"A whale is found dead with more than 30 plastic bags in its stomach" reads the headline. I almost throw up. I steel myself, knowing exactly how I'll feel if I read the article. I read it anyway, because I prefer truth over denial.
I feel exactly how I knew I would. Numb. Angry. Overwhelmed. Helpless. Guilty. But also determined. I know I'm not the only one trying to stop the insane inflow of plastic into every crevice of our lives, lifestyles, and now the entire foodchain of the planet.
But it's not enough to just "know" plastic is killing us. You and I, we just use the stuff. We don't eat it... do we? Well, we're drinking it, and if we're not already eating it because it's moving up the foodchain, it's only a matter of time.
How does it feel to eat a plastic bag? Is it chewy? Rubbery? Do you cut it up first and maybe sprinkle a little sea salt on it? Should you serve it on fine porcelain if you're having company?
I really doubt this Cuvier's beaked whale that inadvertently sucked up 30+ plastic bags from all over the North Sea gave a hoot. It thought, most likely, the bags were squid or maybe they just slipped in during mealtime.
Imagine eating a sandwich and inhaling a bit of plastic accidentally.
Do that 30 times and you've got excruciating pain in your gut as the plastic blocks your intestines. It's not biodegradable—plastic is made from petroleum. It doesn't decompose, and it takes years to break down—and you have to eat every day.
You die a slow, agonizing death.
It's not something we want to think about. It's not what we think happens after we dump those plastic bags in the trash.
My intention isn't to play the blame game, scream bloody murder, or pound my fist on political pedestals. None of us would consciously feed a plastic bag to a whale—or any other living thing. The key is to be aware, number one; to decide to act, number two; and then, rinse and repeat.
I'm in the "rinse and repeat" stage. It's ridiculously simple, if you make it a habit. Here are a few tips:
AT HOME
- Recycle mercilessly. Everything that's recyclable. Every shred of plastic bagging or packaging. Plastic pouches for tea bags. Plastic wrapping around the necks of vitamin bottles. Shrinkwrapping for picture frames. I've gotten my family into the habit and you know? After a short while it just becomes second nature. We've got one bin for paper and paper packaging, one for glass and plastic containers, and a large plastic bag for all the lightweight plastic bags and baggies and packaging.
It doesn't take any more time to put the clear plastic packaging you've just peeled off a bottle of vitamins (or box of tomatoes or your child's latest toy or whatever) into a larger plastic bag, which you can then tie up and bring to a recycling station, than it does to throw it in the trash. It's just awareness and love, redirected.
- Ok, so the "bring to a recycling station" part does take time but hey what are we good at if not multitasking? In our town, Target (of all places!) has a brilliant system set up—large containers right next to the escalator where you can recycle various items, including one dedicated entirely to PLASTIC BAGS. My cotton hat off to you, Target. Not even Whole Foods recycles plastic bags (can we call them and ask??)
- This one's a killer: did you know that washing your polyester shirts sheds tiny little plastic fibers and washes them straight out to... yep, you guessed it. Your friendly neighborhood waterway. And from there, who knows. The ocean probably. Here's a fantastic article full of great tips on how to start minimizing the microplastic pollution from your laundry.
- Oh and what ABOUT those plastic water bottles! Water's good for you right? Yeah, it is. But not when it's laced with microscopic plastic filaments. So, what to do. No, don't drink soda. Bring your own water bottle, metal ideally. Or take the plastic bottle home with you and recycle. But ideally, turn it down. Send a message to the bottling companies that we don't want more plastic.
- There, that's it! I have not thrown out a single plastic bag or wrapping in YEARS. Hell yes I'm proud of that.
AT WORK
- See relevant points above.
- If your workplace doesn't recycle plastic bags, keep a little bin by your desk, and bring it home. No it doesn't make you look ridiculous. Throwing away plastic bags so they can be eaten by whales does.
- Get a workplace "plastic" challenge going—who can recycle the most? Who can go an entire week without a single plastic water bottle? Who can build the coolest office art out of plastic?
- Speak up. Don't be afraid to nudge fellow workers, or even to advocate that your company recycle more, be it paper, glass or plastic, and for the plastic it does use, that it choose plant-based brands.
EVERYWHERE ELSE
- See relevant points above.
- Refuse plastic bags in restaurants, grocery stores, shops. Bring your own reusable bags for shopping. Keep extras in your purse, your car, and why not your bike too.
- If you've got the money and time, join a marine research expedition, or organize a beach or river cleanup in your community or school. I'm doing that for my daughter's school, as part of a field trip they had already planned. We're going to the beach? Great, let's gather up the plastic!
- Get. Out. There. March for the Ocean this June 9th, in Washington DC, San Francisco and many other cities.
- Here's the fun part: watch lots of ocean documentaries! There's nothing like the power of film to make you feel a story rather than just read about it. Here are two of my favorites: BLUE and CHASING CORAL. It helps that the makers of these films have their hearts very much in the right ocean. Er, place.
I'd love to know what you're doing to reduce/reuse/recycle plastic in your life; please share in the comments! (To do so, log in above at the top of the photo. I know, what a pain, but this helps prevent spammers from lining our blogs with plastic content.)
And if you've got a strong stomach, here's the article about the whale that ate 30 plastic bags.
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