What is being done to stop plastic pollution?

Due to an increasing call for society to eliminate plastic usage for many years now, more and more countries have started implementing measures to lessen our dependence on plastic products. 

Zero-waste lifestyle is now being promoted, along with the plea for us to turn to reusable products from single-use plastic. However, the road is still long and winding before the world could ever declare being free from plastic pollution. Looking at the bright side, on the other hand, the world has finally noticed the reality of plastic pollution and is now finding ways to try and stop it.

What is being done to stop plastic pollution in the ocean?

Heavily influenced by the skyrocketing rates of plastic pollution and how gravely it affects marine life, non-government organizations have been exerting extra efforts to alleviate the situation. One of the most known ways to give back to Mother Nature is organizing or at least joining a coastal cleanup.

Coastal cleanups have become so popular as a fundraising event, team building activity, or even just a family bonding time. These projects are happening around the world, hoping to at least take baby steps in improving our ocean’s deteriorating health.

Cleaning beaches and rivers is instrumental to fighting plastic pollution. Our waters have been found to be infiltrated with too much plastic, which led to a study proving that over half of sea turtles have eaten plastic in their lifetime. This study continues to fuel environmentalists to keep encouraging people to turn away from single-use plastic products like utensils, plates, cups, and grocery bags.

What is the government doing to reduce plastic waste?

More countries have also taken the lead to adapt laws and ordinances prohibiting single-use plastic including water bottles and takeout containers. These laws aim to at least lessen the plastic trash we produce every year, which was recorded to be 9 million tons in 2017. 

The call to completely forget plastic consumption gets louder every year, amplified by a lot of movements promoting some kind of an environmental paradigm shift. For the government to chime in on these causes is already a winning moment. Because laws have started leaning on being kinder to nature, people are left with no choice but healthy ones.

The government acting with us to save our oceans by trying to eradicate or at least, limiting plastic use, is a huge game changer. More people take it seriously, starting to rethink how their choice of lifestyle has impacted the environment.

Can we live without plastics?

It is our high dependency on plastic that brought us to this predicament. We’ve all heard it before, with great power comes great responsibility. Technology has allowed us to live more conveniently, with almost everything within our reach. Through technology, plastic was invented, hoping it would replace the need for paper, which then looked like it could eliminate all the trees in the world.

Plastic has been around since 1907. It has become such a fast selling commodity because of how versatile it is. Since then, it’s been used everywhere. This is why it seems impossible to live without plastic. It existed even before the internet!

It all starts with a small decision to stop using those plastic products you’ve had for a long time. It could be the water bottles you buy every day on the way to work, the plastic utensils you use dining in your favorite cafe, the grocery bags every time you buy your fruits and veggies, or completely turning to a plastic rebel by refusing bottled conditioner to make your own concoction from apple cider vinegar.

Living plastic-free will not be easy for sure, but could still be done with strong commitment and conviction. With more awareness campaigns promoting a plastic-free lifestyle, our oceans may soon breathe easier and healthier.

Plastic pollution is real, but we can stop it.

With the right mindset and knowledge of how much damage plastic is causing in our marine ecosystems, nothing is ever impossible. Sure, the dilemma on completely eliminating it from earth may be in for the long haul, but as news shed light on the destruction, more steps are being taken to help solve the plight.

The key to fighting plastic pollution is refusing to use plastic itself. Take a cue from the age of the milkman, when milk was delivered in glass bottles and were refilled the next time. Take that tumbler when going out, have stainless utensils in your bag, an eco bag when going to the grocery. 

As much as we want to see how the world is trying to stop plastic pollution, it is also crucial that we do our part in fixing this mess we were a part of. If you cannot completely get it out of your system just yet, reducing your plastic consumption could still make a huge difference.

What will happen if we don’t stop ocean pollution?

If we don’t do something to stop ocean pollution like carbon dioxide emissions, we might not have any coral reefs by 2100. One of the cons. of this will be more big and powerfull storms.