BATTLING PLASTIC POLLUTION: five simple ways your family can save our oceans

Prefer to think more about your annual beach vacation, than environmental policies? Rather spend time diving with sea turtles than stressing about pollution? We get that. But as much as we enjoy the pristine beauty where ocean meets land, we know this means the serious issue of plastic pollution affects us. Want some mind boggling statistics?
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• We are producing over 300 million tons of plastic every year, 50% of which are for single-use purposes like grocery bags and bottled water. These items are utilized for a short time, but on the planet for  several hundred years. 
• More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year. 
• There are now more than 5 trillion macroplastic (visible pieces of trash) and microplastic (tiny fibers less than 5mm long) pieces floating in the open ocean.

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The damage this plastic is doing to marine life and our ecosystem is tragic. Our actions over the 10 years will determine the state of the ocean for the next 10,000 years to come. And if we don't collectively act, we will watch the pristine beauty of the oceans and beaches we know and love slip away.

Feel a little overwhelmed? Don't worry - You don't have to make a living as an environmental activist to affect real change. While we know that completely getting rid of plastic in our life is nearly impossible, incorporating small changes into our daily routines can make a substantial difference in reducing plastic use and plastic pollution.

Here are 5 simple ways you can help:

​1. STOP USING PLASTIC STRAWS.
Replace them with reusable silicone ones.

​In the US alone, it is estimated that we use between 100 million to 500 million plastic straws per day. No matter how you look at it, that's a big number. Based on that average, each person will use approximately 38,000 plastic straws in their lifetime. These silicone straws from Flathead are an easy way for our family to cut out a problematic piece of the pollution puzzle. Bonus - they come with a cleaning brush! 
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FLATHEAD 
Reusable Silicone Drinking Straws

2. BAN BOTTLED WATER. 
​Carry refillable water bottles, and you'll always have a handy solution for hydration. 

​About 22 billion plastic water bottles ended up in landfills last year, and each one of these takes 450 years to decompose. Yikes! A reusable bottle makes a big difference. Prefer filtered water vs. tap water? My kids love filling their bottles from our fridge's dispenser. Keeping a jug filter in your fridge is another quick solution. And these days filtered water stations are popping up at theme parks, airports and many other public places to refill water bottles. 

​Find yourself in a situation where you end up with empty plastic drinking bottles? Recycle them (many clothing manufacturers now make synthetic clothes out of recycled plastic bottles), or upcyle them! Here are a ideas for things you can do around your home with plastic bottles. ​

CONTIGO
Autoseal Chill 24 oz Bottle 

3. DON'T FORGET YOUR GROCERY BAGS.
Bring your reusable bags from home, or choose paper bags at checkout. 

Remember the days when the grocery store clerk asked us if we wanted paper or plastic? Over time, plastic got cheaper, paper got more expensive, and so most stores just switched to plastic bags, no questions asked. Reusable grocery bags have become more and more popular, but if you are like us... there are many times we walk out the door without those handy bags in tow. Try keeping a stash in your trunk for backup. And when you do forget to bring your own, ask for paper bags at checkout. Most stores still have paper bags, but only use them on request. Some do charge, but it never hurts to ask! Also, check to see if your grocery store recycles plastic bags. Some chains, like Publix, have plastic bag recycling containers in front of their stores. 

CREATIVE GREEN LIFE
Reusable Grocery Bag

4. ELIMINATE WASTE WHEN ORDERING ONLINE.
Take advantage of "frustration free packaging" when available. 

If you are like us, we love Amazon and online ordering. It's almost become a necessity in our post-COVID society. But with that comes a lot of packing plastic that just gets thrown away. Amazon along with other vendors are now trying to help reduce their contribution to plastic waste by offering "frustration free packaging." This method minimizes plastic materials and the use of double boxes included in shipments, and ships items in recyclable boxes when possible. Pro tip - combine shipments and choose "no rush shipping" at checkout to reduce extra waste and reduce your carbon footprint too. ​
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5. KNOW THE DANGERS OF COMMON SUNSCREEN AND THE OCEAN. 
Use reef-safe sunscreen when at the beach. 

Recent studies have found that chemicals in many popular sunscreen products hurt corals. The main chemical culprits are oxybenzone and octinoxate, which convert sunburn-causing UV rays into harmless heat on human skin. While great to prevent burns, when beachgoers wearing this sunscreen go swimming, they carry these chemicals into the ocean. 14,000 tons of sunscreen are thought to wash into the oceans each year, and about 80 percent of corals in the Caribbean have been lost in the last 50 years due to pollution, among other things. 

STREAM2SEA
Sunscreen for Face & Body

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​Our family loves Stream2Sea, a reef-safe option that protects our skin and our oceans. And if you'd like to expand your ocean preservation efforts, check out their entire marine-safe line of products that includes hand sanitizer, after sun lotion, lip balm, shampoo and conditioner.

Getting the whole family on board with these simple actions will take practice. but with consistency small actions can become easy habits. These habits add up over time, making a huge environmental impact.

Now we challenge you to join us in taking small steps towards big change for our oceans!

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