Why we all need to switch to sustainable alternatives – now

Since David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II aired in 2017, highlighting the plastic in our oceans, there has been a considerable shift in public opinion on the use of single-use plastics.

But when it comes to our purchasing habits, that shift isn’t happening fast enough.

With that in mind, we want to share some startling statistics on why we all need to make the switch to sustainable alternatives, and alter the way we’re living.

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Plastic is a big problem

It’s estimated that there are 9 BILLION TONS of plastic in the world today, of which 75% ends up in oceans, landfill and waterways.

And, unlike paper and sustainable alternatives, plastic takes a long time to degrade:

• Plastic bags: 10-20-years
• Plastic bottles: 450-year

And with most of these finding their way into oceans and rivers, fish and other marine animals try to eat them and end up with microplastics in their stomachs – or they become entangled – like a seal rescued recently on Walton beach with plastic wrapped around its neck.

And if that wasn’t enough to shock you, how about these statistics (French, 2019):

• 91% of all plastic ever created hasn’t been recycled
• Between 2014-2016 the UK sent 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste a year to be recycled or disposed of abroad
• 12% of plastic is burned
• 79% of plastic is buried in landfill or dumped on land or at sea
• Only 9% of plastic is recycled
• 200,000 plastic bottles are bought per second, less than half are recycled
• 60-million disposable water bottles are thrown away every day
• 40% of plastic is unneeded packaging
• Enough plastic is thrown away each year to wrap around the earth four times
• 80% of ocean plastic is from land
• Between 2018-2025, the same amount of plastic will be used as in the entire 20th century
• By 2050, there’ll be more plastic in the ocean than fish

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But plastic isn’t the only problem

Other products take a long time to degrade too:

• Disposable nappies: 450-years
• Aluminium cans: 200-years

Startling when you consider over 3-billion nappies and 200-billion aluminium cans are thrown away every year.

And if that still wasn’t enough, how about this:

• We dump enough waste to fill a line of lorries going around the world 24 times
• 92% of people in the world breathe polluted air
• Breathing polluted air kills 7-million people per year
• Of the 3-trillion trees in the world, 15 million are cut down per year
• Around 24-million slices of bread are thrown away from UK households per year

In 30-years, we’ll be creating 70% more waste than we do now if we don’t change. So, what changes can we make on a personal level?

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There is hope in soap

There are lots of little things we can all do, but one of the most fascinating sustainable alternatives is soap.

Yes, you read that right: soap.

If we replace shower gels, body wash and shampoos with bar soap, it would have a massive impact on the amount of plastic we use.

Why?

Because bar soap:

• Has little or no plastic packaging
• It’s biodegradable
• It’s made with natural ingredients, so it lowers carbon emissions in its creation

But that’s not all:

• 1-2 bars are enough to replace a bottle of body wash
• It cleans just as well, if not better than bottled variants
• It comes in a variety of colours and scents
• You help support local businesses

Which means you’ll not only help the environment. You’ll be supporting local businesses too.

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What about your business?

There’s a lot we can all do personally, but what about businesses and corporations? One of the best things business leaders can do is talk to the team at Certified Sustainable.

Why?

Because we produce comprehensive Sustainability Impact Reports detailing the environmental impact of the day-to-day operations of businesses. We then develop technical solutions and real-world strategies that make a business measurably more sustainable.

No fluff. No PR gimmickry. Just real-world change.

References:

French, J., 2019. What a waste: trash, recycling, and protecting our planet. Penguin.

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