Meet Dr. Shanna Swan, one of the world’s leading reproductive epidemiologists and a longtime researcher of environmental chemicals and reproductive health.

For more than three decades, Swan has studied how endocrine-disrupting chemicals can affect hormones, fertility and human development. Her research has helped draw global attention to declining sperm counts and raised broader questions about how everyday  exposure to chemicals in our food, homes and environment may be affecting human health.

In a new conversation with EARTHDAY.ORG, Swan joins Jillian Semaan, Global Director of Food and Environment, to discuss the connections between plastics, food and fertility — and why those links may matter far beyond the laboratory.

The interview takes a closer look at the many ways people can come into contact with chemicals during an ordinary day. Swan discusses chemicals found in plastic, personal care and household products, food packaging, cookware and other common consumer goods.. She also explains why scientists are paying close attention to certain chemicals commonly found in consumer products and what researchers are still trying to understand about their effects on reproductive health.

But the conversation is not only about alarming statistics.

Swan also talks about practical steps people can take to reduce exposure in their everyday lives. From reconsidering t food storage and cookware to paying closer attention to household products and other common sources of exposure, the interview offers a more practical ways to limit exposure and make more informed choices. 

At the same time, Swan makes clear that individuals should not carry the full burden of protecting themselves. The conversation also explores the role of manufacturers, governments and chemical regulation — and what it means to decide whether a product is truly safe before it becomes part of everyday life.

From reproductive health e to the choices families make in the kitchen, Swan’s conversation with EARTHDAY.ORG highlights the connection between human health and environmental health — and why reducing harmful chemical exposures  matters for both people today and future generations.

Watch the full episode on Saturday, August 22nd. RSVP to receive a link to view the stream.

The post Everyday Chemical Exposures Put Us All at Risk appeared first on Earth Day.

As we all know by now, plastic is not fantastic. But how can we solve this issue?

Enter bioplastics. Bioplastics, like all plastics, have a base made of macromolecules with some added ingredients. But what makes bioplastics different is that their macromolecules are bio-based and/or the product is capable of biodegrading. Bio-based means that the materials are of biological origin, like animals, plants, bacteria, algae, and fungi. Importantly, just because a product is bio-based does not automatically mean it is also biodegradable.

While bioplastics account for less than 2% of all plastics, up to 90% of fossil-based plastics could technically be substituted with bioplastics.

Let’s explore five unique bioplastics!

Saving The Sea

The world uses over five trillion plastic bags each year, and these bags never fully decompose; they fragment into microplastics. Once in oceans, plastic bags damage ecosystems, hurt organisms, and cause millions of dollars in economic costs.

But these harms do not have to continue. Takuzo Aida and his research team have created a bioplastic bag that dissolves within hours when placed in seawater without leaving microplastics behind, according to the researchers. This bag can be classified as a bioplastic because it is made from cellulose, a type of macromolecule that is naturally-occurring and therefore bio-based.

Waste Not

Bioplastics could help reduce food waste, too. Food waste that contains bio-based macromolecules such as cellulose or starch has the potential to be transformed into bioplastics.

This is an exciting concept because food waste rotting in landfills emits an estimated 58% of the methane gas released from U.S. municipal solid waste landfills. Methane is a type of greenhouse gas that is exacerbating the climate crisis.

Orange Peels

Orange peels have high cellulose levels and are thus well-suited to be converted into bioplastics. Although more research is required, pulverizing and combining orange peels with other materials yields a bioplastic that has similar properties to traditional plastic. This bioplastic should be able to biodegrade in natural conditions in four or more months while being environmentally safe.

Chicken Feathers

The UNLOCK project is experimenting with a bioplastic made from chicken feathers. Chicken feathers are high in a protein called keratin which is known to be both durable and biodegradable. By extracting keratin from these feathers, scientists have been able to create a biodegradable plastic alternative while reducing landfill waste.

Rice Husks

Like orange peels, rice husks have a high cellulose content. Combining cellulose extracted from rice husks with other materials creates a biodegradable bioplastic. 

Importantly, rice husks are often managed by combustion in open air; nonetheless, turning rice husks into a bioplastic is still beneficial. A 2022 study found that using rice husks to create a bioplastic led to a 82% reduction in human health impact and a 74% reduction in environmental cost compared to combusting them.

An Idea We Should Not Swat Away

Many people might view flies as a nuisance, but we shouldn’t be telling them to buzz-off. Scientists are exploring bioplastics made from black soldier flies. The exoskeleton of black soldier flies is reinforced by a sugar-based, biodegradable polymer called chitin. Scientists hope to use a broken-down form of this polymer to manufacture a biodegradable bioplastic. 

A potential issue with bioplastics is that producing their bio-based materials strains land use. Using adult black soldier flies, however, avoids this issue. Black soldier flies are often farmed for the purpose of using their larvae, and adult flies are soon discarded after the completion of their short lifespan. Creating bioplastic from these flies uses a waste stream that already exists, rather than requiring new crops or land.

