So what exactly is the problem with plastic? Why are we so down on one of the most brilliant and versatile inventions of the last 15 years?
Paradise beach in Thailand ruined by heavy plastic pollution.
The real problem is that it never ‘dies’, never goes away. We (the human race) make 350 million tons of it a year, even though all the humans on earth don’t add up to 350 million tons. And they reckon that between 8-10 million tons leach off into the soil, into the rivers and out into the seas and oceans each year, and it’s growing all the time. Currently, plastic comprises 775 of all marine waste and, if you have the patience for one more statistic, research has indicated that 90% of all seabirds are carrying plastic to one degree or another. For many of them, the burden is fatal.
So make a deal with yourself to halve your plastic consumption, and try to get your friends and family to join you. Here’s some easy tips:
1. Always carry a re-usable bag when you are out and about (link to veg backs, shopping bags etc)
2. Carry re-usable eating utensils
3. Join a beach clean, or park clean every now and again.
4. Carry a re-usable water bottle. Commit to never buying bottled water again. View Our Sistema Range
5. If you buy something with what you think is excess packaging, tell the shop to remove the packaging themselves and dispose of it. They have to do it, and they’ll soon demand that their suppliers change.
6. Drink loose tea….and avoid the nasty polypropylene microplastics in most teabags
7. Carry reusable cups around for hot beverages View Our Bambroo Range
8. Bin plastic straws for ever. Use metal ones, or paper ones.
9. Be adventurous, and buy soap nuts for your laundry. A natural way of avoiding buying a big plastic container.
10. Brush your teeth with a bamboo toothbrush. OK, the bristles will be plastic, but the brush itself won’t be.
#PlasticFree
