Welcome to Plastic Free July!
Much of TLC’s work strives to protect wildlife and their habitats from anthropogenic disturbance. However, there are external factors that can hinder this process – plastic waste pollution being among them. Canadians generate an estimated 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste per year; 2.8 million tonnes of which ends up in landfills. Plastic, which is considered toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, has incredibly damaging effects on wildlife, the environment, and humans. Plastics have been discovered nearly everywhere, from the waters of Antarctica to the aquatic species that we consume, such as shrimp. This is because discarded plastics often find their way into waterways and end up in the ocean or on distant shores.
Plastics often contain additives to make them stronger, more durable, and more flexible, which makes them incredibly hard to biodegrade once in the natural environment. It is estimated that some plastics can take at least 400 years to break down. Nearly 700 species of wildlife are known to be affected by plastics, with millions killed every year through entanglement, starvation, and consumption of plastic items.
Evidently, plastic pollution is a huge problem that is difficult to contain and control. There are ways to minimize the amount of plastic waste entering the environment, for example improved recycling systems and better product design. However, an effective way of minimizing plastic waste in the environment is to try to stop using it as much as possible in the first place!
This is where Plastic Free July comes in. The mission of this month is to reduce your plastic consumption through conscious decision-making and finding sustainable alternatives. Here at TLC we support making decisions with the environment in mind, and want to share this opportunity to consider how our daily actions can have a positive impact.
Without further ado, here are some compiled resources to check out for information about plastics, why they are a huge problem, and how you can curb your own plastic consumption!
READING RESOURCES
- National Geographic gives an overview of the plastic problem: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution
- A quick lesson on plastic pollution from Greenpeace: https://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaign/toolkit-plastic-free-future/learn-about-plastic-pollution/
- The Canadian Environmental Protection Act officially classifies plastic as “toxic”: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/05/13/news/canada-officially-tosses-plastic-toxic-bin
- Canada contributes disproportionately to plastic pollution: https://oceana.ca/en/press-center/press-releases/drowning-plastic-new-report-shows-canada-contributes-disproportionately
- 100 tips on how to lead a plastic-free lifestyle: https://myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide/
- More tips from the National Resource Defence Council (USA): https://www.nrdc.org/stories/10-ways-reduce-plastic-pollution
Photos: Jade Vovers and Chris Brossard
Every month should be plastic free month. Haha, but that doesn’t undermine the great progress I see here. Keep up the good work.