JOIN Us TO #ENDPLASTICPollution

While many of us have heard “reduce-reuse-recycle”, we challenge you to adopt a different way of thinking and start with “refuse-reduce-reuse-recycle”.  By first refusing items like single-use plastics, we help to keep our local streams and rivers clean. A lot of attention has been highlighted in recent years about the problem of plastic pollution in our oceans.  Yet we must focus on the avenues that pollution is taking to get there: local streams and rivers.  Plastics end up in our streams and rivers through littering and being carried by rainfall runoff and wind.  And the plastic will remain for a very long time. It is estimated that plastic bags can take 20 years to decompose, and plastic bottles up to 450 years; but in fact, no one really knows how long plastics will remain in the ocean. Some plastics simply break down into tiny microplastics (smaller than 5 millimeters in length) that can be harmful when ingested by wildlife, and can carry other contaminants into the water.  Many people think that since much of our plastic is recyclable, then they made a good choice as long as they recycle the plastic item.  However it is important to note that most recycled plastics are turned into a lower grade product like plastic wrap which is NOT recyclable.  So eventually that plastic will end up in a landfill or carried into our local streams by wind and water.  So the best option is avoid plastic whenever possible.  The great news is that we have alternatives to kick our plastic habitat!  Please join our effort to help the environment and choose to refuse single-use plastic. Instead:

• Reconsider takeaway items that could end up in the rivers and ocean, like plastic straws and single use grocery bags. Go with reusable instead!
• Use reusable water bottles
• Choose products with reusable or biodegradable packaging
• Substitute beeswax paper for plastic wrap
• Go completely plastic free!