The Problem with Plastic

Apr 20

Plastic pollution is rapidly becoming one of the most important environmental and health issues of our time. Our production of plastics has grown exponentially over the last 50 years and we are still understanding the effects they have on our environment and our bodies.

Some quick facts about plastics:

Plastic takes more than 400 years to degrade so the vast majority of it still exists in some form (1)
Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years (1)
More than 40% of plastics are used just once (1)
Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans (1)
Production increased exponentially, from 2.3 million tons in 1950 to 448 million tons by 2015. Production is expected to double by 2050 (1)
Nearly 80% of the plastic ever produced is accumulating in landfills or littering the natural environment (1)
Microplastics have recently been found in the blood and lungs of people for the first time (2)
83% of tested water samples from major metropolitan areas around the world were contaminated with plastic fibers (2)
93% of bottled water showed some sign of microplastic contamination (2)

The truth is we don’t really know the effects of plastic and its chemical additives on our bodies and health because this is the first time that it is happening. But scientists have already discovered that certain chemicals in plastic, such as BPA, are harmful to humans, and research continues to study this emerging health issue.

It is impossible to completely avoid plastic, but there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your exposure to plastic and its chemical additives while helping the environment.

Never heat anything in a plastic container - heat causes the chemicals from plastic to leach into your food
Get a refillable water bottle and stop buying plastic water bottles
Try to stop buying any drinks in plastic bottles
Switch from plastic ziploc bags to reusable, environmentally friendly bags (Stasher bags are great)
Store food in glass containers instead of plastic tupperware
Bring your own refillable container when getting take out coffee or tea - even paper cups are usually lined with plastic
Refuse plastic straws and utensils when offered
Invest in reusable bags
Bring your own garment bag to the dry cleaner
Ditch the plastic wrap - use tin foil or beeswax wraps instead
Think twice before chewing gum, most gum contains plastic
Try to avoid things with unnecessary packaging
Buy in bulk when you can
Look at your teabags, many of them contain plastic (Traditional Medicinals, Stash, and Yogi are some brands that are plastic free)
Consider buying more sustainable and eco-friendly versions of your everyday products - toothpaste, laundry detergent, soap, razors, etc
Become aware of just how much plastic you are using
Recycle!

Plastic is everywhere and you are never going to be able to avoid it completely. But there are so many ways to reduce your exposure - get creative and try to find alternatives to plastic when you can!