The Solution Isn’t Clear

These five products exhibit some of the advantages of bioplastics. Bioplastics built from food waste and dead organisms support the idea of a circular economy, where one product’s waste is the material for a new product. Additionally, biodegradable bioplastics can help reduce our impact on the planet.

At the same time, it is important to acknowledge that even bioplastics are still damaging to the environment. 

As briefly mentioned, harvesting plants for bioplastics can strain land use. There are concerns that an increase in agricultural land used for bioplastic materials could impact the food system by causing a jump in food prices. And the fertilizers required to cultivate these materials can cause acidification and eutrophication. 

There are also worries surrounding the disposal of bioplastics. Proper bioplastic recycling facilities are not widespread, and not all bioplastics can be recycled with traditional plastic. For example, as little as 1% contamination of PLA bioplastic in the waste stream of one of the most recycled plastics, HDPE, can negatively affect the quality of recycled HDPE.

Additionally, while bioplastics can be better than conventional plastics, there are still concerns about the ways in which bioplastics contribute to climate change during their life cycle.

Plastic Does Not Have To Be Permanent

When it comes down to it, the type of plastic that should make you the most enthusiastic is simply no plastic at all. And you can help make this a reality!

You can start by exploring our End Plastics campaign to learn more about the threats of plastics and to take action. 

From there, you can calculate your plastic footprint and make yearly plastic reduction goals. You can hold yourself accountable by taking a plastic pledge. And you can sign our Global Plastics Petition to call on the United Nations and Governmental organizations to decrease plastic production worldwide.

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We’ve all seen the stories about plastic pollution in the ocean. But the journey of plastic pollution begins much farther inland, passing directly through cities and communities that depend on those waterways. 

Along the way, microplastics contaminate drinking water, freshwater habitats, and food systems long before it reaches the coast. In fact, nearly 80% of marine plastic originates from land-based products, with rivers serving as one of the main pathways transporting it to the ocean. 

Researchers have documented impacts from plastic pollution in inland cities like St. Louis, Baton Rouge, and around Lake Mead. Fortunately, local organizations and community leaders are working to reduce plastic pollution at its source, thus protecting waterways and communities upstream. 

Caught in the Current

The Mississippi River is one of the most studied rivers in the country when it comes to plastic, and the numbers show a growing problem. Scientists sampling the river found that microplastic levels actually increase as the river passes through St. Louis on its way south instead of thinning out. Researchers at St. Louis University discovered 237 different types of microplastics in riverbed sediment across the Meramec watershed, connecting contamination to nearby land use and local pollution sources.

To tackle the problem, the city joined the Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative partnering with other mayors along the river to volunteer to track and log plastic waste through a simple smartphone app. Locally, organizations like the Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper map where plastics show up the most with the bigger goal as organizers from the University City’s Department of Public works state “preventing more, picking up less,” putting pressure on companies that contribute to the creation of the world’s single-use plastics in the first place.

Hooked on Plastic 

The city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, sits along a stretch of the Mississippi near a major petrochemical corridor; here, plastics have already made it into the food system. The lower Mississippi River carries around 328 billion microplastic particles into the Gulf of Mexico each year. Water samples that were collected upstream and downstream from Baton Rouge all contained concentrations of microplastics. 

The evidence doesn’t stop at the water’s surface. Microplastics have been found in four freshwater fish species from the Mississippi River, including bluegill and largemouth bass, showing that plastic pollution has already worked its way into the food web. The pattern continues in nearby St. Francisville where 12.66% of sampled fish contained microplastics, underscoring how plastic pollution is affecting aquatic life in the lower Mississippi River.  

Taking matters into their own hands, Baton Rouge residents formed the Louisiana Stormwater Coalition, an all-volunteer group that organizes regular cleanups along waterways like the Bayou Fountain and assisted in the development of a stormwater litter management plan. The coalition partnered with local organizations to install a 75 foot litter catcher that captures floating plastic before it reaches other downstream locations. 

Drinking Downstream 

Out west, the source of pollution looks different but the risk may even be more personal. The Colorado River moves through farms, cities, and deserts before flowing into Lake Mead, a reservoir that supplies drinking water to nearly 25 million people across the Southwest. 

Microplastics have been found throughout the reservoir’s water and lakebed with one sediment core preserving nearly 19 years of plastic buildup. Much of that contamination has been traced back to Las Vegas Wash, a channel that carries treated wastewater from four treatment plants. 

The problem reaches far beyond Lake Mead. A separate survey detected microplastics in every Colorado river and stream sampled, highlighting the scale of contamination across a watershed that supplies water to around 40 million people and supports 5.5 million acres of farmland.

Communities across the Colorado River Basin are responding by monitoring plastic pollution and restoring waterways before contaminants spread farther downstream. Volunteers and local organizations like Environment Colorado continue to document the presence of microplastics in waterways. At the same time, long term restoration efforts along the Las Vegas Wash work to improve water quality by stabilizing streambanks and restoring wetlands before water enters Lake Mead. Together these efforts recognize that protecting drinking water begins long before it reaches the tap. 

