The World Plastic Bag Day is celebrated on July 3rd of each year to warn about the environmental impacts of these disposable bags. The world consumes 5,000 billion plastic bags a year!
Reduce or stop completely?
Plastic bags are very often rejected in the environment. They contribute to the pollution of our planet. It is no longer a question of reducing the consumption of plastic bags but of stopping it completely.
Measures have been taken in some countries to reduce the consumption of plastic bags.
The only bags that will be allowed will be those used in cases where hygiene is important, such as small bags for packing vegetables at the supermarket.
Do you know the eighth continent?
Plastic pollution is a real global danger. In the northeastern Pacific Ocean, millions of garbage, dumped at the coast, created a floating mass that ecologists call the eighth continent!
What are the proposed actions?
Reduce your consumption of plastic bags:
• Avoid over-packaged foods as much as possible
• As much as possible, buy your food in larger quantities; less packaging for less
• Always have a reusable cloth bag with you.
• Go to the bulk stores to stock up on dry foods (nuts, flour, dried fruits, etc.) and use glass jars to store them.
A plastic garbage truck thrown every minute to the sea!
Denis Ody, Mediterranean Manager at WWF France says that everything that is produced ends up at sea, especially toxic products. "Between 8 and 12 million tons of plastic are thrown into the sea each year. It's the equivalent of a plastic garbage truck per minute. "He says.
Plastic ... in our stomach!
Denis Ody distinguishes two types of plastic. On the one hand, the one that floats on the surface and that gradually degrades into finer and finer particles. On the other hand, the plastic micro-particles contained in textiles or cosmetics. In both cases, the plastic is invited in the food chain and, incidentally, in our stomach.
Plastic in a few numbers
• Plastic represents 10% of all man-made waste.
• At least 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans each year.
• If we do not change our habits, scientists estimate that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans.
• About 50% of the plastic produced is for single use or is intended for the manufacture of packaging.
Plastic bags and ... UN figures
The UN says the scale of the challenge is daunting, and since the 1950s, plastic production has surpassed that of almost every other material. In addition, the UN notes that if current consumption patterns and waste management practices continue, there will be about 12 billion tonnes of plastic waste in landfills and the environment by 2050.
Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment, says: "Our oceans have been used as a landfill, causing choking of marine life and turning some marine areas into plastic soup." "In some cities, plastic waste clogs the pipes, causing disease. Consumed by livestock, they find their way into the food chain. "
The top 5 tips from the Plastic Free July Foundation:
• Have a reusable cup for your coffee or other beverage to take away
• Avoid products packaged in plastic - for example: favor fruits and vegetables that are not already packaged in plastic
• Take reusable shopping bags
• Buy in bulk
• Use beeswax food packaging (an accessible tutorial to make them yourself) or reusable containers to keep food fresh
Other single-use products to avoid to reduce plastic consumption:
• water bottles
• plastic straws (for those who have trouble without it, there are straws made of bamboo or metal)
• plastic dishes