When did plastics become so popular?

2. When did plastics become so popular? Throwaway Living Photo from AMRF

3. What’s Made of Plastic?

4. What is Plastic Made of? SYNTHETIC BIODEGRADEABLE

5. Q: How many plastic beverage bottles get used every year in the US? Chris Jordan

6. We use 50 billion plastic beverage bottles every year in the US DETAIL 50,000,000,000 Chris Jordan

7. Chris Jordan

8. 100 billion plastic bags get used each year in the US. ACUTAL SIZE Chris Jordan 100,000,000,000

9. “But I Recycle…”.What percentage of plastic gets recycled in the US?

10. CIWMB White Paper Less than 5% of plastics are recycled…

11. Great Pacific Garbage Patch • A giant, eternal swirling spiral of floating trash • Twice the size of the US and growing • Home to an estimated 100 million tons of plastic

13. There is 42 times more plastic than plankton at some spots in the North Pacific gyre. Source: Algalita Marine Research Foundation

14. How Does Plastic End Up In the Ocean?

15. LA Beaches After The Rain Ballona Creek Algalita Santa Monica Beach Ben Kay

16. All of this (more than a half-pound of plastic) was removed from the stomach of an albatross, a large sea bird

17. Q: How many marine animals die every year due to Plastic? • 100 • 100,000 • 1,000,000,000

18. 100,000 marine mammals die each year because of plastic litter in the ocean. B

19. Toxic Plastics Plastics Leech the Chemicals They Are Made Of These Chemicals are ‘hormone mimickers’ that affect the Endocrine System. • Bisphenol A (BPA) • Plastic hardener • Used in DVDs, canned food lining, baby bottles, water bottles • Chemical found in 93% of Americans over the age of 6 • Phthalates • Plastic softener • Found in toys, food packaging, shower curtains, nail polish, hair spray and shampoo, baby teething rings

20. Plastic Bath A study of 20 teens across America detected 16 chemicals from 4 chemical families including plastic (phthalates) in their blood and urine. Look up your products at SKIN DEEP www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

21. Bring Your Own… • WATER BOTTLE (stainless steel) • BAG • CUP • TUPPERWARE • SILVERWEAR

22. Use Biodegradable (PLA) Bioplastics are better, but not the answer • Require INDUSTRIAL COMPOSTING (140° and fed microbes) • Cannot be recycled; can contaminate if mixed in • “Renewable;” but genetically-modified • Does not emit GHG’s when incinerated • Don’t break down inthe water

23. REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE… then RECYCLE THINK TWICE • Do you really need a bag for your bag of chips? • Ask the waiter to wrap in foil instead of styrofoam • Do you really need the straw? • Don’t buy things with excess packaging • Buy the can instead of the bottle • Shop at the farmer’s markets

24. Encourage EPR Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) • Companies that produce and package products are responsible for the costs of collecting and disposing of their packaging waste • Motivates producers to reduce the amount of waste they produce • Adopted by Germany in 1991 • Packaging waste reduced 14%in first four years • Recycling rose to 75%

25. Spread the Word…with a SMILE Share what you’ve learned • Lead by example • Ask your friends and family to join you • Speak to city council • Write letters to government officials

26. What will you do to rise above plastics?

27. You must be the change you wish to see in the world. - Gandhi -

28. For more information visit: http://www.riseaboveplastics.blogspot.com/ www.greenambassadors.org www.surfrider.org http://5gyres.org/ www.algalita.org www.seaofconsequences.blogspot.com http://www.ewg.org/chemindex/term/468 PASS IT ON…