Plastics are a plague, but how can we live without them? Learn how surfers can change the world by adopting simple daily practices.
Plastic is everywhere - at home, in the office, in our schools, restaurants, and communities. Unfortunately, plastics are also everywhere in our oceans.
"Americans go through about 100 billion plastic bags a year. That's 360 bags for every man, woman, and child in the United States.
And, less than five percent of these bags are recycled," underlines the Surfrider Foundation.
"Did you know that, on average, 1,500 bottles are consumed every second in the United States? Bottled water alone accounts for up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste annually, 80 percent of which ends up in our landfills and ocean."
The non-governmental surf organization is putting up "Rise Above Plastics," a project to reduce the impacts of plastics in the marine environment, raise awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution, and advocate for reducing single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.
Slowly, America and the rest of the world are changing habits.
But what can we do to accelerate this process? Refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle. Take a look at a few basic tips:
1. Use Cloth Shopping Bags
Keep reusable bags somewhere handy-in your car or your bike, or by the front door.
2. Forget Bottled Water
Carry a reusable bottle and avoid the possible hazards of plastic toxins leaching into your beverage.
3. Avoid Buying Items Packaged in Plastic
You'll be sending a message to the manufacturers of those products that you prefer sustainable packaging.
4. Volunteer at a Beach Cleanup
Help pick up plastic debris that has already reached our coasts.
5. Upcycle
Think of new uses for old plastic items.
6. Don't Use Plastic Straws
Americans are using 500 million plastic straws per day, and they often end up in the ocean.
7. Use Matches Instead of Disposable Plastic Lighters
Why do you need plastic and metal to light a gas stove or a candle?