10 Reasons Why You Should Reduce Your Single-Use Plastic Consumption

This month at Team TVK we are celebrating Plastic Free July and would love for you to join us! We wrote a recent blog post on easy ways to reduce your single-use plastic consumption, but if you’re still not sure why plastic is so damaging for our planet, check out these ten shocking facts:

1.       Every piece of plastic that has ever been made still exists somewhere. It takes up to 1,000 years for plastic to break down. 

2.       32% of the 78 million tons of plastic packaging produced makes its way into the ocean every year. If plastic consumption does not decrease, this number is estimated to double by 2030. This can be deadly for wildlife, who become entangled in the plastic or mistake it for food.  

3.       Globally, 500 billion disposable cups are used each year. 

4.       91% of plastic waste is not recycled. 

5.       Globally, 500,000 single-use straws are used each year. 

6.       It is estimated than between 60-90% waste in the ocean is plastic-based. 

7.       Plastic bags, food and beverage containers, cigarette butts and fishing gear are the most common types of plastic pollution in our oceans. 

8.       Globally, 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute and only 23% of these are recycled. 

9.       Nearly 2 million plastic bags are distributed globally every minute. 

10.   If we don’t reduce our plastic consumption, plastic will likely outweigh fish by 2050. 

At Team TVK, we will be phasing out our current chill bags in favour of a recyclable paper-based insulation instead. How will you reduce your plastic consumption? Head over to our recent blog or the Plastic Free July page for ideas on how to live a reduced, or plastic free, lifestyle.