Plastics in Our Daily Lives

How much plastic does the average American use each week?

Before
​The ubiquity of plastic may make it hard to imagine a time before this material ruled our world. However, it was only the 1950s when plastic production took off. The plastic revolution afforded people a culture of material abundance.

Now
Roughly 40 percent of the now more than 448 million tons of plastic produced every year is disposable; much of it used as packaging intended to be discarded within minutes after purchase.

More than eight million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean each year. Almost 700 animal species are known to be affected by plastic pollution, and it is estimated that plastic is responsible for the death of millions of marine animals each year.

The Near Future 
The issues arising from plastics seem nearly endless. Microplastics - small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long which can be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life - are found across the globe, mixed into the sand, filling the guts of fish, and even making their way into human bodies. 

So What Can You Do?
Personally, I suggest not biting off more than you can chew. This is not about deciding you will never use plastic again. This is not about devoting your life to designing a new biodegradable plastic. Rather, I encourage you to start with small manageable steps, like those found in the coming emails. Stop using disposable plastic straws. Carry reusable bags with you everywhere. Skip the plastic water bottle and switch to a reusable one. Develop small plastic-free habits that will become effortless. Good luck!!

Further Reading & Resources

• We Made Plastic. We Depend On It. Now We’re Drowning In It. Laura Parker for National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-waste-pollution-trash-crisis/
• Trash is for Tossers. Lauren Singer, Zero Waste Lifestyle Blogger. http://trashisfortossers.com/
• Plastic Pollution Primer and Action Toolkit. Earth Day Network. https://www.earthday.org/wp-content/uploads/Plastic-Pollution-Primer-and-Action-Toolkit.pdf