We have to pay attention to plastic pollution and do something about it. The reason why I decided to promote awareness regarding this is that no one seems to understand the amount of damage that plastic is doing to ourselves as well as our environment. We come across plastics in almost everything that we do on a daily basis.

Plastic pollution is a serious environmental problem which needs to be addressed immediately. What makes this situation even worse is that plastic does not disintegrate easily like most other materials. Rather, plastic remains in our surroundings for several hundred years where it affects both animals and marine life before finally making its way back into the human body through food chains.

There is much that we can do to address this situation. One important way of making a difference would be to support policy changes that help reduce plastic waste in the first place. Innovations need to be made to use sustainable materials. Educational programs should also be conducted to raise public awareness.

Plastic pollution happens everywhere in Canada, from urban coastlines to the far north, like in the Arctic. 8 percent of plastic is actually recycled, and 90 percent of that ends up in landfills, incineration, or directly into lakes, oceans and rivers. About 80 to 90 percent of all marine litter is plastic that is from waste on land that was blown or washed away in local waterways.

Plastic pollution is an important issue because plastic does not break down easily and can stay in the environment for hundreds of years. It is also a global problem.  Research shows that more than 1500 species in marine environments are known to ingest plastics. Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes. Plastic and climate change are connected since plastic is derived from burning fossil fuels. This process creates greenhouse gases that trap carbon pollution in our atmosphere, and this contributes to climate change. 

Reduce use of single-use plastics: The easiest and most direct way to help is by reducing your own use of single-use plastics. The best ways to do this are by refusing any single-use plastic you don't need and carrying reusable versions of those products. Lots of stores don't give out plastic bags anymore. Instead, they sell reusable bags to continue shopping in. 

Recycle properly: When you use plastics that can be recycled, be sure to recycle them. Only 9 percent of plastic is recycled worldwide. Recycling helps keep plastics out of the oceans and reduces the amount of new plastic being made and released into the environment. 

Support organizations addressing plastic pollution: there are many nonprofit organizations working to reduce and eliminate ocean plastic pollution in a lot of different ways. Some organizations are Mind Your Plastic, Oceana Canada, and Canada Plastics Pact. 

It affects everyone, people, marine life, the environment, and other animals. 

Microplastics have been found throughout the entire human body. Scientists have found tiny particles of plastic in almost all major organ systems. The chemicals found in plastic products can leach into tap water, and they may cause developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders if ingested. Microplastics are basically unavoidable since they are embedded permanently in the global water supply and the soil.

The waste releases microplastics that contaminate soils and the ocean, and some also emit toxic chemicals as they decompose. This directly affects wildlife.

Plastic pollution puts wildlife at higher risk of ingesting plastic, suffocating, or becoming tangled in plastic. A lot of Wildlife mistake plastic items for food, and since plastic can't be digested, it makes them think that they are full when it actually causes starvation. They can crawl into plastic containers and suffocate. They can also get entangled in plastic, making it hard to run from predators.

We can all make a difference by reducing the use of single-use plastics and trying to be more eco-friendly by using more reusable products.

Your signature can make a significant impact. Sign to spread awareness about plastic pollution in Canada.