You Can Make a Difference. Use Less Plastic.

Did you know that it takes around 450 years for a plastic water bottle to decompose? Shocking number, I know! Imagine, that plastic Desani water bottle you just threw away, could still be polluting this planet when your great, great-grandchildren are adults. I found this thought to be very troubling and decided to do some research on plastic waste. Take a look at table 1 below. While a paper bag takes a few months to decompose, a plastic bag can take up to 1000 years! It makes you think twice when you are asked the question, “paper or plastic”?

Humans produce hundreds of millions of tons of plastic every year. It is cheap, lightweight and easy to make. We are in contact with plastic every single day. When we are done with it, we (hopefully) throw it in that beautiful blue bin and feel that we have done our part to help the earth. Unfortunately, only about 9 percent of plastic ever gets recycled. Recycling plastic is a difficult process and many plastic items can only be recycled once in their lifetime. Have you ever noticed that tiny number inside the triangle like the ones in the image below? You may need your glasses. This number is called a plastic resin ID code. This code identifies the chemicals that were used in that particular plastic item. Most recycling plants accept numbers one through three but four to seven gets more complicated. Most recycling plants are not equipped to handle them, so just because it made it to the recycling plant, that doesn’t mean it will be recycled.

Much of the plastic in the world is single-use plastic. It is a term that is starting to get some buzz, but what does it mean? Single-use plastics make up the majority of all plastic production worldwide and are made to be used one time only. They are then thrown into the trash, recycle bin or out a car window. Plastics do not decompose into the soil like organic materials. Instead, they “break down” or degrade into tiny particles called microplastics. These microplastics are full of toxic chemicals that make their way into our food, water, and even our bloodstream! On average, people ingest about as much plastic as one credit card per week. These microplastics are invisible to the naked eye and have no taste. The health concerns are endless. It is no surprise that these microplastic chemicals are thought to cause everything from infertility to cancer.

The statistics may seem overwhelming, but we created this problem, and we can solve it. There are simple changes we can all make in our everyday lives that will make a difference. For example, start using reusable shopping bags. If you forgot your reusable bag (it’s okay, you’re human) ask for a paper bag instead. This is an easy switch and makes a major impact. Another great swap is to ditch plastic water bottles and invest in a water filtration system and a nice reusable stainless steel water bottle. This not only helps the environment and your health, it tastes better and saves you a lot of money in the long run. See the image below for more tips on how to live with less plastic.

We can solve this problem. It won’t always be easy or convenient, but nothing worth doing is. To learn more about single-use plastics and creating a sustainable future, click below to read the most recent UN study, “Single-Use Plastics — A Road for Sustainability”.

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