There is no throw 'away' for plastics anymore
I grew up during WWII and we threw very few things “away.” After the war “away” became common as it was first a dump, then a landfill, then a landfill in a less populous state, then a ship bound for some distant countries that would accept our trash. But when these countries stopped accepting our trash, there was no longer an “away.” Even a superficial search of what makes up our trash shows plastic as the major contributor.
National Geographic tells us that every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full of trash on every foot of coastline around the world. Plastics are persistent polluters from Mount Everest to the bottom of the sea.
The journal Science Direct tells us that over half the water samples taken, in one of their research projects on the Gallatin River, contained microplastics.
Consumer Report estimates the average American eats a credit card size serving of plastic every week. Plastic waste, especially single use plastic waste is devastating to our world and ourselves. One of the most deadly of those single use plastics is the all too common plastic bag we use to carry out our groceries, our hardware our everything.
We can do something about the plastic bag devastation by simply using our own reusable cloth bags. You and I can make a difference by the simple action of saying no to plastic bags and spreading the word and that those convenient bags are killing our planet. Just remember these words for a sustainable future, Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle. There is no “Away” anymore.
National Geographic tells us that every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full of trash on every foot of coastline around the world. Plastics are persistent polluters from Mount Everest to the bottom of the sea.
The journal Science Direct tells us that over half the water samples taken, in one of their research projects on the Gallatin River, contained microplastics.
Consumer Report estimates the average American eats a credit card size serving of plastic every week. Plastic waste, especially single use plastic waste is devastating to our world and ourselves. One of the most deadly of those single use plastics is the all too common plastic bag we use to carry out our groceries, our hardware our everything.
We can do something about the plastic bag devastation by simply using our own reusable cloth bags. You and I can make a difference by the simple action of saying no to plastic bags and spreading the word and that those convenient bags are killing our planet. Just remember these words for a sustainable future, Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle. There is no “Away” anymore.