saw this gut-wrenching picture of a bird entangled in a plastic bag and it lit a fire in me to learn more about the threats that plastics pose to the environment. In my research, I found some astonishing results.

Plastic Contains Toxic Chemicals

Toxic chemicals seep out of plastics and into the ground of landfills and contaminate the soil. When it rains, these chemicals runoff into lakes, rivers, and eventually the ocean. These chemicals can also contaminate the groundwater that people drink, and such chemicals are known to cause cancer, infertility, as well as hormone disruption.

Plastic Is Not Biodegradable

Plastic is a material that was made to last forever, so it never gets broken down through natural processes. To my surprise, I found that 33% of plastics are only used once and thrown away (straws, bags, water bottles, silverware). These pile up quickly and sometimes not in the landfills, but our beaches.

Plastic Threatens Wildlife

To me, this is the most pressing problem when it comes to plastic. Animals are mistaking trash as food and can end up dying from ingesting it. Additionally, animals can get caught or trapped by different pieces of plastic.

These are not all the problems regarding plastic, there are probably hundreds more, but these are the few I found that stood out to me. After my research, I decided that I needed to reduce my plastic intake as a consumer and posed the same challenge to my family. This is a lot easier said than done – plastic is nearly in every item we buy, but just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make an effort. I searched the internet for easy ways to reduce my plastic intake and I came up with the following list: 

1)      Use paper or fabric bags when shopping.

2)     Pack lunches with reusable containers instead of plastic bags that will only be used once

3)      Say no to bottled water

4)      Choose glass bottles over plastic ones

5)      Look for cardboard packaging rather than plastic

6)      Avoid using straws or other “one-use” items

7)      Stay away from excessive packaging

8)      Return plastic fruit cartons to your local farmers market for reuse

9)      Opt for biodegradable trash bags

10)   Buy cosmetic products that don’t contain microbeads 

These are a few simple things that can really make a difference. No contribution is too small and I am excited to start practicing what I preach and doing it alongside my family. I hope you try some of these easy ways to reduce your plastic intake and find peace knowing that you are helping out mother nature. Join the movement #EndPlasticPollution

For more ways to help end plastic pollution visit these links I have listed on the sidebar:
- 4Ocean
- Plastic Alternative
- Biodegradable Trash Bags