How often do you buy an item from the store that’s packaged in a plastic container or wrapped in plastic? Daily decisions like these add up and are feeding into the global plastic crisis. Scientists estimate that there’s anywhere between nine to 16 million tons of plastic on the sea floor, polluting the environment, harming species and releasing harmful microplastics into every corner of the planet. Two experts on plastic join us this week to shed some light on the problem and how we can each make a difference by changing our consumption habits and calling on leaders to craft stricter laws on waste management and manufacturing.
Guest Information:
- Jennie Romer, attorney, author, Can I Recycle This? A Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics
- Kate Melges, plastics project leader, Greenpeace USA
Links for Additional Info:
- GreenPeace.org: Kate Melges
- Congress.gov: H.R. 5845
- EPA: How Do I Recycle?: Common Recyclables
- Harvard University: 14 Million Tons of Microplastic are on the Ocean Floor
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – National Ocean Service: What are microplastics?
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