For the past decades, plastic has become the most common use for packaging items. Plastic does not break easily and can survive in extreme environments, making it nearly inevitable to break down. Plastic bags, utensils, and bottles are convenient for us in the short-term, but for that one second you use it, that plastic will stay on earth longer than you will. Nearly every single piece of plastic you have EVER used in your entire lifetime is still sitting somewhere. Just think about it. That one bottle of Coke you couldn't throw away in the recycling. Those plastic grocery bags you mindlessly threw away because you believed they were going to be incinerated anyways. The Styrofoam container and plastic utensils you used to eat your left-overs. The endless bottles of shampoo and conditioner you constantly have to purchase every month. The plastic water bottle you used because you didn't want to drink your tap water. All 6.3 billion metric tonnes (and counting) of this plastic is STILL HERE. You got it?

Us humans don't realize the devastating tolls we are taking on the earth. The reason is because most of us aren't seeing the problem face to face. We don't normally go to the beach to pick up plastic. We don't really notice the litter on the highways. We don't see firsthand the tolls all of this plastic is taking on small towns. We almost push these problems to the side, thinking, "someone's going to solve it some day." How about we all pitch in? How about we make our voices heard as consumers, and we stop letting these big corporations and industries control and destroy our way of life? 

Now you're wondering, why should I sign this petition? Let's set up another example. You leave your sink on, causing it to overflow. What do you do first? Do you grab the mop to clean it up, or do you turn the sink off? Hopefully you chose the second one! Would you clean the ocean, only to realize that you're back at square one? Tonnes and tonnes of plastic (and other forms of pollution (which is another story)) are still being thrown in the ocean for our beloved earth animals to ingest. We need to act on this problem now, instead of waiting for the devastating effects to occur. If you want to do something about keeping the planet clean, but you don't know what to do first, just sign this petition. Get the idea out there for big corporations and industries to listen. Boycott those plastic water bottles. Purchase a reusable straw. Buy those reusable grocery bags that have been on your list. One small decision can make an impact on the world.