by Jadyn Hedenkamp
It is common knowledge that plastic causes a lot of harm to the environment, but why is that? Plastic takes thousands of years to biodegrade, is being mass produced, and since it is such a staple in human life, it is causing a number of environmental issues. Plastic is used in almost everything people use in their daily lives from toothbrushes, to packaging, to cars.
The mass production of plastic began in the 1940’s, and has increased astronomically ever since. In 1950, 2.3 million tons of plastic were produced, and that number increased to 448 million in the year 2018. The majority of the planet’s plastic waste ends up in the ocean, usually traveling there from major rivers. A study done by researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego discovered that about every 15 years since the 1940’s, the amount of microplastics in the ocean’s sediment doubled.
Plastic pollution causes millions of animal deaths every year, mostly because animals cannot determine the difference between small pieces of plastic and their food. Many animal deaths are also caused by entanglement in discarded fishing gear or six pack rings. Although marine animals are affected the most severely, land animals also have suffered from consuming plastic.
Plastic is durable, inexpensive, and can be used in many different forms for a variety of purposes, but there are easy and somewhat inexpensive ways to avoid it. Carrying a reusable water bottle and metal straw is a great alternative to buying plastic cups, reusable tote bags work in the place of plastic grocery bags, and anything biodegradable is always a good option. Do some research and find out ways you can incorporate habits into your life to avoid consuming as much plastic as possible. You aren’t going to single handedly save the world, but the world needs all the good you can give. Believe it or not, small changes can make a big difference.
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