Humans have produced more than 8 billion tons of plastic, mostly since the 1950s. Less than 10 percent of it has been recycled. Over time, much of it has broken down into tiny particles that make their way into lakes, rivers and oceans, eventually contaminating our fish and water.
And much of our food comes wrapped in plastic, which leads to tiny particles breaking off into our meals. How can we minimize our exposure? Use your own bags at the grocery store, at all stores. Try to use glass containers instead of plastic ones. Instead of plastic containers, plastic glasses and plastic coffee mugs, use glass or metal. The less we purchase that is plastic, the more we help to reduce the earth’s exposure.
The Weekly Green Tip is written by Michelle Sgarlat.