SOMETHING PRETTY PROFOUND IS HAPPENING TO OUR PLANET IT’S BEING SWAMPED BY PLASTIC Humans have created about nine billion tons 8 2 billion t of plastic over the past 70 years and we create 448 million tons 406 million t more every year Today more than a third of all new plastic is made for packaging that is mostly designed to be used once and then thrown away Although we can’t control what everyone else in the world does we can make choices in our own lives to reduce and improve how we use plastic Then we can teach others about how plastic is affecting the environment and how they can help too The Problem With Plastic Why is plastic such a big problem Well for starters it takes a realllly long time to biodegrade biodegrade or break down into tiny microscopic pieces No one knows exactly how long it takes but depending on the type of plastic it could be 20 years 600 years or even more Plastic also contributes to climate change which is mostly caused by the burning of fossil fuels like gas and coal The effects of climate change include the overall warming of our planet melting ice caps rising sea levels which can cause flooding extreme weather like heat waves and droughts and more And guess what we use to make plastic Fossil fuels A recent study found that as plastic degrades in the sunlight sunlight it releases greenhouse gases which trap heat in our atmosphere and contribute to climate climate change as well Then there’s all the plastic that’s polluting our oceans and harming thousands or potentially potentially millions of marine animals Animals get tangled up in it They eat it mistaking it for floating bits of food They’re all literally swimming swimming in plastic A Place to Start Plastic is just one piece of the global pollution crisis but addressing this one issue is a great place to start in the overall cleanup of our planet National Geographic’s explorers and top scientists are using their expertise to identify the activities taking place on land particularly near rivers that contribute to the flow of plastic entering our oceans Then they’re using what they learn to inspire change at home and around the world Numerous states and cities have restricted the use of single-use plastic the kind you use once and then throw away like plastic straws and several states have banned single use plastic bags The Pollution Solution National Geographic is working hard to gather the best in research technology education and storytelling to create incredible change But we can’t do this without help We need you You are a really important part of finding solutions to plastic pollution Your actions the choices you make and your leadership at school and at home will make an immediate difference to your local environment By working together we can create change on a global scale and protect protect our oceans and rivers and the precious irreplaceable wildlife on land and in the sea We’ve arranged this book in the same order that you can approach your own plastic use First try to reduce your plastic consumption and avoid buying new plastic altogether Next find creative ways to reuse the plastic you already have a practice called upcycling Lastly instead of sending plastic to the landfill use the chart in this book to find out what you can recycle Reduce reuse recycle Sound familiar familiar As you go through you’ll see a recurring Take Action logo which highlights concrete things you can do right now to be a waste warrior Excited to get started Turn the page to become an environmental changemaker KIDS VS PLASTIC 7
PLASTICWARE LIKE THESE PLATES FORKS AND CUPS HAVE BECOME COMMONPLACE BUT THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE CHECK OUT THE ECO-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS IN THIS CHAPTER
CHAPTER 1 PLASTIC 101 TAKE A LOOK AROUND PLASTIC IS EVERYWHERE It’s hard to imagine going a day without eating from playing with or even sitting on something made of plastic We use millions of tons of it every year So what’s the big deal about plastic Why is it so popular And what exactly is it Let’s dive in to find out the answers to these questions and then explore what happens to plastic once we’re done with it We’ll even hear from one teen who questioned his own plastic use which in turn has changed the way many of us slurp up our beverages beverages today Are you ready KIDS VS PLASTIC 9
