Plastic-free. A term that has been increasingly used over the past few years as people and businesses around the world strive to make the world green and NetZero. But what does it mean? If you see the term plastic-free on a product, then that means that the product and its packaging are free from plastics. There are many ways to go plastic-free, but why should you go plastic-free? And what are the benefits? First, we need to understand what the problem is – plastic pollution.
It is estimated that over 380 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, with only 9% of this is recycled successfully worldwide and 50% used for single use. Over 12 million tonnes of plastic waste are transferred into our oceans each year, destroying habitats, and killing millions of wildlife yearly. Once plastic has entered our oceans, it is very difficult to recover the waste – especially once it has broken down into microplastics! Plastic breaks down into tiny pieces called ‘microplastics’ that we cannot see and enter our bodies, animals, and our food.
Used for a short amount of time, but lives on our planet for hundreds of years, plastic pollution is a worldwide problem that requires everyone to make a change.
Preventing Plastic Pollution to Escalate
We use lots of different resources and energy to make plastic, just for it to be used once and disposed of. Although we dispose of plastic waste through recycling, not all plastic can be recycled and therefore goes to landfills and oceans. This causes plastic pollution to escalate. Plastic pollution alters natural processes and lifestyles around the world whilst destroying habitats. By reducing our plastic usage and altering the way we dispose of plastic, we can reduce the amount of plastic pollution we create.
Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change
Greenhouse gases are produced during all stages of a plastic product’s life, from creation and manufacturing to transportation and disposal, which generates over 1.8 billion greenhouse gases – this equals 90% of greenhouse gases emitted across plastics’ lifespan. This leads to more heat being trapped in the atmosphere which changes weather patterns and the balance within nature, posing risks to all forms of life on Earth. Effects of climate change include hotter temperatures, increased severe storms and droughts, rising sea levels, loss of species, lack of food, increased health risks, and poverty. Using different materials instead of plastic will help reduce the amount of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions produced and begin reversing the effects of climate change.
Save Millions of Animals from Dying
Due to climate change and the increase of greenhouse gases, over 47% of species have lost much of their population, causing them to go extinct, with half of all species moving towards the poles or to mountains. Over 10,000 species are on the ‘Red List of Threatened Species’ due to the increase in climate change threatening their species to go extinct. Not only is climate change harming these species and animals, but the plastic littered around the world is destroying their habitats and killing animals. Plastic is increasingly killing wildlife due to our choice to use it and dispose of it incorrectly.
With the changes in wildlife, it makes a change in the food chain. Not only are animals eating plastic, but they then pass it on to the animal (or human) that eats them. Adjusting our behaviour with plastic will help reduce extinction, with ecosystems able to revert to how it was before plastic.
Improve Quality of Life
It is difficult to think how our health and the planet’s health are linked, but we are reliant on a healthy planet to provide us with the necessities to live. From fresh and clean air, water, and food, there are many reasons why we should not only look after ourselves but our planet.
When plastics are broken down, they turn into microplastics and enter the air. Once microplastics are in the air, they can be transferred all over the world. We become more exposed to plastics as they are burnt with poisonous chemicals released which affects our health and can lead to respiratory issues. Our health is affected in other ways as we are exposed to these toxic pollutants and chemicals which lead to more injuries, infections, and more that lowers the life expectancy of humans.
Plastic has entered our water supplies. When plastic is disposed into our environment, rainwater and wind carry it into streams, rivers, and drains. As the water warms up, plastic breaks down into microplastics. Although your water may look clean, microplastics are so small that you are unable to see or feel them. We drink this water thinking it is fresh and clean when there are in fact microplastics within it.
Microplastics can also be found in our food. From microplastics contaminating agricultural lands to wildlife eating microplastics and passing it through the food chain, microplastics are now entering our bodies. Although microplastics can pass through us, as more and more microplastics enter, the more health issues they bring if they begin to build up.
It will take decades to clean up all the plastic currently in our environment, so we should go plastic-free and dispose properly so as to not extend this time and improve all areas of life.
How to go Plastic-Free?
With people worldwide gaining more interest in environmental issues and sustainability, there are more ways to go plastic-free than ever! To begin your journey of going plastic-free, set yourself some goals and work towards them. A few ways to go plastic-free include:
· Avoid single-use plastics.
· Buy reusables and plastic-free products.
· Buy second-hand – a more sustainable way to live and saves you money!
· Repair, reuse, and upcycle products.
Going plastic-free does not just benefit you, but the people around you and generations to come. Get other people involved to make a difference. If we continue to use plastic the way that we do, then our environment is not going to get better. If changes are not made, then plastic production is expected to double over the next 20 years. Within the next 20 years, marine animal deaths could triple due to the increase of plastic waste flowing into the ocean. This will lead to a lot more species going extinct. Like plastic waste, this will be permanent. Play your part in reducing plastic pollution.
