KidsCanFixTheWorld
It's up to us.
Plastic pollution is a worldwide problem. It's a worldwide ocean contamination problem, a climate change problem, a wildlife survival problem, an environmental justice problem, and it's rapidly becoming a human health crisis. Plastic is now being found in newborn babies, and every one of us has plastic throughout our bodies.
Despite the efforts of organizations and individuals around the world to slow down the production and use of single-use plastic, plastic producing countries (primarily China, the United States, Germany, India, Japan, and Saudi Arabia) and petrochemical companies (ExxonMobil, Dow, Sinopec, LyondellBasell, SABIC, and PetroChina) have succeeded in stopping any unified international effort to reduce plastic production.
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So... it looks like it's up to us. This problem is going to end up in our laps anyway, so we might as well get started. By taking small steps now, we can begin to fix the plastic problem before it's too late.
Resources
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Beyond Plastics, founded by former EPA Region II Administrator Judith Enck, is the leading non-profit working to eliminate plastic.
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Green Street is a syndicated radio show and podcast, with frequent shows on plastic pollution, including "The Myth of Plastic Recycling" with Dr. Veena Singla, and "Plastic in Our Water" with Dr. Kristy Tyler.
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Grassroots Environmental Education has multiple documents, videos and fact sheets on plastic pollution.
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The International Pollution Elimination Network (IPEN) is very active in global efforts to curb plastic pollution.
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Read "The Problem with Plastic" by Judith Enck.
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"I don't think anyone on planet Earth knows more about the plastics problem than Judith Enck — including, most crucially, what to do about it. This is a handbook for people looking to make a difference!"
—Bill McKibben, author of “Here Comes the Sun”