Have you seen the Story of a Spoon video?
In today’s modern world, convenience is king. We design and create plastic tools that are easy to buy and even easier to throw away.
The problem is, there’s no “away”. Most of our plastic waste finds it way to the ocean, where it gets broken down into smaller pieces that can be mistaken for food by sea creatures.
Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to our oceans, along with climate change and overfishing.
In general, it takes 100 to 1,000 years for plastics to degrade naturally. The serious plastic pollution we see in remote places like Midway Island sends an alarming message–stopping plastic pollution needs to start TODAY.
A huge contributor to the plastic crisis is the fact that many plastic items are single-use and disposable.
Upcycling Product Designer Kevin Cheung from Hong Kong said, “I don’t see plastic itself as the problem – the problem is the way we consume, and the fact that products aren’t designed to last.”
Since the existence of plastics, more products are designed to be temporary rather than long-lasting. This creates tonnes of rubbish that our earth will soon not be able to contain. In some parts of the world, waste treatment problems have wreaked havoc on environmental sanitation and people’s health.
This mindset of “out of sight, out of mind” is now being challenged as images and videos that bear witness to the severe consequences of plastic pollution emerge.
So what about recycling?
Unfortunately, not all plastic items can be recycled, and the rate/efficiency of recycling varies from one country to another. To really solve this issue, we have to stop the tide of plastic at the source. Countries are taking action, and so are individuals.
France has already banned disposable plastic cutlery. And in January 2017, New Delhi banned all disposable plastics.
South Korean activist Minji Bae pioneered a Zero Waste journey and continues to inspire others to join her. In Taiwan, beach scavenger Hsin-Chu Chen has held 18 beach cleaning events and cleaned up 25 tons of plastic waste!
Every journey begins with a single step.
Starting your plastic-free journey can feel intimidating, but you’re not alone. This month is Plastic Free July. Thousands of initiatives around the world are calling on individuals, governments, and corporations to change.
You can join them.
Take our quiz to better understand your consumption habits or check out these interactive plastic-free tips for creative solutions!
Share your tips and thoughts with friends, family, and colleagues.
Bring your own plastic-free kit to cut down on daily consumption!
Finally, add your voice to this growing movement!
Greenpeace will be working hard over the next few years to end plastic pollution in our oceans.
In July 2016, we launched a campaign to ban plastic microbeads in Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
With support from people like you, we successfully pushed the Korean and Taiwanese governments to ban microplastic products – a huge victory!
Several international cosmetic brands including Estée Lauder, Amway, LG and Kosé have also made announcements on phasing out microbead products and retailers including A.S. Watsons and 759 Store in Hong Kong have also committed to phasing them out.
Several international cosmetic brands including Estée Lauder, Amway, LG and Kosé have also made announcements on phasing out microbead products and retailers including A.S. Watsons and 759 Store in Hong Kong have also committed to phasing them out.
With YOUR support,we can make change happen! Please join us: together we can shift the tide of disposable plastic culture.
Let’s go plastic-free! Take the pledge.
