How to Make a Difference For the Ocean: 10 Simple Ways to Clean Up Plastic Pollution

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By 2050, it is estimated there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.

Meanwhile:

The effects of plastic pollution are growing: plastics poison more than a third of marine mammals and turtles; they suffocate seabirds; they entangle adult and juvenile animals; they even come back to us as microplastics in our seafood.

Even though the situation seems bleak, this doesn’t mean that we should give up on the ocean.

Instead of just lamenting about the damage done, let’s stand up for the blue planet and take action against plastic pollution!

In this article you will find many ideas about how you can make a difference for the ocean.

You don’t need to invest much time or money – just follow your heart and these 10 simple tips to help clean up plastic pollution.

READ MORE: HOW TO STOP PLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE OCEAN

Talk to your family and friends about plastic pollution

If you want people to change their habits, you have to first change the conversation.

Start a dialogue with your family and friends about marine debris and the harmful effects of plastic pollution.

Start with basic information, such as how much marine debris is out there and what it does.

Then, lead the discussion towards simple, everyday ways to make a difference.

Also, make sure to let them know about the positive effects of your actions – that by taking these 10 simple ways to clean up plastic pollution, you are making a real and measurable difference for sea creatures and for yourself!

Ditch the single-use plastics

Single-use plastics (i.e. disposable items like straws, water bottles, paper cups and plastic bags) are one of the biggest contributors to plastic pollution.

These items are usually made from non-recyclable, synthetic materials that break down into microplastics that are ingested by marine animals.

Once in their bodies, they may leach chemicals like endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to cancer and other diseases. Instead of using disposable plastic items, choose reusable alternatives.

This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce your plastic footprint.

For example:

Reusable water bottles are a simple and straightforward way to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles.

You can also reduce your use of disposable plastic items at work and at home.

For instance:

Use reusable cups and plates when hosting parties or doing your weekly groceries.

Commit to buying only eco-friendly seafood

People around the world consume a staggering amount of fish and other seafood.

Unfortunately, harvesting wild fish leads to overfishing and unsustainable aquaculture practices.

This, in turn, harms the ocean as habitats are destroyed and native species are over-harvested.

When buying seafood, make sure to source only environmentally friendly products.

First, look for fish that are certified as sustainable by a trusted certification body.

Next, check for the Marine Stewardship Council’s ecolabel. These are good indicators that the seafood you buy is eco-friendly.

If you don’t see the Marine Stewardship Council ecolabel, ask your fishmonger about the species’ sustainability, and don’t buy any fish that is not certified as sustainable.

Educate your peers and colleagues about marine conservation

You can do more than just buying sustainable seafood: you can also educate others about the need to preserve marine ecosystems and species.

Start with your family and friends – invite them to join you in actions that make a difference for the ocean, like beach or river clean-ups.

When you are with colleagues or classmates, take this opportunity to raise awareness about marine pollution and conservation.

You could ask your professor to incorporate ocean conservation into the curriculum; you could also invite your colleagues to join you in actions that make a difference for the ocean, like beach or river clean-ups.

Whatever you do, make sure to keep your message simple and clear.

Focus on the effects of single-use plastics and unsustainable seafood harvesting.

Let others know that they can make a real and measurable difference for the ocean.

Join a Marine Conservation Group

If you want to take marine conservation to the next level, you could join a marine conservation group.

There are many such organizations around the world.

They conduct beach and river clean-ups, monitor wildlife, and campaign for legislative change.

Dive clubs and other scuba diver associations are a great way to get involved in marine conservation.

One of the best ways to get involved in marine conservation is to join an organization like the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Sea Shepherd is a marine conservation group that uses nonviolent direct action against commercial fisheries.

This is a great way to get actively involved in marine conservation!

If you join an organization, make sure to follow their action guidelines. Follow their campaigns, join their beach or river clean-ups, and help their marine wildlife monitoring programs.

Install a marine debris tracker app

Did you know that less than 1% of marine debris is actually picked up?

The majority of marine debris items are too small to be detected by standard clean-up methods.

These microplastics are ingested by marine animals (i.e. fish, sea turtles, and seabirds) and accumulate toxins that are harmful to humans.

The good news is that we can reduce the amount of microplastics in the water by simply picking them up.

To do so, you can install a marine debris tracker app on your phone.

By using these apps, you can help scientists identify the amount and location of marine debris.

Such information is crucial for scientists to understand the extent of the plastic pollution problem and to develop effective marine debris reduction strategies.

