Plastic is everywhere: In your home, your office, your school — and your ocean. Among the top 10 kinds of trash picked up during the 2017 International Coastal Cleanup were food wrappers, beverage bottles, grocery bags, straws, and take out containers, all made of plastic. How did it all get there? Why is it a problem? What can we do?

The problem with plastic

While it’s tough to say exactly how much plastic is in the ocean, scientists think about 8 million metric tons of plastic entered the ocean in 2010. That’s the weight of nearly 90 aircraft carriers, and the problem continues to grow.

These plastics come in many different forms. Just think about all the plastic items you use daily: the toothbrush you grab first thing in the morning, the container your lunch comes in, or the bottle you drink water from after your workout.

All these things get used and, eventually, thrown out. Many plastic products are single-use items that are designed to be thrown out, like water bottles or take out containers. These are used and discarded quickly. If this waste isn’t properly disposed of or managed, it can end up in the ocean.

Unlike some other kinds of waste, plastic doesn’t decompose. That means plastic can stick around indefinitely, wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems. Some plastics float once they enter the ocean, though not all do. As the plastic is tossed around, much of it breaks into tiny pieces, called microplastics.

The first thing that comes to mind for many people when they think of microplastics are the small beads found in some soaps and other personal care products. But microplastics also include bits of what were once larger items.

Microfibers, shed from synthetic clothing or fishing nets, are another problematic form of microplastic. These fibers, beads, and microplastic fragments can all absorb harmful pollutants like pesticides, dyes, and flame retardants, only to later release them in the ocean.

Did you know?

While photodegradable plastics (plastics capable of being broken down by light) may break down from its first state (or created state), these plastics never completely degrade, but actually divide into tiny pieces called microplastics. Microplastics are the multi-colored pieces of plastic that can be found in a handful of sand on the beach or in the ocean. Scientists are still investigating the impact of microplastics on our ocean and marine life.

What can you do?

There are many ways to keep plastic out of the ocean! Here are two strategies:

• Reduce plastic use.

  Think about all the plastic items you use every day. Can you count them all? Look around you. How many plastic things can you see? Being more aware of how and why you use the plastics that you do is the first step to reducing plastic use. Commit to changing your habits by reducing your use of disposable and single-use plastic items, reusing items and/or recycling them.

• Participate in a cleanup.

  Volunteer to pick up marine litter in your local community. Find a cleanup near you!

NOAA’s Marine Debris Program (MDP) works to understand how plastics — and other marine debris — get into our ocean, how they can be removed, and how they can be kept from polluting our marine environment in the future.

What is Aquatic Trash?

EPA’s Trash Free Waters (TFW) program refers to the garbage polluting U.S. rivers, lakes, streams, and creeks as “aquatic trash.” Most of the garbage that ends up in waterways comes from land-based activities. 

Garbage can easily become aquatic trash if it is not properly disposed of or securely contained. When garbage is littered on the ground rather than placed in a recycle, compost, or trash bin, rain and wind often carries it into storm drains, streams, canals, and rivers. For example, a cigarette butt tossed on the ground might wash into a storm drain and travel through the stormwater system, which in some cases, leads directly into waterways. Cigarette butts contain plastic that will remain in the environment for many years.

Trash also enters waterways as a result of illegal dumping in or near waterways. Illegal dumping of household waste may be more common if there is a lack of regular trash pickup services or publicly available dumpsters. Additionally, trash can blow out of overfilled trash bins or off of trash collection vehicles.

What is Marine Debris?

Once in the environment, trash can travel long distances via wind, stormwater conveyances, streams, and rivers (visit the Last Stop: The Ocean website to learn more about the journey of litter). Aquatic trash becomes marine debris, or marine litter, once it reaches the ocean.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “Marine debris is defined as any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes. Anything human-made and solid can become marine debris once lost or littered in these aquatic environments.” 

While EPA’s Trash Free Waters program primarily focuses on aquatic trash prevention and removal, the program also supports beach and watershed cleanups to remove marine debris. NOAA's Marine Debris Program is the U.S. federal government’s lead agency for addressing marine debris, which includes at-sea sources such as derelict vessels and abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG).  

