Fact: Plastic breaks apart into smaller pieces, but plastic never goes away. World wide only 9 percent is recycled; most ends up in the ground, landfilled.

Fact: Plastic pollution is increasing, harming the environment, animals and getting into our bodies; growing evidence reveals microplastic is having a negative impact on health.

Fact: The weight of plastic on Earth is 29 times as much as all humans; if the trend continues, by 2050 plastic will outweigh fish in the ocean.

What you can do:

1. Refuse disposable plastic bags and plastics every chance you get.

2. Bring reusable bags to stores.

3. Avoid buying packaged food. If you must buy packaged food, look for glass jars or cardboard instead of plastic.

4. Avoid buying beverages in plastic bottles.

5. Keep a reusable mug and water bottle with you.

6. Say no to plastic straws.

7. Bring your own container for take-out or leftovers.

8. Avoid using balloons for decorations, don’t release balloons into the air where they’ll eventually land and be eaten by animals.

For more information: https://www.nrcm.org/projects/sustainability/plastic-pollution/