Disposable plastic straws

There are a lot of people who don’t know that disposable plastic straws are among the top items found on the beach, including plastic bags, cigarette filters and soda containers. These items are not beneficial for the environment or the ocean waters, especially because they could cause a lot of harm to seabirds, turtles, fishes and other marine creatures. 

“For the vast majority of us, refusing the single-use plastic straw is the easiest and simplest way to take action today to address plastic pollution,” said Dune Ives, PhD, executive director of Lonely Whale, an incubator for ideas that drive impactful change on behalf of our ocean. “If we don’t act now, by the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish (by weight).”

Not eating sustainable seafood

As you probably know, fish and shellfish eat large amounts of plastic and microplastic, so it could be equally dangerous to our health. Instead, you should always consume sustainable seafood and ask how the fish was harvested when you order food. 

“In fact, if you live in the United Kingdom and eat shellfish, it is thought that you are likely to consume up to 11,000 particles of plastic each year,” Ives explains. “We also know that 90 percent of our global fisheries are fully fished or overfished. When ordering, ask from where the fish was harvested and how it was harvested. If your fishmonger or server doesn’t know, it may not be considered sustainable.”