Plastic Pollution

With such a high percentage of disposable plastic products, it’s one of the world most pressing environmental issues. Although it’s most visible in developing Asian and African nations, it’s a worldwide problem and one that needs to stop before it completely destroys wildlife, wildlife habitats, us humans and this planet!

Shocking plastic pollution facts:

• Half of plastic manufactured has been in the last 15 years and I’m sure those that are reading this have lived through those 15 years, we’re all a part of the problem, think before you buy!

• Plastic is made to be strong and durable. The disadvantages of this? It takes over 400 years to break down! When a plastic item is ‘thrown away’, it doesn’t go away anywhere.

• 8 million tons of plastic escape into the Ocean every year. The equivalent to five bags of rubbish on every foot of coastline.

• The production of plastic and phenomenally increased over the years. In 1950 it was predicted 2.3 millions tons were being produced, the increase in that to 2015 is a shocking 448 million tons! This is expected to double by 2050.

• Only about 9% of plastic gets recycled, roughly 12% gets burned, and the rest? 72% ends up in our landfills, oceans and environment.

• 700 marine species have been identified by scientists as being affected by ocean plastic, not only harming them but potentially also killing them off.

• 73% of litter found on beaches is plastic, consisting of cigarette butts, bottles, bottle tops, food wrappers, grocery bags, containers, plastic toothbrushes and more.

• Plastic kills a staggering amount of sea birds a year, more than 1.1 million to be precise. Green sea turtles intake twice the plastic they did 20 years ago.

These facts are just a snapshot and don’t even touch the surface of the detrimental impact that plastic pollution is having on this world. It’s being destroyed daily by the production from manufacturing and our daily consumption of goods and buying habits. If we don’t act now it really will be too late to turn this environmental crisis around. Small steps to work towards becoming more natural made by many WILL have a huge positive impact!