Did you know that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish? Let that sink in. No, really, take some time to try and fathom that. Can you? What do you imagine? Write it down. Think about it. Try to describe it to someone.

In just a little over 34 years, our majestic seas will contain more human-generated waste, plastic, than there are living, breathing, beautiful marine animals. Sure, it’s easy to talk about these numbers and let it slip to the back of our minds. But can you imagine living in that ocean? Sadly, marine animals don’t have the luxury of forgetting that plastic may take over their entire ecosystem.

When you’re out-numbered by plastic, there’s no escape from the threat of entanglement that is currently driving over 700 marine species to the point of extinction. And beyond entanglement, ingestion and pollution put these animals in extreme danger. A hungry fish may innocently mistake a piece of plastic trash as food, proceed to eat it, and ingest all the toxic chemicals that certainly should not fill one’s body. You wouldn’t want to eat plastic, would you? (This may seem hypothetical, but in fact, you may very well be ingesting plastic if you’re eating seafood.)

The sad reality is that all most of us have no idea that the disposable plastic items we use every day have this impact on marine life. In fact, when most people grab a plastic water bottle or take a plastic straw in a restaurant, the last thing that comes to mind is the animal who might one day fall prey to that plastic item.

This is what we should really see when we use single-use plastics.

But not all hope is lost. Just as we have the power to pollute the oceans, we have the power – and the duty – to clean them up. But clean up goes beyond strolling down the beach and picking up some trash. Of course, that it an amazing component of cleaning the oceans. But, in tandem with trash pickup, we must all act to change our individual, daily habits. That means reducing our plastic use as much as we can.

So we want to motivate you to start taking action now to save our seas. And we’re equipping you will some tips to get to #CrushPlastic in no time!

What Can YOU Do?

While efforts are being made to remove debris from the oceans, improve recycling systems, and innovate barriers to prevent plastic from getting into waterways, we can all take action in our daily lives to stop plastic waste at the source.

“Plastic is ubiquitous in modern society and seemingly unavoidable. But is it worth risking the lives of marine species, the health of the oceans and our own future in the name of convenience? By taking steps to minimize everyday plastics in our lives, we can crush plastic at the source and give marine life a fighting chance,” says Nil Zacharias, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of One Green Planet.

If we all make an effort to identify where we use plastic and actively look for alternatives, we can drastically cut down on the amount of plastic pollution that finds its way into the oceans.

As the leading organization at the forefront of the conscious consumerism movement, One Green Planet believes that reducing everyday plastics from our lives is not about giving up anything or sacrificing convenience, but rather learning to reap the maximum benefit from the items you use every day while having the minimum impact.

14 Ways You Can #CrushPlastic in Your Daily Life

1. Carry a spare canvas bag for groceries or small items you might purchase throughout your day.
2. Bring a reusable water bottle instead of buying a plastic one.
3. Take a mug with you to work or class and ditch the plastic cups.
4. Say no to plastic straws and utensils when eating out and bring your own stainless steel reusable ones.
5. Use mason jars when grocery shopping to store all your bulk food items.
6. Use cloth or reusable bags instead of produce bags when food shopping.
7. Replace your plastic food storage bags with stainless steel tins or mason jars.
8. DIY your own cosmetics instead of buying ones in plastic tubes.
9. Reduce plastic packaging in your cleaning routine by making your own natural cleaners.
10. Avoid microbeads in your exfoliating face or body wash.
11. Try DIY-ing your shampoo and conditioner instead of buying plastic bottles.
12. Switch to bar soap and shampoo to avoid plastic packaging.
13. Skip the plastic tube toothpaste and make your own!
14. Buy plastic-free beauty, hygiene, and cleaning products, like bamboo toothbrushes, plastic-free makeup brushes and natural material sponges.
15. Let’s #CrushPlastic! Click the graphic below for more information.