Plastic. It’s become such an essential part of our lives, but the statistics on plastic pollution are staggering. On average, Australians produce 3 billion tonnes of plastic each year, but only 12% is recycled. More frightening still, up to 130,000 tonnes of that plastic will find its way into the ocean. The good news is that we can all start making small changes that will collectively make a difference for the future of our planet. Will you pledge to #ReduceYourUse?
Check out the info on plastics and find out more ways you can #ReduceYourUse.
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Brett Heywood, SeaQuest Fiji CEO, Dermot O'Gorman WWF-Australia CEO and Ken Katafono, TraSeable Solutions CEO next to a yellowfin tuna about to be tagged with QR code
Out at sea, plastic is deadly. Marine animals like turtles can choke on plastic bags mistaken for jellyfish, seabirds get entangled and larger animals like whales can starve because their stomachs are so full of plastic they’ve eaten.
Microplastics can be just as fatal. Smaller creatures like plankton can ingest it, making its way up the food chain and onto our plates.
Plastic trash gathered on Rubu Island, Kenya © Georgina Goodwin / Shoot The Earth / WWF-UK
Plastic products are convenient, right? While they might make our daily lives easier, they’re costly to our environment. Most plastics don't biodegrade, so unless they’re recycled or repurposed, they pose a significant threat to marine wildlife.
Plastic bag floating in the ocean © naturepl.com / Sue Daly / WWF
Small decisions like choosing a plastic free product, using reusable bags, recycling scraps of plastic or saying no to disposable plastic can make a huge difference for the future of our planet.
It’s the easiest thing we can do to make a positive impact.
Choose products with no or minimal plastic packaging, and remember your reusable shopping bags
Drink from reusable bottles and take a keep cup to your barista for your morning brew
and plastic cutlery, ask for compostable takeaway containers or bring your own
Collect all your soft plastics and recycle them with REDcycle at your local supermarket
Ask your supermarket or food retailer to establish a plastic free aisle and to reduce excessive packaging
Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) adult playing with plastic bottle, Pantanal, Pocone, Brazil © naturepl.com / Paul Williams / WWF
Our precious marine wildlife are facing a deadly threat: plastic pollution. See the impact for yourself.
Here's what we're working on now..
If we don't act now, we could lose koalas in NSW forever.
Species
Koala numbers are plummeting due to weakened tree-clearing laws in Queensland.