Two recommended marine debris tracker apps are Marine Debris Tracker and Planet Patrol.

Support organizations that are helping to clean up the ocean

There are many organizations around the world that are helping to clean up the ocean.

This includes:

• Conducting beach and river clean-ups

• Monitoring wildlife

• Campaigning for legislative change

There are many ways to support these organizations, such as donating money, volunteering at events, or raising public awareness about marine conservation.

You could, for example, donate money to organizations that are cleaning up the ocean.

Some organizations that are actively working to clean up the ocean include Ocean Crusaders and 5 Gyres.

Conclusion

It’s never too late to make a difference for the ocean.

One of the easiest ways to make a difference is to stop using single-use plastics.

If we all commit to this one action, we will make a huge difference for the environment.

One person can make a difference for the ocean.

And if everyone makes an effort, we can clean up the ocean together!

READ MORE: SUSTAINABLE GROCERY SHOPPING: 6 TIPS TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT

Sustainable Grocery Shopping: 6 Tips to Save the Environment

The modern world’s reliance on plastic products is causing immense and, in some cases, irreversible damage to the entire ecosystem. 

In your own simple way, you can reduce the use of plastics by adopting sustainable grocery shopping habits. 

Research shows that responsible grocery shopping habits help motivate shoppers and considerably reduce ecosystem damage. 

If everyone contributes to decreasing their carbon footprint, we can reclaim our healthy environment in the coming decades.

Sustainable Grocery Shopping Tips 

In a study from 2022, scientists found microplastics in human lungs. 

Although more research is needed to ascertain how dangerous that could be, there’s consensus that it can’t be beneficial. 

Today, people are waking up to the harmful impacts of plastics, and there’s a growing movement to decrease single-use plastics. 

That’s why we put together this list of sustainable shopping tips to help educate and encourage everyone that even doing just a little bit, we CAN make a difference, no matter how small.

With a little effort, you can make them part of your daily routine. 

1. Use Reusable Or Recyclable Bags. 

Plastic bags are mostly single-use and are one of the biggest culprits of environmental pollution. In some areas, they have destroyed complete ecosystems. 

They not only harm aquatic life, but their impact on human health is also considerable. 

Single-use plastic bags have clogged water channels in many areas and raised the river basins by trapping solid waste. 

Therefore, the sensible thing is to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags. 

We should all come together to eliminate plastic bags, but it won’t happen overnight. For the time being, consider using reusable and recyclable bags instead of these plastic bags. 

Using reusable bags aren’t the end all be all, but it still helps, even a little.

2. Buy Fruits and Vegetables In Bulk. 

There are multiple benefits to buying fruit in bulk besides reducing plastic use and carbon footprint. 

For example:

• Bulk purchase of fruits and vegetables is more sustainable because it’s more cost-effective. You can save money with every dollar you spend when you go wholesale. 

• Bulk buying saves you valuable time. Less trips to the store, mean more time to spend doing other things you love. You can even make it a weekly routine and go out with your family to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers’ market. 

• Buying from local farmers in bulk supports the local economy and reduces plastic that would otherwise be used on packing fruits and vegetables. 

• You’ll save a considerable amount of fuel, as every trip means you’re using gas. That could decrease carbon emissions and reduces your carbon footprint.

A bonus is you can usually get a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, when buying in bulk. 

3. Encourage Fair Trade. 

Fair trade does not start with the grocery store; it starts from the very first day of production to consumer delivery. 

During this process, vendors who focus on fair trade policies are worthy of praise and support. 

Sustainable shopping helps in many ways, including ethical farming, sustainable cultivation, and overall better food production standards. 

When a company is willing to work towards sustainability using environment-friendly methods, it’s our responsibility to help them. 

Buy products from farmers and businesses with open and transparent policies regarding green production. 

These companies use fewer fertilizers and chemicals on crops and produce, as well as, avoid excessive use of plastic in their manufacturing processes. 

Supporting such companies through buying their products is not just eco-friendly; it’s also beneficial for your health and wellbeing. 

See if they comply with environmental protection standards by looking at their product labels or checking out their website for green certifications. 

Researching a company a little bit can help change your shopping habits a little but could have greater effect on the environment.

4. Invest In Reusable Food Packaging. 

We are always looking for solutions to stop ocean pollution, and one big one is looking at reusable food packaging options.

Many people are addicted to fast food and packaged goods. Only a few are aware that one of the worst sources of plastic pollution is food packaging. 

