More than 8.3 billion tones of plastic (About the weight of 2 billion elephants!) has been produced since the 1950s, and most of it is still with us. These plastic products, ranging from single-use-bags to toothbrushes to fishing nets, have created detrimental impacts on the health of our planet. Each year, 400 million tones of plastic are dumped into our oceans and in landfills, killing wildlife, releasing toxic chemicals and disturbing delicate ecosystems. Some of this plastic ultimately ends up in our bodies in the form of microplastics. About 40% of the plastic we throw away is single use (and avoidable!) and the coronavirus pandemic has only made the plastic problem worse. It is essential that we constantly work towards recycling, reusing and reducing the use of plastic to limit its polluting effects.

While plastic will continue to be used by large corporations (either because they see no alternatives or simply because plastic is a cheaper and more profitable means of business even at the cost of the environment), we can bring about great change as consumers by supporting businesses that make eco-friendly products, or sell sustainably produced ones. Many of the plastic things we buy today can be easily replaced by eco-friendly alternatives.

Some examples of companies making a change are Bamboo India ( Bamboo toothbrushes and similar products), Heyday (biodegradable sanitary pads), zer0ware (creating technology for zero disposables in food deliveries) and Nemital (Footwear out of recycled truck tires). It is vital that we support such companies in order to push manufacturers to be more eco-conscious and sustainable.

Sign this petition if you believe that governments need to promote companies that create eco-friendly products and help give viable substitutes for plastic so that we can work towards its ultimate eradication from our environment.