June 5 is World Environment Day! 🌱
And although we believe that every day should be World Environment Day, it is especially today that we raise awareness for environmental issues and their possible solutions. This year is all about highlighting plastic pollution and its impacts on our planet and health. In this blog post, we want to contribute our part by raising awareness while also suggesting some ideas on how we can all contribute to a healthier planet.
Did You Know?
The real impact of environmental problems is oftentimes best represented by some facts and figures to put everything into perspective. For instance, did you know that an estimate of 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems every year? That means our seas, lakes, and oceans that are natural providers of life. Plastic waste making it into these bodies of water affects around 800 marine and coastal species who ingest these plastics or are entangled by them.
By now, the amount of microplastics in our oceans outnumber stars in our galaxy.
#BeatPlasticPollution
Every year, World Environment Day is lead under a new theme. As we already mentioned, in 2025 it's all about plastic pollution! According to the United Nations, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced worldwide every year, half of which is designed and produced for just a single use. Furthermore, only less than 10% of these plastics are actually recycled!
The plastics that cannot be recycled properly or at all end up in landfills and eventually also find their way into aquatic ecosystems. Every year, an estimate of around 11 million tonnes ends up in lakes, rivers, and seas - that's about the weight of 2,200 Eiffel Towers combined.
One of the biggest threats to our environment and health are microplastics, meaning tiny plastic particles that make up to 5mm in diameter. These tiny particles find their way into our food, water, and air which is why the average person consumes about 50,000 plastic particles annually - and that's excluding inhalation.
From the deepest parts of the ocean to the highest mountain tops - single-use plastic is everywhere and harms ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. However, plastic pollution is a problem that we can slow down. Keep reading to learn some ways you can help reduce plastic pollution to contribute to World Environment Day in 2025 and beyond.
How To Contribute
While it's true that we can all contribute to a healthier planet, an overall change in societal, political and economic structures is necessary to truly build a cleaner and more sustainable future. Personal contributions remain important, as change often needs to be instigated by many! Here's some ways you can contribute to World Environment Day in your daily life and your community.
- Reduce Single-Use Plastic. This might be the easiest way to reduce your own plastic waste, but sometimes it's easier said than done. Single-use plastic is everywhere, for instance grocery stores, and sometimes hard to avoid. Remind yourself that it's not about doing things perfectly and completely cutting out plastics, but of finding ways you can reduce your consumption in the long run. For instance, bring reusable cotton shopping bags and grocery nets to your local supermarket and opt for unpackaged products. Only buy those products packaged in plastic that you actually need! If you're buying cosmetics like shampoo, make sure to look for options that are refillable, so you'll have less plastic waste. Replace single-use products with better, more sustainable alternatives, for instance: switch from wrapping paper to our reusable wrapping.
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Clean Up Your Community: Cleaning up in nature can be such a rewarding way to give back to our planet. Whether you do this on your own, for instance on your daily walk in fresh air, or with others in a community effort - picking up litter and disposing it properly is one way to reduce plastic pollution. If you want to encourage others to join you, try organising a community cleanup at your local park or beach.
- Choose Sustainable Products: Being a conscious consumer is another great way to reduce plastic pollution. Do not only watch what you're buying at your local grocery store, but make sure you're buying from brands online that advertise plastic-free production and shipping.
- Recycle Properly: Every community has its own recycling rules. Following these is the best way to make sure products are disposed of properly and do not end up in landfills and our oceans.
- Advocate For Better Policies: Change starts small, but politicians and big corporations must do their part. Support local projects, encourage local businesses to offer plastic-free alternatives, and encourage local politicians to invest in eco-friendly policies in your town or city.
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Use Your Platform: Whether you partner with schools or community centres to teach about plastic waste or make an Instagram profile or Blog dedicated to raising awareness for environmental issues, education is an important step to contributing to a better planet.
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Support International Organizations: Make donations or volunteer with groups that focus on plastic pollution and marine conservation, such as The Ocean Cleanup.
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Push For Policy Change: Sign petitions and write to leaders to encourage them to support national and international agreements to help make global change for less plastic pollution.
Small daily actions can create a powerful collective impact, but we also need to send messages to policymakers to encourage sustainable change. In what ways are you reducing plastic pollution? Make sure to let us know! Let's inspire each other every day and collectively work on creating a healthier planet for all of us. ❤️🌳