Most of us are aware of the enormity of the plastic waste crisis. With more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans, not to mention the plastic rubbish discarded on land, plastic waste is a huge issue.
Did you know, around 50% of plastic is used once and then thrown away?! That's why campaigns like Plastic Free July are so important. Plastic Free July is a global movement to encourage people to give up single-use plastics for the whole month of July. Whether that's investing in reusables (i.e. reusable water bottle, shopping bags & cutlery), or trying alternative plastic-free food storage, or switching to loose leaf tea - there's lots of ways you can reduce your plastic consumption. The Plastic Free July website has lots of ideas to get you started!
Many people believe that reducing our plastic waste correlates with increasing the amount of plastic we recycle and dispose of responsibly. As important as it is to make sure you're recycling your plastic waste at home correctly, we cannot recycle ourselves out of the plastic crisis.
Between 1950 and 1993 the number of plastic being produced increased by 144.9 million tonnes! We are producing plastic at such a high rate that our recycling infrastructure cannot keep up.
We all recognise the recycling symbol. Maybe you even look out for it to try and buy packaging more responsibly. However, the recycling symbol doesn't guarantee that the item will, or can be, recycled. In the UK, each council has different recycling infrastructures with different rules about what can and can't be recycled. And considering there are seven different types of plastic, it's difficult for retailers and companies to ensure their products can be correctly disposed of. It also means that most of the time they're not recycled.
In fact, only 9% of all plastic ever created has been recycled. Read that again - 9%. Another 12% has been incinerated, with the remaining 79% ending up in landfill or the environment. Over 75% of our plastic is not responsibly disposed of. Can you see how recycling is not the answer to our plastic waste problem? It's impossible for our recycling systems to keep up with the amount of plastic we produce.
So, what's the solution?
This is why campaigns like Plastic Free July are so important! Reducing your consumption of plastic - not focusing on how much you can recycle - is one of the best direct actions you can make to help the plastic waste crisis.
Stop the problem at the source and refuse single-use plastic at least. Find better sustainable and reusable alternatives to your favourite products! I've previously shared about my favourite eco swaps that you can read more about here. You can also access discounts and freebies from some of my favourite sustainable brands here.
Throughout July I'll also be sharing lots of tips and advice on living a more plastic free lifestyle, so make sure to follow All Things Green on Instagram and TikTok to learn more!
Hi, thank you for reading the All Things Green blog! 💚
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- Naomi x