Plastic is ubiquitous. It’s hard to go one day without interacting with it in some way. There are so many swaps to make in your life, which do have a big impact, but there is still so much large-scale progress to be made. Many people have stopped using certain single-use plastic items after becoming aware that animals can often get entangled and die in plastic bags, plastic containers, and other plastic items. However, plastic also breaks down into little particles, called microplastics, which get into waterways and food systems.

Microplastics have recently been becoming a much more popular topic of conversation and concern. As organizations research them more and interest in the anti-single-use-plastic movement grows, microplastics are showing up more in the news and people are working to find innovative ways of getting rid of and preventing them. A recent study from the University of Exeter found microplastics in almost 70% of demersal sharks, mostly from abandoned fishing gear and face masks. Another study in the journal Global Change Biology found that birds in the UK ingest “hundreds” of pieces of microplastics every day. Researchers in the US and China even found that microplastics are in our soil and thus, absorbed by plants through their roots!  Unsurprisingly, researchers have also found microplastics in human organs. Scientists have been developing new techniques to detect this and understand the effects. While there is still a lot to learn about the health risks, there is evidence that microplastics attract pollutants and pesticides. Another study found that when exposed to microplastics coated in blood plasma, 60% of human immune cells were dead in 24 hours. That is compared to a mere 20% of immune cells dying when there were no microplastics present.

Amazon is a huge platform that people shop from every day. Bezos and Amazon have tremendous power and influence. There are many problems that need to be addressed within the company, one of which, is sustainability. Tell Jeff Bezos to take a break from raking in the billions and create a sustainability plan for Amazon’s packaging so that the company doesn’t contribute another ounce of plastic to our oceans, our environment, and our bodies. Sign this petition and tell Jeff Bezos and Amazon to commit to 100% sustainable packaging!

To continue speaking up, sign these other petitions as well:

• Ban Single-Use Plastic; Microplastics Have Now Been Found in Antarctica
• Stop Ghost Fishing Gear From Killing Hundreds of Marine Animals a Year
• Ban Plastic Bags to Protect Endangered Whales
• Ask Indonesia to Ban Single-Use Plastic to Protect Whales and the Ocean

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Also, don’t forget to download the Food Monster App on iTunes — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!