Turning the Tide on Marine Plastic Pollution: Solution 1

SOLUTION SERIES – 1st Article: Alternatives For Single Use Plastic

In 2023 alone, Seabin captured 22.52 tonnes of marine litter in the Sydney Harbour and catalogued 4,772,648 plastic items. If these items were not collected, they would continue to remain in the ocean, impacting the health of the plants, animals, and people. 

Marine plastic pollution is a big problem to tackle. Thankfully, there are some simple decisions that you can make to help turn the tide on marine plastic pollution.  

The first solution in the series is to use alternatives for single use plastic! 

1. Choose Reusables

It’s convenient to use single use plastics whether that be at a cafe or the shops, but the plastic waste starts to add up and often ends up in our oceans! Here are some simple things you can do to switch out single use plastics for reusable options. 

• Carry your own cutlery set to use with takeaway food
• Bring a ‘keep cup’ with you to coffee shops
• Bring your own reusable shopping bags to stores
• Carry reusable mesh produce bags
• Carry a reusable straw for beverages
• Provide your own takeaway container or Tupperware
• Avoid clingfilm/ wrap by using reusable beeswax wrap, or jars/ other food storage containers instead
• Invest in a good quality reusable water bottle to avoid purchasing single use plastic bottles

2. Plastic Free Alternatives

Plastic is a cheap packaging option, but it creates an enormous amount of waste. The next time you purchase an every-day item, look for plastic-free options! You can get the same product, but without harming the environment.

• Avoid cotton buds as much as possible- use bamboo buds, cotton pads, or reusable cotton swabs instead!
• Use toothpaste tablets in a glass jar rather than toothpaste in a plastic tube
• Use silk floss instead of standard dental floss, and especially avoid single use floss sticks!
• Instead of bottled body wash, shampoo and conditioner, use paper wrapped bar soap. There are even shampoo and conditioner bars!
• Swap single use coffee pods for a reusable and refillable coffee pod, or use another brewing method. 

There you have it, some simple swaps that you can make to help reduce the use of single-use plastics. Stay tuned for part two of the series, for another solution to help turn the tide on marine plastic pollution. 

How to get involved

There are many ways we can all contribute to the global effort for cleaner oceans! Contact us here to find out how you can get involved on our mission for cleaner oceans.

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