10 ways to reduce plastic pollution

This constant barrage (the equivalent of 136 billion milk jugs each year, a study published in the journal Science estimates) poses a serious danger to marine life. Animals can get tangled up in this trash or ingest it—either because they mistake it for food or because the plastic has been broken up into tiny particles (aka “microplastics”) floating through their habitats. 

Equally alarmingly, plastic pollution in the oceans is essentially irreversible.

It takes hundreds of years (or longer) to fully degrade; all the while, those pieces of plastic are also leaching toxic chemicals. And we're not just talking about people dumping their garbage overboard. Around 80 percent of marine plastic pollution actually originates on land—either swept in from the coastline or carried to rivers from the streets during heavy rain via storm drains and sewer overflows.

Of course, plastic is pervasive throughout our ecosystems (and even our clouds), and our addiction to the stuff is a danger to terrestrial animals as well.

And that’s to say nothing of the hazards the plastic c

how can we reduce plastic pollution in oceans

how can we stop plastic pollution in oceans