Tag Archives: Plastic

By Larraine Roulston:  Approximately 40 years ago, scientists began to study ocean pollution. During the 1990s, they discovered the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch — an array of discarded floating plastics that have formed an island.  Today, an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. …

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By Kim Robson: We like supporting companies that practice environmentally-aware policies, including using recycled plastic in their products. But recycled plastic raises an interesting question: Which is better — creating more demand for recycled plastic, which would help increase its price as a world commodity and make it more worthwhile …

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By Green Mom: Today is World Environment Day, and this year’s theme is “beating plastic pollution.” Designed by the United Nations, this day is a campaign to encourage awareness and to inspire action to protect our environment. The annual event is meant to bring needed attention to environmental issues, from …

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By Fredrica Syren: Do you know how often I have said those words? Plastic bags have been in our everyday life for quite some time now. We all love their convenience, but those darned plastic bags are everywhere, with no end in sight. The problem with plastic bags is that they …

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By Fredrica Syren: What do you say about wearing a sport shoe that also helps clean up the planet? I don’t know about you, but that is a win-win to me. Adidas, in partnership with Parley for the Oceans, has joined other creative businesses in turning recycled materials into a …

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By Fredrica Syren, aka Green Mom: As my family continues our journey toward a plastic-free life (or, as we like to call it, a “plastic diet”), we have replaced almost all plastics in the kitchen. Food storage had been one area I struggled with at the beginning — only because …

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By Larraine Roulston: Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has officially declared war on plastic straws and bottles by eliminating them from the royal estate’s cafés, dining halls and catered events. It is thought that her awareness of plastic ocean pollution peaked while working with Sir David Attenborough during the filming of his conservation documentary that …

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By Kim Robson: Everyone knows that Styrofoam is bad for the planet, but do you know exactly why? Here’s a hint: it’s not just about biodegradability. Styrofoam has become such an accepted everyday product that people often don’t understand how Styrofoam harms the environment. Styrofoam is made from polystyrene, which …

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By Kim Robson: Whenever I see that scene in The Graduate where a young man is urged to invest in plastics, I want to shout at the screen, “Noooo!” The good news is that we’re recycling more and more plastic every year, even utilizing reclaimed plastic in 3D printing. The …

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By Kim Robson: One of the most pervasive and damaging pollutants in the ocean is microplastic, tiny beads and plastic particles measuring 5 millimeters or less that require special fine-gauge netting to be removed from lakes and oceans. They might seem too tiny and insignificant to matter, but microplastics are …

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