10 Point Plan: 02 Avoid using plastic whenever possible

2. Avoid using plastic whenever possible

The world around us is teeming with plastic. Lately, the media has gotten wind of how this also has a direct effect on us. Plastic waste is everywhere and affects Earth’s various natural cycles. In the Pacific Ocean, there is now a plastic island the size of Central Europe. But plastic has already been detected in all other waters of the world, from its sources to the sea.

You may have heard of the sperm whale stranded in Spain. Its stomach was found to contain 17 kg of plastic garbage that had clogged its intestines. This is not an isolated case.

Every year, about 1,000,000 seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die as a result of plastic in the sea.

But you and I are also directly affected, because microplastics are not only found in the air but also in our food, such as honey. In the meantime, a study by German broadcaster NDR even found microplastics in mineral water and beer. For example, 33 microplastic fibers were discovered in one liter of Beck’s beer, while Paulaner wheat beer contained as many as 70 fibers per liter. Jever, Krombacher, Veltins, Radeberger... the list of beers is long. Microplastics are too small to be filtered out and so we all have unspecified amounts of microplastics in our bloodstream. In addition, toxic additives that are added to the plastic in the manufacturing process are stored in our adipose tissue and thus damage our health.

In some parts of the sea, there are now more microplastics than microorganisms, and researchers believe there will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050.

But that’s not all: While it takes about 20 years to break down a plastic bottle into microplastics through sunlight and saltwater, researchers believe that these microplastics will remain in our seas for another 100,000 years.

We must come to clean up the plastic tide together to save our oceans, ourselves and our children, and each one can be a part of it.

Deine Aufgabe:

• Avoid plastic bags and plastic packaging in the supermarket
  Buy products reusable packaging instead of disposable packaging. Fruits, vegetables and herbs are also available loose – without any packaging. Milk, cream, yoghurt, oil, vinegar, ketchup or mustard can also be bought in glass bottles. Plastic water bottles can be easily replaced by glass bottles or tap water (and using a water filter, depending on water quality).
  Take your own bags to the supermarket to avoid buying plastic bags. More and more companies are also offering reusable fruit and vegetable bags, which can be purchased cheaply. Your body and your environment will thank you! An even better alternative is available at so-called "unpackaged shops", which completely dispense with plastic packaging. Just google "unpackaged shop" (or "store") + the name of your place of residence and you will find an unpackaged shop near you!
• Avoid purchasing plastic clothing
  Clothing containing polyester, microfibers, elastane or nylon releases microplastics into our wastewater with each washing machine cycle. Pay attention to the materials when purchasing your clothes. Also, you should never empty the lint sieve of the washing machine and dryer into drains or toilets. Fabrics made of cotton, wool, (vegetable) viscose, wood fibers (Lyocell, Modal) or hemp are a good alternative because they are biodegradable.
• Avoid using softeners for plastic clothing
  Softeners stimulate the release of microplastics to the wastewater. A dash of vinegar or citric acid achieves almost the same soft, cuddly effect.
• Do not buy care products that contain microplastics
  For example, shower gels, scrubs and make-up. There are brands such as Weleda, Alverde, Frosch, Lavera, Dr. Hauschka, and Speik that are mindful of environmentally and user-friendly products and offer alternatives in all price ranges.
  In this link, you will find a German list provided by BUND (German Federation for Environment and Nature Conservation) that contains conventional care products containing microplastics.
• Stop buying new plastic products
  Especially no single-use or disposable products. Alternatives made of wood, glass or metal can be more expensive but usually last longer than the plastic. Try to reuse products that have already been purchased. If there are no alternatives you can be careful to avoid products made from especially contaminant plastics. These include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC) or bisphenol A (BPA).
• Take your garbage with you and challenge others to do the same
  Whether at the barbecue party in the park, at a festival or on holiday at the beach – take your garbage with you. Researchers now agree that 80% of the plastic that forms the large plastic islands in the oceans is caused by carelessly discarded garbage on the beach or in rivers and other waters. In many places, there are also problems with plastic discarded in forests or other nature areas. Although this is an extremely obvious point, the more people develop an awareness of it, the more change we can achieve together. So, if you notice someone at the next party or on your next holiday, just talk to the person kindly and ask them to take their garbage with them and dispose of it properly.
• Inform yourself and watch "The Story of Microfibers" or "A Plastic Ocean" on Netflix and share this information on Facebook, Instagram and with friends and acquaintances.
• Don’t try to do too much at once
  There are countless little things you can do and countless alternatives. For example, you can buy ice cream in a waffle instead of in a cup, or when on the go, take your coffee or cola without a plastic lid and straw. But don’t try to do too much at once.
  Choose two or three things you can do and integrate them into your everyday life. It’s important that you keep the changes permanent in order to achieve long-term improvements. Then once you’ve done that, you can try to integrate more changes to your consumption habits.