Use These Five Plastic Pollution Solutions to Create Change
We need plastic pollution solutions, and we need them now. Plastic waste is a global problem that is decimating our oceans and putting animals, humans and our ecosystem in jeopardy. Every year, humans produce 300 million tons of plastic waste. In Australia alone, more than 130kg of plastic per person is used every year according to WWF. Scientists and environmental watchdogs agree that we’re in the midst of a true plastic crisis.
Although it’s tough not to be discouraged by the current state of our environment, the good news is that there is still a lot you can do to reduce your plastic footprint. Read on for plastic pollution solutions that you can try right now.
What is plastic pollution and what are some plastic pollution solutions?
Plastic pollution occurs when plastic materials make their way into our natural environment and negatively affect wildlife and human beings. Because of its convenience and low production cost, plastic has cropped up everywhere and is now an inescapable part of our daily lives.
The main problem with plastics is that they don’t completely biodegrade — they break down into smaller pieces called microplastics that contaminate our oceans, drinking water, soil and much more. To put this into perspective, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050 if we keep producing plastic pollution at our current rate.
Plastic pollution facts that might surprise you
- Of the 130kg per person used by every person in Australia each year, around 130,000 tonnes will find its way into our oceans
- Since 2004, the world has made as much plastic as it did in the previous half-century
- 56% of the world’s plastic waste comes from five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka
- According to Plastic Oceans International, over 90% of all seabirds have plastic pieces in their stomachs
- We throw away about 50% of all plastic after a single use, according to EcoWatch
Five ways to fight plastic pollution
The statistics about plastic pollution are troubling, but there are concrete ways you can reduce the amount of plastic you’re putting into the environment. Here are five ideas on how to stop plastic pollution right away.
1. Practice the five R’s
The five R’s — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle — are a great springboard for becoming more conscious of your plastic use. Environmentalists agree that recycling at this point simply isn’t enough, which is why it’s critical to use the other methods to combat plastic consumption as well. Here are a few ways to get started:
- Avoid purchasing items in single-use plastics
- Store food items at home in glass containers instead of Tupperware or plastic bags
- Carry your own reusable coffee cup with you
- Sign up to a platform like Effective Altruism Australia to help you calculate genuine impact with your daily choices
- Buy from whole food shop bulk bins and bring your own reusable containers
- Avoid using plastic bags at the supermarket and bring your own reusable bag
- Instead of throwing out clothing that is ripped, try repairing it or creating a different garment from the fabric, like tea towels, dish rags or a fabric carrier bag
- Skip plastic utensils and carry your own reusable utensil kit for eating meals on-the-go
- Invest in a reusable metal or wooden straw so that you never have to use a plastic straw again
- Consider at home composting (using something like the Subpod Australia or a worm farm from Bunnings) to compost your fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds, teabags — even hair and tumble dryer dust! — and stop it from heating up in landfill.
2. Participate in an Earth Hour event
April 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, so there are bound to be plenty of Earth Day ideas to get involved with. The event consists of a series of strikes around the globe centred on demanding action for climate change. If you’d like to get involved, WWF Australia also hosts an annual Earth Hour event to encourage all organisations, large and small, to stop and acknowledge their role in helping some of the big issues our planet is facing.
3. Fundraise to make a difference
Whether you need funding for Earth Day activities or you want to financially support an environmental charity, crowdfunding can be a big help. Through the power of fundraising, you can rally support from your friends, family members, and community — you can even grab the attention of people across the globe.
- Write a fundraiser story that highlights your passion for improving the environment. You can do this by providing details about why your mission is important, and what you’ll use the funds for
- Take a look at these 25 fundraiser sharing tips to increase donations
- Be sure to keep your supporters updated through fundraiser updates
- Everyone appreciates a heartfelt thank you, so learn how to craft a thoughtful donation thank-you letter
4. Plan a green event in your community
Are you someone who is energised by organising and planning events? If so, then launching a green event in your community may be one way you can make a difference on a local scale.
To start, determine what your community most needs help with. Are the beaches in desperate need of a clean-up, or would your suburb benefit from a community garden? Once you narrow down the need, you can focus on recruiting volunteers and planning the details. Even gathering a small group of friends for a casual clean-up has an impact (and if you want to go one step further, learn about how to fundraise as a team so you share the load).
5. Get political
Another way to raise awareness about plastic pollution, and work for some plastic pollution solutions, is to join a movement or support legislation that aims to restrict plastics.
- The Surf Rider Foundation Australia has launched its Rise Above Plastics campaign to reduce the impacts of plastics on the ocean and advocate for a reduction of single-use plastics nationally
- A movement by Greenpeace is focused on encouraging large companies to take action to reduce their plastic footprint by reducing excessive use of single-use plastics. You can pledge your support by adding your signature
- If you feel in a position to do so, you can also boycott businesses and organisations that are responsible for large amounts of plastic waste, or write to your local, state and federal MP’s to let them know why this should be something on their political agenda
Are you ready to take action?
We all share the common vision of living in a world that’s clean and safe, but plastic waste is casting a shadow over that goal. The good news is that if we work together and take small steps forward, we can end plastic pollution in the future. If you have ideas for ways to beat plastic pollution but need some financial assistance, GoFundMe can help. Sign up today to begin raising funds to create plastic pollution solutions right now.