Impacts of Aquatic Trash

Mismanaged trash that escapes into waterways can create a wide range of problems. Aquatic trash affects water quality, endangers plants and animals, and pollutes the outdoor spaces that we depend on for tourism and recreation. Though all types of aquatic trash can have potentially harmful impacts, plastic waste is particularly concerning because of its tendency to persist in the environment and its widespread production, use, and disposal. 

Environmental Impacts

When exposed to trash pollution, wildlife in aquatic and terrestrial environments face physical hazards from ingestion and entanglement. The impact that trash has on wildlife depends on a diverse range of factors, including the debris size, type, shape, and quantity, the type of organism that is exposed, and the type and frequency of exposure. Animals that become entangled in debris risk suffocating or drowning. Many species mistake plastic debris for food or inadvertently ingest plastic debris while feeding or swimming. Once ingested, this debris can damage their digestive tract and interfere with an animal’s ability to feed, leading to starvation or other negative health effects. Scientists have found that at least 558 species, including turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals are reported to have ingested or become entangled in plastic waste. 

Rather than biodegrading, plastic waste often breaks down into tiny pieces known as microplastics (less than 5 mm in size), which are nearly impossible to clean up once they are in the environment. Microplastics can contain or absorb toxic chemicals potentially presenting toxicological risks for organisms that ingest them. When aquatic organisms eat these plastic particles, microplastics – and the chemicals they carry – can make their way up the food chain. In fact, researchers have found microplastics in a variety of the fish and shellfish that people consume. However, continued research is needed to fully understand the chemical risks associated with exposure to plastic debris and microplastics. 

Trash pollution can also damage habitats, but the exact impacts are highly dependent on the type of debris and the characteristics of the ecosystem that it pollutes.  For example, trash can smother aquatic plants and corals, interfering with their growth. Debris can also serve as transport for non-native species into an ecosystem. 

Social and Economic Impacts

No one likes to see litter in their community. Its presence detracts from the beauty of a landscape or neighborhood. When litter accumulates in or near a community, it can create health and safety risks for those living there. Litter can serve as a breeding ground for bacteria and can spread disease through direct or indirect contact with humans. Mismanaged trash may also attract pests or cause fires. 

Aquatic trash can also have negative impacts on recreation, tourism, and the economy. Once trash escapes into the environment, cleaning it up is expensive, and this economic burden often falls on local governments and their residents. A 2009 study by Keep America Beautiful found that the U.S. spends about $11.5 billion per year to clean up litter. 

Aquatic trash can lead to declining fish populations, which might hurt communities that rely on fisheries for subsistence, employment, income, and tourism. Furthermore, trash reduces the aesthetic and recreational value of waterfront destinations because trash washed up on shorelines or floating in the water is unappealing and possibly unsafe. Trash pollution can also cause damage to boats if the material tangles propellers or clogs vessel intakes. 

Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is particularly dangerous because it does not fully biodegrade in the environment. Plastic pollution has been found in a wide range of organisms and habitats, including coral reefs, estuaries, beaches, and the deep sea. Since plastic does not decompose, it continually accumulates in landfills and in the environment. 

The term “plastic” is used to describe a large family of synthetic polymers that are created by linking together repeating chains of carbon-based units known as monomers. There are many different types of plastic. The specific properties of a plastic, like durability and flexibility, depend on the types of monomers used to make the polymer, the way in which the monomers are bonded together, and the additives used in production. Most of the synthetic (man-made) polymers that make up plastic, like ethylene and propylene, are made from petrochemicals, meaning they are petroleum-based. Chemical additives like plasticizers, flame retardants, and pigments are often used in the production of plastic materials to provide specific properties.  

Plastics are used to make a wide range of products, including appliances, furniture, clothing, beverage and food packaging, and cigarette butts. Americans produce over 36 million tons of plastic waste per year, which is about 12.2% of all municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in the United States. Packaging is the largest market for plastic and the largest source of plastic waste.  In 2018, over 14.5 million tons of plastic packaging and containers were disposed of as municipal solid waste. For more information about plastic and other kinds of MSW, visit the Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling page.

