June 8th marks World Oceans Day, a time to appreciate the diversity of ocean life and all that the ocean does for us such as producing the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat, and providing an ecosystem to a plethora of amazing creatures. As all the destruction and devastation from the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues to unfold, it is now more important than ever for us to do what we can to protect our world’s ocean and marine life.
Did you know that a large source of pollution in the oceans starts out from land? As the use of plastic has increased significantly, so has the presence of garbage and plastic floating in the oceans. This pollution threatens the marine life because the plastic is mistaken for food eaten by birds, turtles, and whales or sea creatures can become entangled in plastic debris. To protect our ocean for future generations, we can reduce the amount of plastic we use on a daily basis.
A simple way to reduce the amount of plastic that gets into our ocean is to pack a zero-waste lunch. A zero-waste lunch basically means using no disposable materials. Packing a zero-waste lunch can save an estimated $240 and eliminates approximately 67 pounds of waste per a person in one year.
Here are some easy steps to pack a zero-waste lunch:
- Trade in the single-use plastic bags, aluminum foil or wax paper, or single-serving items with disposable packaging.
- Avoid disposable plastic and paper bags, cutlery and napkins.
- Pack lunch in reusable containers.
- Use a refillable drink bottle, a cloth napkin and reusable utensils.
- Purchase fresh fruits and veggies and reuse your containers.
- Avoid plastic bags, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, single-use juice boxes, pouches, cans and prepackaged foods whenever possible.
For more information:
http://www.wastefreelunches.org
http://www.theoceanproject.org