Fact: Plastic breaks apart into smaller pieces, but plastic never goes away. World wide only 9 percent is recycled; most ends up in the ground, landfilled.

Fact: Plastic pollution is increasing, harming the environment, animals and getting into our bodies; growing evidence reveals microplastic is having a negative impact on health.

Fact: The weight of plastic on Earth is 29 times as much as all humans; if the trend continues, by 2050 plastic will outweigh fish in the ocean.

What you can do:

1. Refuse disposable plastic bags and plastics every chance you get.

2. Bring reusable bags to stores.

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3. Avoid buying packaged food. If you must buy packaged food, look for glass jars or cardboard instead of plastic.

4. Avoid buying beverages in plastic bottles.

5. Keep a reusable mug and water bottle with you.

6. Say no to plastic straws.

7. Bring your own container for take-out or leftovers.

8. Avoid using balloons for decorations, don’t release balloons into the air where they’ll eventually land and be eaten by animals.

For more information: https://www.nrcm.org/projects/sustainability/plastic-pollution/

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