Look into supporting companies that invest in reusable food packaging.

Consider ways that you can repurpose or reuse some packaging materials or containers to keep them out of city dumps or the ocean.

Finding ways to reuse water bottles, drink containers, and wrapping materials can help reduce plastic waste in your community. 

5. Buy Local. 

Shop local, spend local.

You can buy produce and other items, such as meat, fresh from a local farmer or butcher.

The packaging and transporting costs are significantly reduced when local items are purchased instead of from a big box store.

Less packaging means less plastic pollution.

Less transportation costs mean less carbon emissions.

A Win-Win!

An added benefit of buying local are the potential discounts and promos you can take advantage of. 

There might be shops in your community that offer incentives when you return their reusable packing. Take a few minutes to search those out and reap the benefits!

Looking at buying some common household items at farmer’s markets or other local shops is another way you can help reduce plastic pollution.

For example:

Buy a wooden brush from a local vendor instead of an imported one.

Some laws mandate that imported goods be packaged in plastic, so by going straight to local producers, you can skip the plastic all together.

6. Avoid Excessive Online Shopping. 

Although you cannot eliminate online shopping completely, you can significantly reduce it with little bit of effort. 

Excessive online shopping creates a massive amount of plastic waste.

In 2019, its estimated that e-commerce shopping produced 2.1 billion pounds of plastic packaging.

Then there’s the vast amount of cardboard boxes from online orders that are tossed in the garbage and not recycled.

And after all of that, there’s the issue of online returns. Up to 30% of all online orders are returned

If you do buy online, look into the companies that you shop with. Are they using plastic packaging? Are they improving their carbon footprint?

Sending your money to companies that are trying to make a difference is always a solid idea.

Also:

Look for options where you can return the reusable packaging and get some discounts.

Save money and support sustainable shopping at the same time! 

Conclusion 

The only way to save the planet is through everyone’s collaborative effort. 

These tips can help change your shopping habits for the better and provide lasting effects for you and your community.

In fact:

Going eco-friendly is not an option anymore but is becoming a necessity. 

While practicing sustainable shopping habits may seem like a small step, the collective effect could make a big difference.

READ MORE: FACTS ABOUT PLASTIC POLLUTION

7 Facts About Plastic Pollution

Table of Contents

1. 1. HOW MANY PLASTIC BAGS ARE MADE EVERY YEAR?
2. 2. HOW MUCH PLASTIC IS CREATED ANNUALLY?
3. 3. WHERE DOES PLASTIC POLLUTION COME FROM?
4. 4. HOW MUCH PLASTIC IS NOT RECYCLED?
5. 5. HOW MUCH PLASTIC IS IN THE OCEAN?
6. 6. HOW MUCH MICROPLASTIC DOES THE AVERAGE PERSON EAT?
7. 7. HOW MUCH IS 10 LBS OF PLASTIC?
8. 8. HOW YOU CAN HELP

Plastic is everywhere!

Our planet has an estimate of over 5.25 billion tons of ocean plastic.

There are over 300 million tons of plastic produced worldwide each year.

We are heavily reliant on plastic products.

Here are some facts about plastic pollution that show just how big of a problem we, as a society, are dealing with.

Read More: How To Stop Plastic Pollution In The Ocean

1. HOW MANY PLASTIC BAGS ARE MADE EVERY YEAR?

There are now more than five trillion single-use plastic bags being produced worldwide each year; that's around one million tons of plastic waste.

That’s a lot of trips to the grocery store.

2. HOW MUCH PLASTIC IS CREATED ANNUALLY?

In 1950, only 2 million tons of plastic per year was produced in the world.

By 2015, that ballooned to over 381 million tons, AND continues to increase every single year.

Unless current trends change, by 2050, the world will create more plastic than fish globally.

3. WHERE DOES PLASTIC POLLUTION COME FROM?

Plastic pollution comes from many sources including: product manufacturing, shipping and transportation, consumer use and disposal.

80% of the plastic in the world's ocean enter from our rivers and coastlines.

To face plastic pollution head-on, we need to stop it before it gets to the ocean, at the source!

4. HOW MUCH PLASTIC IS NOT RECYCLED?

As much talk as there is about recycling, especially plastic, how much plastic is really recycled?

Only 8.7% of plastic was recycled in 2018. Over 91% of all plastic that was produced was not recycled! Most of the recycled 8.7% came from plastic water bottles.

