The Ocean has become one of the most polluted places on Earth. Millions of tons of plastic trash are floating in the water, killing fish, birds and polluting the oceans. Plastic pollution causes a danger to marine life and must be solved as soon as possible.
Plastic pollution remains one of the most serious problems in the environment. The average lifespan of plastic items is around 1000 years, which makes it an urgent issue to be solved.
Plastic pollution is caused by people, who leave their garbage in the streets, beaches, and during rains or storms when all of this garbage is swept to the rivers and oceans.
What can we do to reduce plastic pollution?
There are many ways you can do something to change the situation and make an impact.
Let’s check the best ways to reduce plastic pollution we have prepared for you.
Stop using disposable plastics
In most cases the disposable plastic you use in your daily life will be used only once. After that it goes to the trash bin.
We are too much used to plastic bags, coffee-cup lids, and plastic straws. But all of these items cause harm to nature and to our planet. Even if broken into pieces, plastics remain in land and in the water killing wildlife.
Today we observe more and more scientific facts for example that plastic is found even in drinking water! How can you change that?
One of the best ways to reduce plastic pollution is to stop or reduce the use of plastic wraps, plastic grocery bags, straws, and cutlery.
You can easily change these items for reusable or degradable (e.g. wooden) ones. Another benefit of such a switch will be saving money.
Do not buy water in plastic bottles
Plastic water bottles end up in trash. But if the quality of your tap water is OK for drinking there is no need to spend extra money and contribute to plastic pollution.
Buy a reusable water bottle and you will help to reduce plastic pollution.
Use less beauty products
Did you know that plenty of beauty products contain microbeads, which are also very harmful to the environment.
Many body washes, facial scrubs have microbeads, which slip though the water and will be eaten afterwards by marine animals and so on into the human food chain!
What is the best way to reduce plastic pollution in this case? Try to purchase beauty products which have only natural exfoliants.
Cook your own food
Another option to reduce plastic pollution is to cook food at home. How can it reduce plastic pollution? When you cook your own food you will not be using takeout disposable food containers. Instead you can use reusable containers, which reduces the usage of plastic boxes.
Also, such an approach will help you to save costs, since each time you buy food in the disposable containers you’re paying for the container. The amount paid for the containers may not be shown separately from the food cost, but is hidden in the total price of the dish you buy.
Buy second hand items
One more sustainable tip is to buy second hand items. These can be clothes, gadgets, toys.
Second hand items have been in use, but why not to use them more and save your family budget? You can search for second hand items and clothes online, on various social media platforms, in groups and forums.
Recycle
One of the most important ways to reduce plastic pollution is to recycle. Most of the plastic bottles are marked with the numbers, which help to identify whether and how it can be recycled.
The numbers and the specifics of recycling may differ depending on the region. But once you start recycling plastics you will quickly get used to this process.
Buy in bulk
One of the most important ways to reduce plastic pollution is to buy in bulk. This is an easy sustainable tip, which will help you to save time and money.
Just think about the number of items you keep buying every month for your home and create a list of those items, which you can buy in bulk. These could be packages of food, toiletries, etc.
The bigger the package you buy – the less is the price per 1 item. Also, you will not have to go shopping each time you run out of this item.
Bring your own shopping bag
Another important hint for you to reduce plastic pollution is to bring your own shopping bag.
Instead of buying a plastic bag each time you go to the grocery shop make sure to take a garment bag or any other type of the reusable shopping bag with you.
By using and purchasing less plastics you help to save and protect our environment.
Organize clean-ups in your area
If you are willing to involve more people to reduce plastic pollution – organise clean-ups in your area. Common activities help to get to know your neighbours, make new friends who share your vision and you will do a very useful piece of work!
You can arrange an event in the local group on Facebook for example, share this announcement in related groups in your area and clean up a beach, or clean a park area from plastics.
Afterwards prepare a small photo or video report showing the area before and after. We can assure you, that next time you will want to organise such an event, you will have more people joining your initiative, as they will be inspired by your results and will want to contribute to cleaning your local area from plastics.
Little efforts in your everyday life help to make an impact on global processes.
If thousands of people get used to these simple daily tips, and continue to do the same, by their own example, persuading more people to live a more sustainable life, we would achieve a significant shift in our mindsets. This would be the best way to reduce plastic pollution, save our environment, and wildlife from pollution. Let’s keep in mind that the future is in our hands and it depends on us and our actions.
You can select your own set of sustainability “Actions”, learn about the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and measure / share your impacts with friends and relatives using the WCYDo App – available in the Apple App & Google Play Stores.
“Help make a safer, fairer World for less than the cost of a cup of coffee!”
