Phthalates: Versatile Chemicals Found in Thousands of Products

Manufacturers use a group of chemicals known as phthalates in a wide variety of everyday products. They make products more durable, flexible, and weather resistant, but they are also the subject of ongoing health controversy.  They are so common that a majority of people tested by the CDC were found to have phthalate metabolites in …

Recycling Plastic & Climate Change

Recycling is a powerful tool that can help mitigate the effects of climate change, especially when recycling plastics. In this article, we’re going to break down the relationship between recycling plastic and climate change.  How does plastic contribute to climate change? Plastics are derived from fossil fuels. The plastic polymers are refined from petroleum and …

Micro / Nano-plastics and Human Health (Research Summary)

Type of Publication: Summary of Research Source: Marine Anthropogenic Litter (Book); Chapter 13 Author: Tamra S. Galloway Summary This paper is a review and summary of studies up to year 2015 about what research shows about micro and nano plastics and how they impact human health.  As stated in the introduction: “This review considers the …

The Plastic Problem: Pollution

Jacques Cousteau, the renowned underwater researcher and pioneering marine conservationist, once said, “Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.” Sadly, he was right. Unsightly plastic waste litters our oceans and shorelines, spoiling our enjoyment of swimming, surfing, or simply spending some leisure time at the …

Cleaning Up Plastic Pollution

Walking down the street, or on a beach, or even merely from point A to point B, it’s impossible not to notice some form of trash scattered about. I’m talking about the 8 million tons of plastic in our oceans, the 1.5 million Layson Albatrosses with plastic in their digestive system, the 127,000 nurdles found on beaches, and the 189 …

The Plastic Problem: Wildlife

HOW DO PLASTICS IMPACT WILDLIFE? Many creatures mistake plastic for food, which can be deadly when they attempt to eat it. In total, it is estimated that ingestion of plastic kills 1 million marine birds and 100,000 marine animals each year[i]. Birds and animals can die from internal injuries caused by swallowing plastic fragments. Many …

Advantages of Using Eco-Friendly Bags

With so much plastic building up in our environment – from the tops of the mountains to the bottom of the ocean – It is imperative that we find a solution to plastic pollution. Plastic, unlike many other modern materials, not only requires valuable resources to produce, such as petroleum and natural gas, but also permeates the environment on …

Benefits of Using Reusable Shopping Bags

Immediate and Unexpected Benefits of Replacing Single Use Plastics with Reusables We all have that space tucked away in our house reserved for unwanted plastic bags. Yes, they may come in handy, but there’s also a hesitation there to throw them away immediately after receiving them (The average person uses a plastic bag for only …