The presence of plastic in our oceans has been a growing problem for decades. But only in recent years has it found its way into the public consciousness. In one well-publicized case last year, scientists in Spain discovered the washed-up body of a sperm whale that contained 29 kilos of plastic—a grim intestinal haul that included … Continue reading Plastic Pollution is a Real Problem—and It Won’t Be Solved by Straw Bans
Category: Reblog
No more single-use cups
Here’s a great resolution for those whose 2018 take-out coffee cup history might look like the above photo: No more single-use cups! Take the time to make great coffee at home and invest in a insulated stainless steel travel mug. No more drive-up window coffee if you can’t use your own travel mug. And support those take-out … Continue reading No more single-use cups
Why you should go Zero-Waste
I’m going to think big about the number of people who read this blog post today and think small about the number of people who will reach zero waste. Let’s say, out of 10,000 people who read this post, 100—or 1 percent—reduce their waste to essentially zero for a year.The average American produces over 4.4 … Continue reading Why you should go Zero-Waste
Death of Sea Animals Due to Plastic Pollution
A whale found in the Philippines died because it had eaten 88 pounds of plastic trash, scientists report.The D'Bone Collector Museum, a non-governmental organization that collects and preserves dead animals, found the dead 15.4-foot whale on Saturday. A necropsy revealed its stomach was packed with multiple shopping bags, 16 rice sacks and four banana plantation-style bags.Because of the … Continue reading Death of Sea Animals Due to Plastic Pollution
How Our Plastic Kills Birds
98 percent of albatross eat plastic. Plastic may fill up the stomach, then, there is no more place for food and water and the animal dies. Sometimes plastic can perforate the internal organs, and then the animal dies in agony and suffering. Finally, plastic can carry a deadly collection of toxins into the animal. And then the animal dies. 40 … Continue reading How Our Plastic Kills Birds
The Reality of The Buildup of Our Trash
Instead, we found whole piles of garbage people had left behind on purpose!We didn’t find the occasional can or bottle sitting in the sand ~ we found carefully stacked cases of empty beverage containers that people were too lazy, indolent, or ignorant to take with them when they left.We didn’t find isolated cigarette butts here and there, we … Continue reading The Reality of The Buildup of Our Trash
Why Banning Plastic Bags Is Beneficial
But such public-awareness campaigns can take on a life of their own, and blind us to the real source of the global problem. Single-use plastic-bag bans, drinking-straw bans and elaborate container-deposit schemes are all examples of policies that mix high visibility with scant global impact. Policymakers and legislators in the developed world may favour these … Continue reading Why Banning Plastic Bags Is Beneficial
A Cost-Effective Way to Reduce Plastic Use
Alternatively, a cost-effective way to improve this lack of sustainable thinking is through education. It’s not good enough that annually only 14% of plastics waste is recycled, leaving 54% to be dumped on landfill or incinerated and the remaining 32% left to pollute the ecosystem. Promoting the 3-Rs of ‘reduce-reuse-recycle’ can have a large-scale impact … Continue reading A Cost-Effective Way to Reduce Plastic Use
Plastic Pollution Sucks 