World’s Biggest Producer of Plastic to Curtail Its Use

In high school I ran on the cross-country team. Every run I would notice all of the trash lying on the ground and it made me realize how easy it is to prevent trash from ending up in our environment. Ever since then I try to live my life in a more conscious way. I became the recycling coordinator for the track and cross-country teams and made sure people were aware of what kinds of things they were throwing away. I found this article in a sub-reddit and it caught my eye. I really like this article because China is setting an example for countries around the world. Getting rid of single-Use plastics such as plastic silverware, bags, and water bottles is a great way to start helping the environment. Countries all around the world are noticing this issue: France, Thailand, Indonesia, New Zealand, and even some states it the US have begun to ban single-use plastics. The picture I pulled from this page (shown below) shows the amount of waste generated annually on a global scale. North America is shown to produce more waste than any country on the list. Unfortunately, states that are land-locked do not see the immediate effects of pollution and are less willing to incorporate sustainable habits into their lifestyles. The main goal now is to continue to spread awareness. It is so easy to do your part and it can start with bringing your own reusable water bottle to school or work. Another easy thing is to ask for paper bags for your groceries at Kroger instead of plastic ones. 

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