Often, plastic pollution fragments into increasingly smaller plastic particles known as “microplastics.” Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than 5 mm in size and can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary microplastics. Primary microplastics are plastic particles that are manufactured to be smaller than 5 mm in size. Examples of primary microplastics include pre-production plastic pellets known as “nurdles” and microbeads that are used in some personal care products. Secondary microplastics are formed as a result of the fragmentation or break up of larger plastic pieces. Examples of secondary microplastics include small plastic particles that break off of plastic debris in the ocean as it weathers from the effects of ultraviolet rays and wind and wave action. Fiber fragments known as "microfibers”’ that are shed from synthetic clothing are also considered secondary microplastics. These microplastic particles are available for ingestion by a wide range of animals in the aquatic food web. Ingestion of microplastic particles can expose organisms to the chemicals used to produce the plastic material itself as well as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environment that tend to accumulate on plastic particles.

Plastic pollution is a global crisis with impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, climate, marine economies, and human health. An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean each year. Often stemming from waste mismanagement, plastic pollution is a major environmental issue because most plastics do not biodegrade and instead break down into microplastics, which are 5 millimeters or smaller in size. Microplastics are estimated to persist in the environment for centuries, or even longer.

We can combat plastic pollution through:

• Circular approaches across the lifecycle of plastic;
• Environmentally sound waste management; and
• Trade-friendly policies that increase reuse, recycling and recovery of plastic.

Addressing this crisis requires international cooperation, as plastic pollution does not respect political boundaries.

Microplastics are small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long which can be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life.

Plastic is the most prevalent type of marine debris found in our ocean and Great Lakes. Plastic debris can come in all shapes and sizes, but those that are less than five millimeters in length (or about the size of a sesame seed) are called “microplastics.”

As an emerging field of study, not a lot is known about microplastics and their impacts yet. The NOAA Marine Debris Program is leading efforts within NOAA to research this topic. Standardized field methods for collecting sediment, sand, and surface-water microplastic samples have been developed and continue to undergo testing. Eventually, field and laboratory protocols will allow for global comparisons of the amount of microplastics released into the environment, which is the first step in determining the final distribution, impacts, and fate of this debris.

Microplastics come from a variety of sources, including from larger plastic debris that degrades into smaller and smaller pieces. In addition, microbeads, a type of microplastic, are very tiny pieces of manufactured polyethylene plastic that are added as exfoliants to health and beauty products, such as some cleansers and toothpastes. These tiny particles easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in the ocean and Great Lakes, posing a potential threat to aquatic life.

Microbeads are not a recent problem. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, plastic microbeads first appeared in personal care products about fifty years ago, with plastics increasingly replacing natural ingredients. As recently as 2012, this issue was still relatively unknown, with an abundance of products containing plastic microbeads on the market and not a lot of awareness on the part of consumers.

Scientists estimate that over 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans each year. While we have all seen the plastic bottles, bags, and straws that contribute to the plastic pollution problem, one major source of plastic pollution is less obvious: our clothes. The majority of clothing on the planet is made from plastic-based materials like polyester, rayon, nylon, and acrylic. When washed, synthetic clothing sheds tiny plastic fragments known as microfibers. Microfibers are the most prevalent type of microplastic (plastic pieces less than 5 mm in diameter) found in the environment.

Though we cannot see them, plastic microfibers are all around us. Researchers have found microfibers in a diverse range of land and aquatic ecosystems, from shorelines and the seafloor, to remote areas in US National Parks, and even in snow in the Alps and the Arctic. Once in the environment, microfibers are extremely difficult to clean up. For this reason, it is critical to prevent this type of pollution from entering the environment in the first place.

Additional research is needed to understand how microfibers enter the environment and where they come from, but many studies suggest that washing clothes is one major source. A 2019 study by Ocean Wise estimated that the average household in the U.S. and Canada releases 533 million microfibers – or 135 grams – of microfibers to wastewater treatment plants each year. Wastewater treatment plants filter out the majority of microfibers, but because they are so small, some microfibers pass through the wastewater treatment systems, entering our waterways and oceans. The same Ocean Wise study estimated that the U.S. and Canada together release 878 tons of microfibers into the environment through treated wastewater.

Scientists are only beginning to understand the impacts that microfiber pollution may have on the environment and on humans. Microfibers can harm the small aquatic organisms that ingest them. Microfibers can also contain toxic chemicals that are intentionally added to textiles during the manufacturing process or that accumulate on plastic particles in the ocean.

