Since 1945 humanity has created enough plastic to completely cover the Earth in cling film, according to an international study. Globally humans produce 300 million tons of plastic and this figure is increasing annually. Unfortunately only a mere 12 % of it is recyclable. The remaining 88% of it goes into landfill, rivers, seas and oceans. What is even worse is that it is estimated that by 2050 the amount of plastic produced by humans will be 34 billion tons. If it does not change by 2050 all of the plastic in the oceans could be more than all of the fish in the oceans. Plastics are everywhere in our lives because their usage is very wide and prevalent in industry. Almost everything includes plastics from electronics to the automotive industry due to it being a cheap, hardy and versatile material. In fact, the biggest problem is that most plastic is non-biodegradable and an unnecessary usage.
Most people’s plastic consumption comes from single-use plastic such as plastic bags, coffee/tea cups, water and beverage bottles, most food packaging, take away boxes, etc. There is something we can do on an individual level to reduce plastic consumption but to be honest stronger government policies and action is what is really needed to encourage the reduction of plastic usage and to increase recycling. Moreover, there is a pressing need to rethink and redesign the future of plastics. All individuals, corporations, schools, governments, NGOs and organizations have to take action actively otherwise it will be too late to save our planet!
Here is my experience and the way I started my plastic-free challenge.
Be mindful and honest to yourself. First of all, believe in yourself and that you can create a plastic free daily life and world. I told myself if I wanted to manage my plastic consumption, I needed to start being mindful and be aware of how much plastic I have in my life. Next, I started considering my daily life and habits and I made a list. Then I made a second list of innovative ways to replace those plastics with different materials or reusables. Basically, I wanted to find an alternative thing to reduce my plastic usage because I knew plastic was not irreplaceable. In changing your habits, the more you persevere the easier it will become.
Start simple because it will help. I have to be honest that I started to panic when I became aware of how harmful plastic was. Certainly, I felt lost and overwhelmed, but I decided to start small and make very basic changes in my life. The first thing I did was to avoid supermarket packaging. In fact, I started carrying my shopping bag in my handbag just in case I needed it in my daily life. As a customer I found shopping plastic-free very hard in the beginning. At supermarkets or local shops, fruit, vegetables, grains, meat, dairy and so on, are all packed or wrapped in plastic. The next one was having a water bottle with me everywhere and then I invested in a reusable coffee cup for take away. To carry my own food with me, I used a reusable non-plastic container. Lastly, I stopped buying clothes, which were made from synthetic materials such as polyester, acrylic, lycra, spandex, nylon because in other words, they were all plastic fabrics.
Do your best and never give up. If you cannot find a product that is not wrapped in plastic, read the information on the package. Learn if it is recyclable or not. Environmental friendly products are sold in plastic packaging. Give yourself time. Make a plastic-free week challenge and see what you achieve. Share your goal with your colleagues and encourage them to get involved in this issue. You can motivate each other. If everyone makes these small steps, the cumulative effect across the planet will be powerful.
Going plastic-free is an amazing initiative for a better world.
Remember that plastics are not just bad for the ocean. They are bad for animals and our health too.
We have to realise that we are the last generation to change the planet in a better way.
Get involved to stop plastic pollution before it is too late and it becomes a plastic planet.
Because it is our Blue Planet!
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