10 reasons plastic is a bigger threat than Trump

Plastic is an amazing material for making things and packaging to keep food and drinks fresh. But unfortunately there’s a backside, which is that plastic is a bigger threat than Trump. Over the past couple of years awareness of the issues with plastic pollution in our oceans have increased but most people still don’t know how bad it is.

Here are a few key facts to understand why plastic is a bigger threat than Trump:

1. Plastic is the most common type of marine litter worldwide.
2. Plastic is listed as the number one threat to our marine ecosystem.
3. Over the last ten years we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century.
4. Enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the earth four times.
5. Up to 80% of the plastic in our oceans comes from land-based sources.
6. An estimated 5-13 million tons of plastic enter our oceans each year from land-based sources.
7. 50 percent of the plastic we use, we use just once and throw away.
8. We currently recycle only five percent of the plastics we produce and 1 in 5 bottles (globally)
9. Recycling doesn’t necessarily mean that the material is recycled, it could still end up being burned or in a landfill
10. Plastic water bottles can take between 400 and 1,000 years to decompose

In conclusion, if you can avoid using plastic bottles then do it. Because even if you put it in the recycle bin it may end up in landfills and eventually in our ground water and oceans.

How can you help reduce plastic pollution?

Here are a few simple tips:

1. Drink tap water at home and at work. If you’re concerned about the quality of the tap water or don’t like the taste then buy a filter (see our guide)
2. Avoid plastic bottle drinks and use glasses or water fountains whenever possible.
3. Carry a refillable bottle when you are on the go and refill it whenever the option arises
4. Do the research. Don’t fall for advertising that tells you bottled water is purer or healthier than tap water.
5. Recycle – work out which plastics your municipality recycles and sort them accordingly

Once you get into the habit of avoiding plastic where possible you will never regret it and as a bonus you will save money.