Plastic is everywhere. That much we know, but what many people don’t realize is the enormous impact that this singular material has on the planet. We produce over 240 million tons of plastic every year and around 6.4 million of that winds up straight in the world’s oceans.

However, as this amazing infographic shows, this is only the tip of the giant plastic iceberg. Looking at the entire lifecycle of the plastics we use every day, we can begin to wrap our heads around the scope and breadth of this very pressing issue. From the amount of oil needed to produce plastics to the ramifications that plastic debris has for marine life, it seems that this versatile material is not as wonderful as many of us like to believe.

Raising awareness for the damage caused by plastic Pollution is the first step in making a change for the better. Share this infographic and urge others to remove plastic from their lives. For more information on how you can cut plastic, click here.