Currently between 9 and 27 billion pounds of plastic enter the ocean every year.
That means every 5 minutes a whole warehouse worth of plastic will have entered the ocean. This plastic ends up in the fish we eat in micro quantities which contain toxic chemicals that get stored in our bodies over time.
These chemicals found in plastic are linked to birth defects, cancer, abnormal male sexual development, male infertility, and a whole host of other issues.
READ MORE: Types Of Everyday Plastics That Are Harmful To Humans
However:
This is not the end of the havoc plastic pollution causes.
Small micro-plastics that come from our clothing make their way into the ocean and into plankton.
Plankton is a keystone species for life on our planet.
Areas of the ocean where plankton die-off are called dead spots because all ocean life is unable to survive. Plankton produces 70% of the world's oxygen.
Without them, all life on the planet would die.
Like other environmental issues, the longer we wait to address the plastic pollution crisis, the worse it will get.
So how do we stop it?
Current Plastic Pollution Solutions
Many nonprofits are focused on cleaning up the plastic that is currently in the ocean.
There is already 538 million pounds of floating plastic pollution on the surface of our oceans.
However:
Even with millions of dollars in funding, they collectively have pulled .01% of the plastic percent every year that goes into the ocean every year.
“Try putting 95 percent of the efforts on stopping plastic from entering the ocean and only 5 percent on cleanup.”
Read More: Facts About Plastic Pollution
how to save our oceans from plastic
Although, cleaning up plastic in the ocean is important and meaningful.
There is a more effective way of ending the plastic pandemic—clean up the plastic BEFORE it gets to the ocean.
There is plastic, right now, sitting on the banks of rivers in Guatemala, the Philippines, and countries all over the world that could be collected and processed at a fraction of the cost in time and manpower.
Very few companies have taken this approach as it is more difficult to get funding.
But:
It is the best approach we have today in order to save our oceans for future generations.
How You Can Stop Ocean-Bound Plastic
You can support us in our mission to stop plastic from entering the ocean by buying some of our merchandise, donating directly, or purchasing products.
Each bracelet below is handcrafted by artisans in Guatemala. With every product purchased we remove 10lbs of ocean-bound plastic from the environment and recycle it.
Show Your Support Now!
Our Guatemalan bracelets are hand-crafted by local residents in Guatemala. Each purchase removes 10 pounds of plastic from the oceans. Click below to see our different styles available now!
