The Theme For Earth Day 2018 Is To End Plastic Pollution. Here’s How You Can Do Your Bit

Earth Day is celebrated today across the globe in an effort to spread awareness, spread the importance of conservation and action needed to protect our environment, since its inception on April the 22nd, 1970?as an annual event.

48 years ago U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson rallied millions of people on to the streets and organized events in an effort to bid our support to protect the environment. Cleaning our environment and conserving our planet has since become an international agenda.?

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Did you know that 300 million tons of plastics are sold each year and 90% of it is thrown away, damaging our natural resources of food, water and health?

The theme of Earth Day 2018 is to End Plastic Pollution and rightly so as disposed of plastic can remain buried in our environment for up to 2,000 years. Our oceans have become a garbage soup with garbage the equivalent of 136 billion milk jugs being dumped into it every year, according to a study published in journal Science.

"Earth Day 2018 is dedicated to providing the information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitude and behaviour about plastics," according to Earth Day Network. While our corporation and government may be slow to act, the small steps that we take can have a drastic impact on health, wellbeing and sustainability of our planet.

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Here are a few simple ways you can kick off your personal mission of reducing plastic consumption, immediately, by being more aware and attentive about your the plastic you use every day:

Wean yourself off disposable plastic

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The best way to start is to try is to get off as many single-use plastics as possible. This includes plastic bags, water bottles, straws, plastic cups and plates, take out bags and containers and all other plastics that are used once and discarded. Try to restrict yourself from buying or using them. Instead, carry and store as may reusables as you (like carrying your own bottle of water instead of buying one) can and try to get whatever plastic you use recycled.

Limit your use of products containing ‘microbeads’

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Several products such as scrubs, toothpaste and shower gels use tiny plastic particles called microbeads, that enter the oceans through our urban waterways, dramatically affecting hundreds of marine species. Look at the ingredients label and avoid buying products with ‘polythelene’ and ‘polypropylene’ written on the label.

Give up chewing gum

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While gum was originally made of a tree sap called, chicle, a natural rubber, it has now been replaced by synthetic rubber (using polyethylene and polyvinyl). Not only are you now chewing on plastic, but also adding to the debris of millions of plastic chewing gums being disposed of.?

Try and participate in as many cleanups and drives as possible

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Offering a helping hand by taking part in or organizing a cleanup drive of your local beach/waterways or participating in organizing tree plantation drives, such as these?that can go a long way in preserving our environment. Not only can you make a significant difference but it can also be the most rewarding experience of fighting plastic pollution; like it has for these people.?

Dissuade your family, friends and coworkers from adding to the problem

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Firstly, learn about the far-reaching damage and the crippling consequences it causing to mother nature by reading about it and watching documentaries, such as?Bag it, Addicted to Plastic?or Garbage Island. Then enlighten your family, friends, co-workers about the growing magnitude of the problem and the severe implications for the future by sharing what you have learnt.