In 2017, marine biologist Dr. Richard Kirby was able to capture on film an arrow worm plankton encountering and ingesting a single microfiber. The fiber then became entangled within the plankton’s digestive tract, blocking it. “When I saw it, I thought that here was something, visually, to convey to the public the problem of plastic in the sea,” Kirby said in an interview with BBC News. “Plankton are the basic level of the marine food chain. All the plastics they eat are passed on.”

Researchers have found plastic microfibers in a variety of the fish and shellfish that people consume. Though scientific research has made it clear that humans are exposed to microplastics through the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe, we do not yet know what effects microplastics might have on our health. More research is needed to better understand the full set of risks posed by this pollutant.

Garbage patches are large areas of the ocean where litter, fishing gear, and other debris - known as marine debris - collects. They are formed by rotating ocean currents called “gyres.” You can think of them as big whirlpools that pull objects in. The gyres pull debris into one location, often the gyre’s center, forming “patches.”

There are five gyres in the ocean. One in the Indian Ocean, two in the Atlantic Ocean, and two in the Pacific Ocean. Garbage patches of varying sizes are located in each gyre.

The most famous of these patches is often called the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” It is located in the North Pacific Gyre (between Hawaii and California). “Patch” is a misleading nickname, causing many to believe that these are islands of trash. Instead, the debris is spread across the surface of the water and from the surface all the way to the ocean floor. The debris ranges in size, from large abandoned fishing nets to tiny microplastics, which are plastic pieces smaller than 5mm in size. This makes it possible to sail through some areas of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and see very little to no debris.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California. It is the most well known patch. While some areas of the patch have more trash than others, much of the debris is made of microplastics (by count). Because microplastics are smaller than a pencil eraser, they are not immediately noticeable to the naked eye. It’s more like pepper flakes swirling in a soup than something you can skim off the surface. You may come across larger items, like plastic bottles and nets, but it’s possible to sail through some areas of a garbage patch and not see any debris at all. Garbage patches are huge! It’s difficult to determine an exact size as the trash is constantly moving with ocean currents and winds.

The Impact of Garbage Patches on the Environment

Garbage patches, especially the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, are far out in the middle of the ocean where people hardly ever go. Because they are so remote, it can be hard to study them. Scientists rarely get to see the impacts of garbage patches on animals first hand. So far, we know that marine debris found in garbage patches can impact wildlife in a number of ways:

• Entanglement and ghost fishing: Marine life can be caught and injured, or potentially killed in certain types of debris. Lost fishing nets are especially dangerous. In fact they are often called “ghost” nets because they continue to fish even though they are no longer under the control of a fisher. Ghost nets can trap or wrap around animals, entangling them. Plastic debris with loops can also get hooked on wildlife - think packing straps, six-pack rings, handles of plastic bags, etc.

• Ingestion: Animals may mistakenly eat plastic and other debris. We know that this can be harmful to the health of fish, seabirds, and other marine animals. These items can take up room in their stomachs, making the animals feel full and stopping them from eating real food.

• Non-native species: Marine debris can transport species from one place to another. Algae, barnacles, crabs, or other species can attach themselves to debris and be transported across the ocean. If the species is invasive, and can settle and establish in a new environment, it can outcompete or overcrowd native species, disrupting the ecosystem.

Garbage Patches and Human Health

We don’t know whether, or how, garbage patches are impacting human health. Generally speaking, we know that humans may be exposed to microplastics from a number of sources, such as seafood, sea salt, tap water, beer, and even honey. However, we do not know how or if humans are impacted by this. Plastic microfibers can also be transported in the air and found in household dust (e.g., from furniture, carpet, clothing etc.), so exposure from seafood and other ocean sources may be small in comparison. The research community is actively exploring this issue.

Marine debris in garbage patches can have other impacts. For example, it may also cause damage to vessels and be a navigation hazard. Marine debris can be difficult to see in the ocean if it’s floating below the water surface. A boat moving through the water can hit the debris, possibly resulting in costly vessel damage. Nets can become entangled in propellers and clog intakes.  

What Happens If Nothing Changes?

The answer is that we do not know. The locations and sizes of these garbage patches are not likely to change very much any time soon. However, the amount of debris may continue to grow as more and more debris enters our ocean each year. This growth will likely worsen current impacts on the environment, navigation, vessel safety, and the economy.

