How to Reduce Your Plastic Pollution

I recently came across a website and organization called The Natural Resource Defense Council, or NRDC. I wrote an entire blog post on their organization that I'll link down below. I've been looking through their site and have found some interesting articles. One of them was ways to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans. I wrote a blog post last week on 5 ways you can help the ocean and I thought this article tied in well. Part of helping the ocean is producing less plastic waste. Here is some information I got from the article.

Trash ends up in our oceans and animals can end up eating the garbage because they think it's prey or because the plastic has broken down into small pieces.

Plastic is nonbiodegradable. "Around 80 percent of marine litter actually originates from land-either swept in from the coastline or carried to rivers from the streets during heavy rain via storm drains and sewer overflows."

Here are some of NRDC's tips to reduce your plastic pollution:

1.) Stop using disposable plastics
90% of the plastic items we use are used once and then thrown out. This includes "grocery bags, plastic wrap, disposable cutlery, straws and coffee-cup lids." Instead of using plastic bags to hold your groceries, invest in some reusable bags. This will save you money and save the environment.

2.) Stop buying plastic water bottles
"Each year, close to 20 billion plastic bottles are tossed in the trash." Instead of buying tons of plastic water bottles, buy one reusable water bottle and carry that around with you.

3.) Stop using microbeads
Microbeads are found in plastic scrubbers, facial scrubs, toothpaste and body washes. "Their tiny size allows them to slip through water-treatment plants." Microbeads also look like food to many marine animals. Buy products that have natural exfoliants such as oatmeal and salt.

4.) Stop eating out so much
Cooking at home is healthier and "doesn't involve takeout containers or doggy bags." If you do choose to eat out or order in, ask the restaurant to not include plastic cutlery.

5.) Stop buying single-servings
"Consider the product-to-packaging ratio of items you tend to buy often and select the bigger container instead of buying several smaller ones over times."

These tips are only 5 of the 10 ways NRDC says you can reduce your plastic waste. Click the article link below to read about the other 5.


NRDC article: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/10-ways-reduce-plastic-pollution

NRDC blog post: http://ridewithmark.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-natural-resources-defense_25.htm

5 ways to help our oceans blog post: http://ridewithmark.blogspot.com/2016/05/our-oceans-are-in-danger-5-ways-to-help.html

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markbuysdamagedcars/