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Single Use Plastics — The Not-So-Good News—The Good News - Actions

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The Not-So-Good News:  Single use plastics (SUP) are a convenience for that very moment, but collectively, the impact of that convenience comes at a steep price and at a debt we will be paying for years to come.  Plastic products are cheap to make, but they take centuries or more to break down in nature.  Impacts of plastic pollution on the environment and our health are global and can be drastic.  Even when plastics do break down, they create microplastics, the effects of which are still unknown and unstudied.

Here are the top single use plastics:  plastic straws, plates, cups and cutlery; food containers and fast food packaging; plastic bags; and plastic bottles and lids.

 

The Good News:  Over the last decade, there has been a growing awareness of the extent of plastic pollution and its devastating impacts on animals and the environment.  We are more concerned about the impact of SUP.  Manufacturers and individuals are making changes and good eco-swaps.  More of us are refusing single use products. 

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Actions:   One more word has been added to the recycling triangle to remind us to pay attention to what we buy, how we use it, and what we do with it when its purpose is over...refuse!!  What if we never even take the plastic bags from the store or the plastic utensils with our take out food?  Bring your own re-usable water bottle and shopping bags.  Choose shampoo bars, laundry, cleaning and beauty supplies without plastic packaging.  Refuse plastic straws and ask for no cutlery when ordering take out.

 

Going One Step Further: a special creation care challenge:: Take the 2023 Plastic Free July® challenge.  It’s about learning to make small changes by choosing to refuse.  Choose one single use plastic to avoid and refuse for the month.  It’s a personal choice that is part of a global movement.  The website https://www.plasticfreejuly.org provides resources and ideas to help you (and millions of others around the world) reduce  SUP everyday at home, work, school and more.