Did you know that in Canada, single-use plastic is the number one cause of environmental degradation? 85% of the country’s plastic waste is single-use.
Managing plastic waste is a continuous battle for countries all over the world. When not disposed of properly, it is unsafe not just for marine animals, but for humans too. A single piece of a plastic spoon can take hundreds of years to break down totally, and the carbon footprint it leaves can take longer than that to totally vanish.
There are a lot of ways to help the environment by reducing the usage of plastic. There are already a lot of metal and paper counterparts to plastic materials today. Aside from being sturdy and durable, metal utensils and containers are better than plastic in that they can be used repetitively—saving you money in the long run. Single-use paper utensils are also better than single-use plastic utensils because it breaks down easier and it is biodegradable.
The change starts with an individual’s initiative to reduce personal plastic usage. Total riddance of plastic material can be an ambitious goal, but organizations and communities have already made action and are continually making a movement to promote a greener environment.