Plastic is everywhere in our society. We drink out of it; we play with toys that are made out of it; we carry groceries with bags made out of it. We depend on plastic. But, now we are drowning in it.
Plastic bags we use in our everyday life take 10-1000 years to decompose, while plastic bottles can take 450 years or more. That pop bottle that you just threw out of your car will still be floating in the ocean by the time your great-great-great grandkids roll around.
As a nation and as a world, we have grown so lazy and careless that we do not care to do even the most simple things that could make a huge difference in the conservation of our oceans. If we do not change our ignorant ways, we will lose our most valuable resource: water.
A major component in ending plastic pollution is reducing your own waste. Buy reusable bottles to fill it up with water or your favorite drink. This is a simple task, yet makes a big difference overall. Plus, you can buy reusable bottles practically anywhere–and for a reasonable price!
If you’re a big fan of Starbucks drinks, you can receive 10 cents off your drink if you bring in your own personal cup! Starbucks is also reducing their plastic waste by eventually getting rid of all straws in their stores. Instead, they will implement “nitro lids” or “sippy lids” for all drinks so you won’t need a straw to enjoy your caffeinated beverage.
Another great thing you can do is bring in your own bags to carry groceries when you go to the supermarket. If everyone pitched in and did their part the amount of plastic in our waters would decrease by millions. Senior, Renad Almutairi, says, “I bring my metal straw everywhere to try to reduce my plastic waste.”
It’s sad and unfortunate that some would liter, but there are people who do. So, if you see something lying in the grass at the park or on the sandy beach be contentious about where that could end up. A marine animal could live another day if you decide to throw that object away properly.
I get that sometimes we are lazy and just want the convenience of throwing away and then getting a new plastic bottle but we really need to evaluate what we are doing. Plastic was a great invention but we need to realize its harmful effects on the world and try to be mindful of it.