Most plastics make their way to landfills where they take hundreds of years to degrade.

5. HOW MUCH PLASTIC IS IN THE OCEAN?

8 million metric tons of plastics enter the oceans every year.

Add that to the estimated 150 million metric tons that currently reside there right now. Staggering numbers, indeed.

Plastics are piling up in landfills and oceans faster than we recycle them.

And the problem is compounding annually.

6. HOW MUCH MICROPLASTIC DOES THE AVERAGE PERSON EAT?

There are many types of plastics that are harmful to humans.

A big one is microplastics.

Microplastics are extremely small pieces of plastic that are 5mm in size or less. They can be found virtually everywhere.

We eat and breath these plastic particles every week!

A study estimates that humans eat over 35000 particles of plastic annually, and those estimates increase to over 70000 particles when we add in our innate ability to breath.

Additionally:

This study suggests that when a person gets their water mainly from bottles, that could increase to over 90000 particles a year.

7. HOW MUCH IS 10 LBS OF PLASTIC?

Sometimes different units of measurement can be hard to really visualize.

Visualizing the weight of something can be especially hard because a pound of steel looks a lot different than a pound of feathers.

The same is true of plastic.

It’s such a lightweight material, that it’s hard to visualize what one pound of plastic would actually look like.

It takes about 47 empty half-liter water bottles to make a pound of plastic, and 8 empty gallon milk jugs to make a pound of plastic.

This means that ten pounds of plastic can be made up of 470 water bottles or 80 milk jugs!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Although these facts can be a bit overwhelming, all of us can help in reducing our own plastic waste.

Every little bit helps.

At Repurpose Recycle, we are committed to reducing & eliminating ocean-bound plastic.

Donate or shop now to support our mission.

Types Of Everyday Plastics That Are Harmful To Humans

It’s hard to imagine life without plastic.

It’s in our food, our houses, and products we use every day.

The rise of plastic usage in the last few decades has been a mark of unrelenting technological progress, but one that drags behind it untold consequences.

Research over the last few years has shown that plastics are not only negatively impacting the environment and wildlife, but are creating disastrous consequences for humans.

Below are just a few of the types of common plastics and their effects on human health.

READ MORE: How to Stop Plastic Pollution In The Ocean

Microplastics & Human Health

Microplastics are pieces of plastic that are 5mm in size or less.

They’re released from common household items such as sofas, carpets, or curtains, and are also found in food (specifically produce, seafood, and salt).

Humans can easily ingest these tiny pieces of plastic, especially because they don’t biodegrade, and inadvertently ingest chemical additives that can cause cancer, infertility, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Most microplastics that are consumed orally pass through the body, but the smallest particles can actually enter the bloodstream and make their ways to vital organs.

This can cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, and inflammation (which has been linked to a variety of further health problems, including Alzheimer’s).

BPA - What is it & How Harmful is it?

You’ve probably recognize the name of this plastic from seeing “BPA-free” labels on some cans in the grocery store.

But what exactly is BPA, and why is it so harmful?

Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, is an endocrine-disrupting chemical found in too many everyday products to name.

Water bottles, canned food, and plastic containers are some of the most common culprits.

When BPA breaks down, it can easily enter the body through food and water and interfere with hormone function.

This can be especially disastrous to the proper development of infants and children.

What are Phthalates?

Phthalates are a type of acid found mostly in a variety flexible plastics, which in turn are used to make objects such as children’s toys, shampoo, vinyl flooring, and food packaging.

Once phthalates enter the world in these products, they are released into the air through surface contact, the manufacturing process, the simple usage of PVC products, and the disposal of said products.

Because phthalates are so innately included in so many everyday items, escaping their use would be next to impossible.

However:

Research has linked phthalates with birth defects, insulin resistance, reproductive issues, and endocrine disruption.

what can be done to protect human health from plastic waste?

Although plastic pollution is increasing every year, there are things we can do now as a society and as individuals to help curb the effects of plastic that are harmful to humans and animal health.

• Support organizations invested in cleaning up ocean-bound plastic

• Reduce your own plastic use

• Join in clean up efforts across the globe

• Organize events in your community to spread awareness about plastic pollution

There are many ways to help reduce the amount of harmful plastics in the ocean.

Start today to help improve the lives and health of many people, including your own, by reducing the harmful effects of plastic pollution everywhere.

Our mission is to reduce this urgent problem and we need your help to do it!

What have you done to reduce plastic waste in your community?