THE PROBLEM
We use single use plastic items almost every day. However, have you ever wondered the impact of using them?
THE PROBLEM WITH PLASTIC
Humans currently produce more than 350 million metric tons of plastic waste per year, and it doesn’t stop there. By 2060 it is predicted that there will be almost 1 billion metric tons of waste per year. Yet, only 10% of this waste is actually recycled. Well then, where does the rest go? It can leak into and pollute lakes, rivers, and even oceans. This can injure or even kill many animals who reside in an aquatic habitat. A lot of the time some animals get entangled in plastic, others mistake the brightly colored plastic bits for food. Eating plastic can make the animal feel full even when they are not, so the animal will eventually starve to death, and pass the toxins from the plastic up the food chain.
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION
You probably have used a plastic water bottle once and thrown it away afterward. Well, that the problem. You are contributing to the large amount of plastic waste that is dumped in landfills each year. Instead of throwing that water bottle away, you can upcycle it. Learn more about upcycling here.