What Can We Do to Reduce Plastic Pollution

Explore the role of plastic pollution in the destruction of the environment and discover 20 things you can personally do to reduce plastic waste.

Reduce your plastic waste header

We all know that plastic is a problem. Despite it having many positive qualities – cheap, easy to brand, flexible and attainable – it's becoming increasingly clear that plastic waste is out of control and causing huge harm to the environment. For example, 12 million tonnes of plastic are poured into the ocean every year , and scientists accept recently discovered microplastics embedded deep in the Arctic ice. Only what'southward the solution?

In this article, we'll discuss what plastic pollution is, what causes it, and why information technology's detrimental to the planet and the health of living creatures. Then we'll requite 20 tips on how yous can personally reduce the corporeality of plastic waste you create, from avoiding single-use plastics to putting force per unit area on manufacturers.

What is plastic pollution?

And so what exactly is plastic pollution ? Substantially, it's the accumulation of constructed plastic products in the environment that reaches an extent where it causes problems for wild fauna habitats, ecosystems and human populations.

Initially, plastic employ was revolutionary. Even so, by the end of the 20th century, nosotros were seeing plastic pollution span all kinds of environments, including the bottom of the bounding main and high in the mountains. In our open step about alternatives to fossil-fuel-derived plastics , you can find some shocking statistics about plastic pollution.

In 2016, The Earth Economic Forum found that 78 million tonnes of plastic is produced annually, and only fourteen% is recycled, and 32% is leaked into the environment. Furthermore, they found that in 2014, the ratio of fish to plastic was 5:1. They predicted that by 2050 this ratio would be 1:1, so there would be as much plastic as fish. So clearly, this is pollution on an enormously detrimental scale.

What are the causes of plastic pollution?

In that location are enough of causes of plastic pollution, simply we've detailed the nigh prominent causes beneath. Some of these causes are complicated to tackle, but having knowledge of them tin can assist us brand more informed decisions as we swallow.

Nosotros create large amounts of waste material. A lot of our waste is fabricated of plastic, and we create a lot of litter as a society. If we were less wasteful, we could make a difference in this area.
Commercial fishing nets. While sometimes necessary, angling nets can leak toxins, break and pollute oceans, and even stay permanently and trap body of water life. Better management and harsher angling laws are needed.
Mismanaged plastic disposal. So much plastic doesn't go recycled when information technology should – instead, information technology goes to landfills or ends up scattered around the landscape. It is too often burned, releasing fossil fuels and creating air pollution.
Decomposition time. It takes over 400 years for plastic to decompose, which is an incredibly long time considering the amount of plastic we need to get rid of.
Nature spreads pollution. Unfortunately, the wind, rivers, and ocean can all spread pollution naturally due to the normally lightweight nature of plastic.
Overuse of plastic. This is the biggest cause – nosotros overproduce plastic to an enormous extent. We tin can't possibly manage the amount of waste matter created.

Why plastic waste product is damaging the planet

While this article will focus on what you lot can practice individually to reduce plastic waste, it's worth mentioning some of the ways that plastic is damaging the planet and those who live on it. For more than detailed information, check out our complete guide to climate chang e here.

It disrupts the food concatenation. This happens in many ways, but one notable example is animals eating plastics and this getting passed downwardly the food chain and damaging the wellness of these animals.
It can be dangerous for human health. Plastics getting into our food supply tin likewise negatively impact our wellness, as we're consuming poisonous substances.
Groundwater pollution can touch our h2o supply. Plastics in our water supplies can release a lot of harmful toxins that end up going into our bodies, however again.
It's harmful to animals. Likewise beingness harmful to consume, animals can too be injured or fifty-fifty killed past plastic. Marine animals frequently become trapped in nets, and land animals suffocate in plastic numberless.
Information technology causes state, air and water pollution. Plastic causes all kinds of pollution – nosotros've spoken nearly land and water pollution , simply information technology also creates air pollution just by being created in the kickoff identify.
Immigration areas of plastic waste matter is difficult and expensive. The corporeality of plastic waste in the globe is so huge that it's extremely hard to get rid of it and requires a lot of coin.

How tin we reduce our plastic waste product?

Now onto the about important part – how tin we make a departure? Luckily there are several changes you tin implement equally an individual that tin have a positive affect. Yet, information technology is worth mentioning that individual actions are non enough by themselves.

In our interview with Professor Karl Williams at the University of Primal Lancashire, he describes how legislation and policy are key to tackling global plastic pollution. This can be anything from laws about littering to waste shipment and waste matter management legislation.

So keep in mind, throughout these tips, that there are things beyond your control. You can, however, endeavor to sway governments and politicians in your management past emailing them, signing petitions and protesting. From there, governments tin put force per unit area on manufacturers and corporations to make changes.

