As I sit drinking my early morning coffee, I look around and see just how much plastic there is all around me. I can only imagine how much plastic is used throughout the world and how much of it lands up in our environment.
This got me doing some research and here are some interesting facts which I recently found out about plastic:
- Since the 1950’s, around 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide.
- 73% of beach litter worldwide is plastic.
- A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute.
- Worldwide, about 2 million plastic bags are used every minute.
- 90% of plastic polluting our oceans is carried by just 10 rivers.
- Plastic is killing more than 1.1 million seabirds and animals every year.
- The average time that a plastic bag is used for is … 12 minutes.
In learning this, I am quite unsettled and have decided to do my bit in using less plastic, not only for July but everyday going forward. I realize it’s impossible to avoid plastic entirely, but here are some effective ways to be a part of the solution:
- Rethink the way you grocery shop. Take reusable shopping bags with you.
- Switch your plastic bottles and packaging to glass alternatives.
- Say ‘No’ to single-use plastic items like straws and cutlery.
- Leave cling wrap off your shopping list.
- Avoid individually wrapped products or any products wrapped in plastic.
- Use natural products and scents.
- Support your local farmers and deli’s or grow your own.
- Reduce, reuse, recycle.
I would like to encourage to you join me in this Plastic Free July challenge and get excited by spreading the word about it to family and friends. You can also use the tag #plasticfreejuly on social media to create awareness. It would be great if we could reduce our contribution to plastic pollution this month and be a part of the solution.
Much love xx Nadine B