A trillion plastic bags are used every year. 500 million straws are thrown out by Americans every day. A million plastic bottled beverages are sold every minute. Where does all of this waste go?
We know that 9 million tons of this plastic enters our oceans every year. Single-use plastic can remain here for over 450 years where it kills marine life, destroys ecosystems, and impacts everything and everyone that depends on these environments.
National Geographic has just launched Planet or Plastic?, a multi-year campaign that will tackle this global crisis by conducting major research, raising awareness of this challenge, and partnering with corporations and NGOs that share similar goals. Ultimately, they hope to reduce the amount of single-use plastic we use, find sustainable alternatives, and remove current litter from our oceans.
You can help by reducing your consumption of single-use plastics and by donating to the National Geographic Society, the leading nonprofit that is educating consumers and conducting research to eliminate and replace these materials. Donate today!
