7 Ways Canadians Can Reduce Ocean Plastic Today

Today, plastic is ubiquitous and surrounds us everywhere we go: grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, malls, our homes and workplaces, our landfills, and, perhaps worst of all, our oceans. By now, many Canadians are aware that there is a problem with ocean plastic, but the dirty truth is that the problem of ocean plastic (which never truly biodegrades) is actually much bigger than most Canadians realize.

Here are some numbers and facts (correction: some very concerning numbers and facts) to get you up to speed:

• Of the 8,300 million tonnes of plastic made since 1950, over 6,400 million tonnes (that’s over 75%!) has already become waste — and nearly 80% of it is in landfills or the natural environment, with only 9% having been recycled.[1]
• The famous Pacific Garbage Patches (there are three already, by the way) are actually not visible islands of waste — in reality, they are a soupy mix of plastic chunks and small microplastics too small to see from a boat or plane, making them all the more deadly for fish, birds, whales, and turtles.[2]
• The amount of plastic waste entering the oceans each year is enough to pile five grocery bags full of plastic on every foot of coastline around the world.[3]
• If these rates of plastic waste continue, then plastic will outweigh all the fish in the sea as soon as 2050.[4]
• Plastics “make up 80% of all marine debris from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.”[5]
• Though ocean-based plastic waste like discarded fishing gear is also an issue, 80% of all marine debris comes from sources on land — not too surprising considering around 50% of all plastic is made for use in single-use products intended to be thrown out.[6]

Clearly, this is a big, major, even gigantic problem, one that is even more concerning because it is happening largely unnoticed right beneath our noses, with Canada playing no small part. Fortunately, there are many ways for you to take steps right now to start moving things in the right direction.

Simple Steps You Can Take Today To Help Reduce Ocean Plastic

1. Use reusable beverage containers for fast food and cafe drinks

According to the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup report in 2017, plastic lids were by far the most common find at a whopping 4.3 million units.[6] The figure is hardly surprising considering how frequently each Canadian uses and discards these cup lids. Asking for your beverage to be put in a reusable container or bringing your own from home are two ways of helping address this issue.

2. Avoid single-use plastic bottles (PET) as much as possible

After plastic lids, single-use plastic bottles and plastic bottle caps were the runners-up at 1.5 million and 800,000 units, respectively.[6] Here too a reusable water bottle from home can go a long way. Alternatively, opt for water in a reusable and infinitely recyclable aluminum can like Cycle Water’s when your own water bottle isn’t an option.

3. Reduce how often you eat fast food and take out, or bring your own container

700,000 food wrappers scattered on the world’s beaches in 2017 alone[6] suggest that cooking at home or bringing your own glass or tin takeaway container is the impact-conscious choice to make.

4. Choose clothes made from sustainably-sourced natural materials

To the surprise of many Canadians, washing plastic-based synthetic materials like polyester actually releases plastic microfibres into the water, which eventually make their way into lakes and oceans. Natural fibers like cotton don’t have the same problem and are also biodegradable. You can even get a microplastic absorber for your washing machine which is sure to reduce the volume of microfibers that get flushed away into our water supply.

5. Minimize the use of disposable hygiene tools like toothbrushes, razors, etc.

Naturally, the less plastic each of us uses and throws away, the better. Consider switching to a biodegradable toothbrush made from a natural material like bamboo. Similarly, razors with disposable blades result in less waste than fully disposable razors.

6. Recycle everything and make sure to do it correctly

Being realistic, it is hard to ignore the modern reliance on plastic. This should go without saying, but for the plastics we do need to use they must be recycled effectively and correctly. Correctly? Yes, you heard right, there’s a method to recycling. One of the most important steps we can take is to clean recyclables of all organic materials and other contaminants like soiled paper towels or napkins (Use your green bin for those instead!).

You might be surprised to learn that the majority of plastic doesn’t actually ever make it to the recycling bin. Your simple actions can ensure that the plastic that does make it in also counts and is recyclable. Choosing to use non-plastic recyclables like aluminum, which are much easier to recycle, is another good way to reduce your impact.

7. Learn as much as you can and advocate for change

Though we can and should all take the smalls steps that we can to reduce our own impacts, the problem is bigger than any of us can deal with alone. The path to zero waste is long and requires us to work together. Building awareness, inventing better alternatives to plastics, and advocating for large-scale change are the only ways to eventually get to a zero-waste world.

Here at Cycle Water, we are doing everything we can to promote and support your journey on this path to zero waste, from the water we offer in our resealable and infinitely recyclable aluminum can to the waste-free vision that our deceptively simple cans represent.

Articles like these are also a good place to start your journey of learning and advocacy for both individual and systemic change, and we’re proud to be able to provide them. So let’s continue to move forward together, one step at a time, starting today rather than tomorrow.

Sources:

[1] https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/07/plastic-age/533955/

[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/opinion/sunday/from-ocean-to-beach-tons-of-plastic-pollution.html

[3] https://www.bluehabits.org/fight-plastic-pollution

[4] https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/ocean_plastics/

[5] https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/marine-plastics

[6] https://sloactive.com/plastic-pollution/

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