Plastic pollution is a significant global problem that has broken my heart. Seeing pictures and videos of animals ingesting plastic and getting injuired or killed has been heart-breaking for me to see.  From the tiniest planktons to the gigantic blue whales, everyone's survival is on the line.

Today, there have been over 267 marine species that have been impacted worldwide by plastic pollution, with 81 out of 123 marine mammal species have been known to have ingested or been entangled in plastic before. All seven sea turtle species have been affected by plastic pollution. Plastic pollution has put marine species at a higher risk of swallowing plastic. The World Economic Forum has estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the seas by 2050 if the current trends continue. In addition, 99% of seabirds would have ingested plastic by 2050. Yet, there is still time to make a change. Every small step can lead to a big difference. 

I request for governments and businesses worldwide to implement policies to reduce the use of plastic, to protect our beautiful oceans and marine animals. Some governments and businesses worldwide have already took the next step and brought out policies. For instance, some governments have banned plastic bags used in markets and some businesses have stopped using plastic straws and plastic cutlery.

Even you can take action. There are many ways for you to contribute to reducing the amount of plastic ending up in oceans. You can replace single-use plastic bags, straws, bottles, utensils, and containers with their reusable or biodegradable counterparts. You can join community clean-ups. You can recycle correctly, instead of putting plastic into the waste bin, put it in the recycling bin.

Affirm your commitment to protecting marine life by pledging to use less plastic. Sign this petition now, and contribute to the collective action of using less plastic that could save millions of marine lives, and eventually, our beautiful planet.