Between food packaging, electronic parts, everyday household items, and even medical care, it’s hard to keep track of just how much plastic you’re using and throwing out on a regular basis. In fact, the true numbers are startling: The average North American consumes over 220 pounds of plastic every year! (7) Until very recently, scientists […]
In a 2008 Ted Talk, mycologist Paul Stamets declared that mushrooms may be the solution to a number of environmental issues facing our planet today. It turns out, mushrooms can eat plastic, clean up oil spills, and re-build our forests, among many other incredible abilities. How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World Mushrooms are some […]
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest issues facing our environment. Sadly, the problem is only getting worse. In 1950, humans produced about 2.3 million tonnes of plastic annually. By 2015, that number had increased to 448 million tonnes. Experts estimate that production will double by 2050 [1]. This is why Canada’s new plastic ban […]
Plastic was invented in the late nineteenth century to replace materials derived from nature, like ivory from elephant tusks. For this reason, plastics were celebrated. They could protect the natural world from the destructive needs of human beings – it turns out, big oil misled us. After World War Two, the plastics industry began booming. […]
Devastating photos have emerged of two polar bear cubs eating a plastic bag they dug up on the shore. Hungry polar bears aren’t the only ones who unintentionally eat plastic waste in the arctic, and this leftover trash is a big problem. Hungry Polar Bears Eat Plastic Bag Jens Wikström is an Arctic Expeditions leader […]
Dolls, trucks, Lego, and action figures are all classic children’s toys that have one thing in common: they’re all made of plastic. In fact, in 2017 the website ecobirdy.com conducted a survey which found that 90 percent of all children’s toys are made entirely out of plastic [1]. These brightly-colored plastic toys are placed conveniently […]
Over the past several years plastic has touted to have terrible effects on the environment, and for good reason. Most plastics, unlike other materials, cannot biodegrade, and this is toxic for wildlife — especially for the oceans, where so much plastic ends up. Scientists estimate about eight million metric tons of plastic land in the […]
Global plastic pollution has become one of the most critical environmental issues we are facing today. This “miracle material” has made modern life possible, but with a vast majority of these products being used only once before being thrown away, they are now overwhelming our ecosystems, clogging our waterways, and killing our wildlife [1]. The […]
Coca Cola products are everywhere, and you might not even realize it. The company that is recognized for its signature red label and classic white print is also behind many other recognizable brands like Sprite, Fanta, Dasani, Minute Maid, Smart Water, Honest Tea, Powerade, Vitamin Water, and many more [1]. You can find Coca Cola […]
It’s always better to find natural solutions to real-world problems. The Rimping Supermarket in Chiangmai, Thailand has taken drastic steps towards ditching plastic wrapping as a packaging solution. They decided that the amount of plastic being wasted in the world every day is already enough. From a real estate company’s Facebook post, people all over […]
While soaking up the sun and listening to the relaxing sounds of crashing waves on the beach, you probably don’t want to think about how the ocean has basically become one gigantic bowl of garbage soup. Every single day, plastic spreads into our oceans in the name of profit and convenience. Environmentalists and so many […]
You may be familiar with the term “all rivers lead to the ocean”. We often forget that what we do on land directly affects our oceans and what we, as a society, are doing is not very pleasant for our ocean neighbors. About 71% of the Earth’s surface is water, with the oceans making up […]