Without further ado, here are 20 tips on how you can reduce plastic waste material in your daily life:

1. Recycle when possible (and exercise it properly)

Recycling, whenever yous can, has a positive affect on the planet every bit information technology prevents too many plastics from catastrophe up in landfills. Of class, recycling systems aren't perfect, but recycling is still more productive than chucking everything in the same bin.

Different countries have different recycling systems and rules, but here are iii rules that mostly tin can be followed no matter where you are:

Recycle clean bottles, cans, paper and cardboard.
Don't put food or liquids in your recycling.
No loose plastic bags or recycled appurtenances should be placed in plastic bags.

two. Avoid single-use plastics

Single-use plastic items are one of the biggest offenders when information technology comes to plastic pollution. You might find information technology harder than y'all'd recall to stay abroad from them, but noticing how prevalent they are in daily life is a good showtime step.

Some common examples that contain single-use plastic include plastic-wrapped vegetables in supermarkets, wet wipes, cotton buds, plastic cutlery, java cups, straws, sanitary products and cigarettes. Luckily, there are enough of alternatives if yous look for them.

3. Use alternative packaging

If you lot own a small business organization, it tin can really make a difference if y'all await for alternative packaging options. Whether y'all own a cafe or take a small-scale business organisation on Etsy, you could try more sustainable packaging options, including paper and cardboard. If you work in the food manufacture, you lot might be interested in our Introduction to Sustainable Practices in Food Service course by International Culinary Studio.

Sometimes, we exercise demand packaging that at least emulates plastic in society to protect products, particularly when it comes to food. Bioplastics are plastics fabricated from renewable, bio-based materials like cellulose, and they accept the potential to biodegrade more quickly than normal plastics.

4. Practise a trash audit

A trash inspect is basically where you accept a look at your rubbish and track what yous're throwing away frequently. Often, nosotros throw things abroad without a second thought, then this is a groovy way of understanding exactly how much waste we create. A trash audit too allows the states to find substitutes for our virtually regularly discarded items.

For instance, if you find a lot of coffee cups in the trash, you know it's time to purchase a reusable loving cup. Alternatively, if yous have a lot of crisp packets, consider buying a bigger packet next fourth dimension and finding packaging that's recyclable. Or, you could look into a scheme like Terracycle that helps you recycle crisp packets.

five. Find reusable options

We touched on this in our previous points nearly single-use plastics, but finding reusable alternatives is the best style to ensure that you stop using then many unmarried-apply plastic items. These don't take to exist fancy bamboo alternatives either – even placing regular metal cutlery in your bag, or taking an sometime plastic water bottle with you to work will suffice.

At that place are fifty-fifty alternative options to things like clingfilm – larn to make your own nil-waste bio-based clingfilm in our open step. To learn more about making sustainable choices, join our Exploring Sustainable Living and Loving with Mogli class by Tommy Hilfiger.

6. Grow your own nutrient

As we mentioned earlier, lots of vegetables and fruits are covered in plastics at the supermarket. To avoid this trouble entirely whilst likewise learning to be more self-sufficient, why not try growing your ain nutrient? With help from our course How to Abound Healthy Plants by Gardeners Earth Magazine, you'll be growing your own herbs and veggies in no time.

7. Purchase from local markets and low-waste material shops

If you don't quite have the time and energy to grow your own food, consider ownership food from local markets and low-waste shops instead. Depending on the land yous live in, buying from markets can be either more or less expensive than supermarkets – and so it'southward a good idea to do some research beforehand and detect the best option for yous.

Low-waste shops are notably more expensive, just they tin exist a great pick for dried goods such as pasta, rice, pulses and basics. Yous ordinarily bring your own containers with you lot and fill them as needed – no waste created! Yous tin learn more most tackling food waste in our course, From Waste to Value: How to Tackle Food Waste .

8. Bake your own bread

Similarly to growing your own food, why not try baking your own bread and other baked goods? This is not just a fun and rewarding activity, only it volition reduce the amount of plastic-wrapped baked goods and bread that you buy at the store. To get started, take a look at our Learn How to Bake Sourdough with BBC Good Food form.

nine. Make your own cleaning and cosmetic products in jars

Information technology'due south so easy to get sucked into the worlds of cleaning and cosmetic products, but did you know that many of them use extremely simple ingredients and tin exist made at habitation? This can not only reduce your use of plastic only is also meliorate for the environs as yous'll be using less harmful chemicals.

Alternatively, you might want to buy products in bar form or in metal packaging – but nosotros thought we'd demonstrate only how elementary information technology is to make some products beneath:

All-purpose cleaner

One role white vinegar
One office water
Lemon juice
Rosemary sprigs

Deodorant

two tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp cornflour
four tbsp blistering soda
Essential oils of your choice

ten. Switch upwardly your laundry routine

In that location are plenty of ways you can make your laundry routine more eco-friendly and plastic-costless. First of all, detergent ofttimes comes in plastic bottles or plastic sachets, then endeavor to go for a zero-waste product detergent. You could even attempt a laundry egg – recyclable and durable eggs that contain plastic-complimentary pellets that both clean and soften your wearing apparel. What's not to like?

