How bad is Plastic for the Environment?

We always say that #plastic is one of the main reasons why we destroy our planet. And we do! But at some point, I thought: How exactly does plastic harm our nature and is it really as bad as we always say? The following #article will give you an insight that will hopefully give you a better understanding of the effects of plastic.

First of all, I do not want to come over here as an environmental activist. Obviously, I am committed to the environment and have found my passion for it. But I can also understand that it is difficult to implement a sustainable lifestyle, especially in today's society. I just always had the feeling that things are better to implement if you understand them. And that's exactly the goal of this blog!

Whether it's in the form of #bottles, bags, or packaging: plastic is everywhere. And even though plastic seems to be one of the main goals of the #sustainability movement, it is not possible to go through the day without seeing it. And even if we can't reuse it, we buy it over and over again. It just seems to be part of almost... everything. And to put it in a #nutshell: Yes, plastic is one of the major problems of #humanity, when you look at climate change and pollution. How? The next time you throw away a plastic bottle, think about it this way:

a plastic bottle can last about 450 years in the marine environment, where it will probably harm flora and fauna. It also doesn't completely dissolve, it just ends up in a microscopic form .

Considering that a person should drink at least two bottles of water a day and probably also goes to a grocery store almost every day (and if not, there are many different places where plastic is involved), I don't even want to think about how much plastic we might find in our environment. Also, according to biologicaldiversity.org, only 1% of all plastics are recycled. And that's why about 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic bags every year.

Now, let's put it on a scale: how much plastic could there possibly be? And why does our generation have to be the one who needs to change something? Let's put it this way:

Half of the plastic, that has ever been manufactured, has been made in the last 15 years.

So yes, it somehow is our generation's fault. Not because we are the ones manufacturing the plastic, but because we are still supporting the industry! I know, sustainable packaging has not reached the mainstream market yet. However, there are sustainable options and if you just keep an eye out for it in the grocery store, bring your own shopping bag, etc., we can already make a huge difference!

x GreenWave Team