How Do We Get Rid of Garbage Patches?

It may not be possible to entirely get rid of garbage patches. Some of the material will take a very long time to break down in the environment, while other materials, like plastics, may never fully go away. Large debris, like fishing nets, can be removed by people, but debris in the garbage patches is also mostly made up (by count) of plastic pieces smaller than 5mm in size. The debris is also continuously mixed by wind and wave action and is spread from the surface all the way to the ocean floor. Since these microplastics are so small in size, constantly being mixed, and spread out, it would be very difficult to remove them. Finding a cost effective technological solution which can take on these challenges is an extremely daunting task. Unfortunately, we will be dealing with this problem for the foreseeable future.

Here at the NOAA Marine Debris Program, we focus on marine debris prevention and removalfrom shorelines and coastal areas where debris is easier to pick up. Prevention is key to solving the marine debris problem over time. If you think about an overflowing sink, the first step before cleaning up the water is to turn the tap off. That is exactly how prevention works. By acting to prevent marine debris, we can stop this problem from growing.

To prevent marine debris, we need to understand where it is coming from. It’s hard to identify specific sources, but we know that marine debris can enter our waterways and ocean in a variety of ways. Ineffective or improper waste management, dumping or littering, and stormwater runoff all lead to marine debris. If we want to "turn off the tap," everyone, including government, businesses, and people like you, will have to make some meaningful changes. We are the problem, and so we must also be the solution.

Since their invention over a century ago, plastics have become part of our daily lives. Our food and drinks are often packaged in plastics. Plastics are also found in fabrics, toys, tools, and more. Plastic packaging can help keep medical tools and equipment germ-free. But we make and use so much plastic that plastic pollution is now a big concern.

Some plastics can be recycled. But most are thrown into landfills, where they break down over time into smaller pieces. These have seeped into our oceans and waterways, so tiny plastic bits are showing up in some seafood. And when we wash fabrics made of plastics like nylon or polyester, plastic bits can blow out of our dryers, adding to air pollution.

These tiny plastic particles, called microplastics, are raising health concerns. Microplastics are generally smaller than a sesame seed. They can get into our bodies through the foods we eat and air we breathe.

Scientists have found microplastics in human blood, lungs, guts, and feces. They’ve also been seen in the placenta and breast milk. Although microplastics have been found in people, it’s not yet clear if and how these plastic pieces affect our health.

“Surprisingly, even though we produce millions of tons of plastic each year, we know very little about the health effects of microplastics,” says Dr. Douglas Walker, an expert in environmental health at Emory University. “This is a relatively new and active area of research. We still have much to learn.”

Walker and others have long studied how exposure to many different substances in our environment can affect human health. “We know that exposure to particles in air pollution has been linked to heart and lung diseases,” Walker says. Although microplastics have not been specifically implicated, these tiny plastics likely play a role.

Some researchers are focused on even smaller plastic bits, called nanoplastics. These are too small to be seen with your eyes. Nanoplastics may pose more serious risks to human health because they’re small enough to slip into the body’s cells and organs. Their small size has made nanoplastics especially hard to detect and study.

Earlier this year, an NIH-supported research team developed a powerful new imaging method that could detect both micro- and nanoplastics. They found that, on average, a liter of bottled water contained nearly a quarter-million plastic bits, mostly nanoplastics. This was up to 100 times more plastic pieces than had been seen in prior studies.

The health effects of these tiny plastics are still unclear. But scientists do know that some chemicals used in plastics manufacturing can cause problems. For instance, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates have been linked to various health concerns.

“There are over 10,000 chemicals used to manufacture plastics, and only a fraction of those have been studied for potential health effects,” Walker says. “We’re just barely scratching the surface of exposure to plastic-related chemicals.

Despite their drawbacks, Walker says, plastics remain important. “Plastics have changed how we save lives in hospitals, and they have countless other benefits. We could never completely eliminate plastic use, and we shouldn’t try to.”

But if you are concerned about possible health effects, Walker adds, “you can try to be mindful about your use of plastics.” See the Wise Choices box for tips.