Likewise detergent, consider making a homemade stain remover and ownership a microfibre washing bag to prevent microplastics from shedding off your clothes. Washing dress on cold will also make them last longer, preventing plastic waste in the form of clothing and reducing your carbon footprint .

11. Say no to extras when ordering a takeaway

This is such a uncomplicated fix that yous may not retrieve of it initially. When yous gild a takeaway, ensure that you click to say that you lot don't want any added cutlery. You can even write a notation asking for equally lilliputian extra plastic equally possible.

In add-on to this, information technology's worth saving takeaways for special occasions if you can help it. Because they have to be packaged upward and sent to you, at that place is e'er a lot of packaging involved that wouldn't be created if you cooked or went out to the eating place instead.

12. Cull clothes made from sustainable or recycled materials

In our how sustainable is the fashion manufacture blog, we discuss how fast way is one of the biggest polluters in the globe . Part of the reason for this is because and so many dress from fast way brands are made from plastics: polyester, nylon, acrylic.

So when masses of clothes go to landfills after existence worn once or twice, they don't biodegrade for hundreds of years. Instead, if you want to buy new clothes, continue ownership garments fabricated from sustainable or recycled materials. To find out more about your options, y'all can check out our sustainable fabrics guide .

13. Shop in bulk

Shopping in bulk is where yous do 1 very big shop and choice up all the essentials you lot need, rather than buying smaller amounts of ingredients on a regular basis. Non but can you lot save money by choosing to store this way, but y'all also use a lot less packaging and unmarried-utilise plastics.

14. Terminate buying water

It's then like shooting fish in a barrel to buy a bottle of water when yous experience thirsty – and we know that your wellness and staying hydrated are very important. Withal, in the U.k., nosotros throw abroad 7.7 billion plastic water bottles a year , despite having bang-up quality drinking h2o.

You tin shell the urge to buy a plastic water bottle past remembering to accept a refillable water bottle with you everywhere. Even if you forget to fill up it upwards before y'all leave, most cafes will be happy to fill it upward for you. This is an surface area where y'all tin can actually make a difference with minimal effort.

xv. Buy second-hand items

Sometimes, you lot need to buy plastic items. So many things are made from plastic that it'due south difficult to avoid. If yous practice need to, perhaps consider buying items second-manus. Whether yous have a look in charity shops or on eBay, there are often so many pre-loved items available for yous to rehome.

16. Upcycle old plastic things

Have you e'er heard of upcycling? If not, take notation. Upcycling is when you revamp old items to make them more appealing or useful. This can be a great way to exhale new life into one-time plastic items or clothing garments so that they're not wasted, and you don't buy new things.

You can discover the full benefits of upcycling in our open step, simply they include saving materials from landfills, celebrating artisanal piece of work, and creating one-of-a-kind items.

17. Avoid microplastics

Microplastics is a term we use to describe pieces of plastic debris that are less than 5mm in length. They are a large problem, especially in our oceans , as fish will often unknowingly eat microplastics.

You tin acquire more about microplastics and microbeads in our open up steps, only essentially you should endeavor to avoid them. In the UK, microbeads are actually banned, but this is not the case everywhere. They tin can be found in many health, beauty and cleaning products. Microfibres come up from clothing and other soft furnishings, so this is another reason why it's useful to buy plastic-free fabrics.

eighteen. Put pressure level on manufacturers

We discussed earlier how it'southward vitally important for governments and manufacturers to make a deviation when it comes to plastic use and plastic waste. However, the fashion you cull to spend your coin can put pressure on manufacturers.

Choosing to purchase from a visitor is like a vote of confidence – if manufacturers see that fewer people are buying from them because of their attitudes to plastics, they are likely to make positive changes.

19. Hold a boondocks or embankment clean

If you're looking for more practical ways to forbid the spread of plastic pollution, look no further than a local clean. This is particularly easy to get involved in if you live by the ocean, every bit there are ofttimes organised beach cleans taking place. You can learn more than most this in our How to stop waste reaching the oceans open step.

Still, yous don't take to wait for an organised event. Accept a binbag with yous to your town middle, embankment, park or local beauty spot, and remove all the litter. You may even observe something valuable if you're lucky.

twenty. Speak upwards at work or university

For our final tip, nosotros encourage you to inspire those around you. The easiest way to brand a difference as individuals and communities is to encourage our friends, families, peers and coworkers to accommodate their lifestyles. This doesn't accept to exist in a preachy style – you just need to talk over the facts, give useful data, and offer applied and simple solutions for reducing plastic waste material.

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Source: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/how-to-reduce-plastic-waste