As a girl who loves Starbucks drinks, Dr. Pepper, and shopping, I have used my fair share of single-use plastic products such as plastic bags, straws, and bottles. These products are so commonly used that I have never thought much about what happens to them after they get thrown away. Have you?
To show plastic’s hold on our world, I interviewed a few of my classmates and asked them, “On average, how many single-use plastic products do you use per day?” Kalien went through her whole day explaining how she frequently gets Dutch Bros or Starbucks (plastic lid, cup, and straw), loves going out to lunch with her friends daily (plastic utensils, bowls, and straws), and makes meals for herself at home that usually have plastic packaging. All of those factors, plus more, led Kailen to estimate that she uses about seven single-use plastic products on a good day. However, that number seems low compared to Brooklyn, Maddy, and Marissa’s answers of about 10-15 single-use plastic products per day. These answers go to show that plastic products are a vital part of our everyday lives; however, they leave lasting effects on our world and health. If you want to learn more about how plastic waste is engulfing our world, this article will give you all the facts that you need to make a change to your plastic usage habits.
Plastic waste is hard to miss in our world today. It is abundant in our oceans, beaches, arctic ice, and streets. According to the article from Global Citizen, every minute of every day, “one million plastic bottles are bought,” and “a truckload of plastic is dumped into the ocean.” Furthermore, by 2050, there is a possibility that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.
Although these statistics might be overwhelming, they have made me consider my impact on the environment. Just like many others, I haven’t thought about how my plastic usage contributes to these statistics. It is rare that plastic products actually make it to a recycling plant and more frequently end up polluting the earth. Since researching this topic, before grabbing a plastic straw every time I have a soda, I have thought about where it might end up and how it would harm the Earth.
Regarding the impact of plastic waste on animals, Global Citizen notes, “Ingestion of plastic kills an estimated 1 million marine birds and 100,000 marine animals each year.” Also, over 90% of birds and fish have plastic particles in their stomach.
It is heartbreaking to learn that so many living creatures are negatively impacted by humans’ negligence of plastic products. Most of the time when I go to the beach, there is a dead fish in the sand, and I never thought that they could have been killed by plastic waste.
In the article by the United Nations Development Programme, “microplastics, tiny particles of plastics” are poisoning our bodies as we constantly ingest and inhale them through “seafood, tap water, bottled water, beer, and salt” and even the “air we breathe.” These microplastic particles have also been linked to health issues such as weight gain, decreased reproductive health, and cancer.
Overall, plastic waste has many negative effects that not just hurt our earth, but also our health. The fact that using plastic straws, bottles, bags, etc., can impact my health makes me want to make a change. So, next time you have an option to use a plastic product when there is an easy alternative, weigh the pros and cons and remember where that plastic will end up.
If you want some easy tips on making a change in your life, visit this Turtle Island article to see ten ways to keep plastic out of the ocean. Some easy options include going straw-free, using a reusable water bottle, and bringing your own reusable bag everywhere you go. I would recommend these adorable reusable bags from BAGGU because they have the cutest designs and can be folded up very easily so you can always have it if needed.