Reduce Plastic Use

• Experts recommend that we reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics.
• Pack lunch in reusable containers.
• Use glass or metal containers for food and drinks when possible.
• Choose reusable shopping bags.
• Bring old plastic bags to recycling bins at grocery stores.
• Recycle or reuse plastic packaging materials, like bubble wrap.
• Reuse plastic items that cannot be recycled in creative ways.
• Contact your local recycling office to learn what can be recycled.
• Never throw plastics into lakes, oceans, or other waterways.
• Participate in local litter clean-ups.

We all play a role in helping to prevent and remove trash in the environment. You can take action at home, school, and work to ensure a cleaner community and healthier waters. 

Reduce Consumer Waste

The most effective way to prevent trash from polluting our waterways is to reduce the amount of waste you create.

• Replace single-use plastic packaging, bottles, and containers with reusable products or eliminate packaging when possible.
• Buy used clothing and household items.
• Repair, rather than replace, broken items.
• Learn more about how to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Dispose of Waste Properly

Marine litter is often the result of poorly-managed trash on land. If trash is intentionally or accidentally littered on the ground, wind or rain can carry it into nearby waterways. The trash then travels downstream and can ultimately, end up in the ocean. 

• Never litter. Put trash in the appropriate bins and do not leave trash next to- or on top of an overflowing bin. 

• Go to your municipality's website to learn how to properly dispose of your recyclable and non-recyclable waste. Be sure to recycle more, recycle right.

• Take these steps to prevent trash from escaping from your outdoor trash bins on collection day:

  • Keep your lid closed and don’t overflow the trash bin.  

  • Put trash outside shortly before pickup.  

• Properly dispose of your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Remember to throw your masks, wipes, and latex gloves in the trash and not in the recycling bin, street, parking lot, or sidewalk.

Volunteer in Your Community

There are many ways that you can take action in your own community to reduce the amount of trash in streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Here are a few suggestions:

• Organize and participate in local waterway cleanups. 

• Collect data on what you find! 

• Use the Marine Debris Campus Toolkit to bring positive change to your university.

Invite your friends, family, and classmates to join in! 

Learn More and Spread the Message

Learn more about how trash enters our waterways and impacts our communities, economies, and natural ecosystems. Share what you learn with your family, friends, and peers. 

Bring Your Own Bag

Say no to single use paper and plastic bags and bring your own high quality reusable bag. Whether you’re picking up groceries, getting takeout food or clothes shopping, use your own bag. Each reusable bag can eliminate hundreds (if not thousands) of single-use plastic or paper bags!

Carry a Reusable Water Bottle

Carrying your own bottle cuts waste and can save you money.

Pack a Waste-Free Lunch

Do away with throw-away lunch packaging. Each child who brings a brown bag lunch to school every day generates 67 pounds of waste each year.

Bring Your Own Cup

The average American once used 500 paper cups a year. Replacing your single-use paper, plastic or Styrofoam cups with a reusable cup or mug can have a huge impact. Try keeping a cup in your bag, at the office, or in your car so you always have one around. Most coffee shops offer a discount for bringing your own cup!

Slow Down and Dine In

A big reason we have a food packaging problem to begin with is because people want to eat on the go – whether it's a drive-through or grab-n-go. Take a breath, slow down and dine in. Get your coffee “for here” or enjoy a home-cooked meal with friends and family and say goodbye to single-use packaging.

Consider Reusable Straws

Plastic straws are consistently one of the most littered plastic items, which means they end up in our waterways and are harmful to fish and wildlife. If you need a straw, consider using a reusable straw.

Avoid Heavily Packaged Foods

Heavily packaged foods are bad for the environment and they’re usually unhealthy for you too. Buy foods that aren’t heavily packaged, like fresh produce and bulk items.

Bring Your Own Container and Utensils

Need to grab lunch on the go? Bring your own container and utensils to cut down on “the other leftovers” from your take out meal. You can also bring your own container for leftovers when you eat at a restaurant - no more single-use "doggie bags"!

Use No Bag or a Fabric Bag to Carry Produce and Other Grocery Items

You’ve worked so hard to bring reusable bags to the store, why fill them up with plastic produce bags? Bring your own fabric bags for produce and bulk items. Many companies make reusable produce bags from hemp, organic cotton and even recycled plastic.

Communicate

Let your friends and family know what you’re doing and help them get involved. Write letters to companies that over-package and tell them you’re concerned about this issue. You’ll be surprised how powerful leading by example can be!