Did you know that over 38 billion single-use plastic water bottles get dumped into landfills each year? YES, really!…that’s thirty-eight BILLION bottles!!! It’s a staggering number, at a staggering rate! What are the implications of this pollution on our valuable land & ocean resources? Devastation, doesn’t nearly begin to scratch the surface.
It is estimated that water bottles can take between 450-1,000 years to decompose…say it ain’t so! Wish I could, but it’s the painful truth! But, that’s not it! During these 450+ years of decomposition, it doesn’t just go away. Plastic breaks down into smaller fragments, which then gets absorbed into our land & ocean’s eco-systems. When plastic particles break down, they gain new physical and chemical properties, increasing the risk that they will have a toxic effect on organisms. Fish eat broken-down plastic, soil absorbs nano-particles, so as you can imagine, plastic is entering into our food chain on many levels. What does this mean for our crops, our underground water tables, land & sea resources? Devastating long-term consequences, of which many are still yet to be known or sufficiently studied.
What we do know, is that, the toxins from BPA plastic are known for their hormonal effects and can disrupt the hormonal system of vertebrates and invertebrates. In addition, nano-sized particles may cause inflammation, auto-immune diseases, traverse cellular barriers, and even cross highly selective membranes such as the blood-brain barrier or the placenta. They can also trigger changes in our cells, effecting gene expression, biochemical reactions, and cause cancer among many other things.
It has also been theorized by some leaders in the medical field, that BPA (bisphenol) in plastic may also be the root cause of autism, due to the hormonal effect it has on the endocrine system. Our hormones are what sends signals, telling our cells what to do, so what can happen is, these hormonally active chemicals make it into the brains of young babies or even before birth, which can shift & interrupt the brain’s development.
What actions can we take to help preserve our planet & its resources, as well as guard ourselves & loved ones from harmful chemicals & plastic?
1. Stop buying single-use disposable plastic bottles, and replace them with environmentally friendly healthier reusable bottles. We carry bottles of all types and sizes at our store, including Polycarbonate, BPA-free, Italian & American-made lead-free glass.
2. Buy chemical-FREE water by the gallon & refill your reusable personal-use bottles
3. Buying local also helps cut down on vehicle emissions
4. Recycle & up-cycle products you use daily. You can find really creative ideas on-line.
Re-cap:
- 38 billion disposable plastic bottles end up in landfills each year
- Plastic bottles take between 450-1,000 years to decompose
- Plastic never goes away; it is absorbed into our eco-system poisoning our wildlife, sea life, valuable resources and us
- Leached plastic can cause devastating health risks, including auto-immune diseases, cancer, autism and much more
- You can start making a difference today by utilizing the recommendations above and sharing this information with your family, friends & neighbors
Where there is water, there is life. Where there is clean water, there is quality of life.
