It’s July and that means it’s time for another month of raising awareness about plastic pollution! Please check out the links in this post for plastic free July information and resources! These days I struggle to write about plastic pollution and zero waste concepts. The reality is there are too many pressing issues happening in our world. Climate change is a mammoth issue; increasing temperatures and extreme weather events often catch our attention more so than plastic does.
However, plastic is omnipresent. Plastic exists in the remotest parts of the world, from Everest, to the Mariana Trench, to Antarctica. Plastic is in our food, and it is in foetuses. Our wildlife and water systems are poisoned, as are our bodies from the chemicals used in plastic, and the processes to create it. As research members of the UN have argued, our world is threatened equally by climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution. These threats are interconnected and must be addressed together.
The articles below cover some of the most pressing global issues linked to plastic production and consumption.
Recent Articles on Plastic Pollution:
Plastic Crisis Needs Binding Treaty – BBC News
The Environmental Investigation Agency argues that plastic pollution threat is equitable to that of climate change. The authors of the report call for a UN treaty with binding targets to reduce plastic production and waste.
Microplastics Detected in Human Blood – Smithsonian Magazine
Small particles of plastics have been found in blood. The most common type of plastic found was PET (used in water bottles), and the second was polystyrene, which is used in food packaging. If that doesn’t make you want to reduce your plastic usage, then I don’t know what will!
Environmental Toxins Are Worsening Obesity Pandemic – The Guardian
Toxins named “obseogens” are thought to affect how our bodies control weight. One of the pollutants researchers believe increases obesity is BPA (a common additive in plastics). It is thought that the chemical affect on weight can also be passed genetically.
Plastic in the Soil – The Guardian
Soils contain more microplastic pollution than the oceans. Plastic usage in agriculture is destroying soil health and human health.
UN Tackling Marine Plastic Pollution
14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year. By 2050, it is expected that there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish. At the recent UN Ocean Conference, governments announced intentions to join a global commitment to transition to a circular economy for plastic.
Welcome to the 12th #PlasticFreeJuly! *cheers from all over the world* 🥳
𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝟏: Taking the official Plastic Free July challenge is the easiest way to discover the plastic free solutions that suit you.https://t.co/qVixwJzAMX pic.twitter.com/xMf4JH2mIq
— Plastic Free July (@PlasticFreeJuly) June 30, 2022
My Posts on Plastic
Plastic Free July – back to basics
In this post I discuss the challenges of plastic pollution during a pandemic, and the bigger picture of changing consumer habits and industrial processes.
Plastic Free July 2020
I wrote this post in the middle of a Covid lockdown. Many of these plastic-free swaps I still swear by such as: storing food (and freezing food) in glass, avoid chewing gum, and skip the balloons!
5 Big Changes to Make for Plastic Free July
This post covers corporate responsibility as well as plastic and our health and personal lifestyles.
Zero Waste and Plastic Free Living- Part 1
New to zero waste and plastic free living? This post will walk you through the 7 Rs of sustainable living!
10 Simple Ways to Reduce Waste and Single-use Plastic Consumption (Part 2)
My two main sustainable lifestyle rules are: 1) meal plan a plant-focused diet 2) don’t buy things you don’t need and look after the things you already have.
Sustainable Living
A general resource page with links to posts on sustainability.
Zero Waste and Plastic Free
Finally, all of my posts on zero waste living in one place!