You Don’t Need a Coastline to Take Action

The stories of St. Louis, Baton Rouge, and Lake Mead show that inland communities are not waiting for plastic pollution to reach the coast before taking action. Across the country residents, researchers, and local organizations are finding new ways to track and reduce plastic pollution before it enters rivers, reservoirs, and food systems. 

The fight against plastic pollution begins with you. Visit EARTHDAY.ORG’S the Great Global Cleanup map to find a cleanup near you or register one in your own community. 

EARTHDAY.ORG is the driving force behind the Earth Day movement year-round. You can have articles like this emailed to your inbox by signing up for our email list. Make sure to also check out our social media at X, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube for environmental news and information straight from the Earth Day source.

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Birdwatching has recently surged in popularity across the world, especially among younger generations. In fact, research has shown that it’s Gen Z’s second fastest growing hobby. 

Many have turned to the pastime as a way to reconnect with nature and reduce stress levels, and it has other potential health benefits as well: some studies demonstrate its potential to help slow age-related cognitive decline by acting as a brain exercise. 

Moreover, the little equipment or experience needed makes the hobby accessible to everyone — all you really need is the presence of birds. Unfortunately, their populations are declining due to a variety of issues, including habitat and environment degradation, climate change, and, more directly, plastic pollution. 

Why is Plastic Pollution Such a Big Problem? 

Birdwatching and birds themselves are not the only victims of plastic pollution. Outside of being beloved to birders, birds play an important role in many  environmental and ecological processes. 

For one, birds are significant contributors to the health of plant populations. They pollinate, fertilize, and disperse seeds across continents, which promotes plant reproduction and supports the growth of the forest and foliage that serves as habitats for other species. 

The ecological importance of birds also extends to health issues. For example, research has shown that when vulture populations decline, humans are increasingly exposed to disease-causing bacteria and pathogens. This trend occurs due to the increase in the presence of animal carcasses, which vultures would normally remove from environments. Bacteria from these carcasses can enter water systems and turn into a serious threat to human health. 

Humans also rely directly on certain species of birds for certain tasks. For example, foragers in multiple regions in Africa have relied on the Greater Honeyguide to lead them to honey, while various types of birds can provide pest-control on farms by eating common nuisance insects, like coffee borer beetles. 

So when we lose our birds, we’re not just losing their aesthetic or emotional value — we’re also losing all of the extensive good they do for us and our environment. 

The Importance of the Past

Bird populations have been threatened by human-caused events throughout history, some of which have been devastating. Oil spills are one example, killing thousands of birds with each incident. The 1969 Santa Barbara spill, for example, led to the deaths of an estimated 3,600 birds. 

Another particularly infamous case was the chemical DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) which was commonly used as a pesticide and led to a decline of bird-of-prey populations, resulting in imbalance in affected food chains due to a lack of predators. 

But while threats to birds and their habitats exist, these events have also inspired real, feasible progress towards conservation. After the 1969 oil spill, there were extensive clean-up operations and a new-found attention to ecological issues that included the eventual creation of Earth Day. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring highlighted the dangers of DDT and became one of the most influential texts in the environmental movement as well as a catalyst for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency,

 In today’s environment, one of the biggest threats to birds is the increase of plastic pollution. Our next step should be following environmentalists  who came before us and putting together the next solution.

The Problem With Plastic

There are a number of reasons that plastic poses a large threat to birds, including entanglement, exposure to chemicals and, most especially, ingestion. In 2015, it was estimated that nearly 90% of seabirds consume plastic. By 2050, that number is projected to increase to 99%, which is virtually every seabird on the planet. 

Birds eat plastic both directly and indirectly by eating prey that has already consumed it. Plastic consumption can cause serious ailments, leading to lack of proper nutrient consumption and gastrointestinal obstruction/organ damage. Plastics can also find their way into nests and cause severe damage. Chicks are prone to entanglement, which can prove fatal due to strangulation and the infections they cause. These issues have been observed worldwide and occur in both aquatic and terrestrial birds. 

PULLQUOTE: “Given that birds in particular mistake plastic for prey, macroplastics or MPs have been found in the gastrointestinal tracts, feces, and even in feathers and other tissues or organs of several hundred avian species from freshwater, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems.” – Limin Wang et al. 

Plastics, which can take up to and over a thousand years to degrade, end up permanent fixtures of bird habitats, making exposure dangerously common. They’re also extremely widespread, with an estimated 12 billion tons of plastic waste expected to be found in the environment by 2050. 

These numbers are intimidating, but we should note that even the tiniest efforts add up over time. The easiest way to begin helping the birds we love can be as simple as saying no to a plastic bag. 

What can you do to help?

One way to start is by learning more about the effects and origins of single-use and disposable plastics. Knowing where they come from is the first step to identifying what you can do to cut down on them. Plastic water bottles, packaging, and plastic bags are especially prominent pollutants, but they’re also not too difficult to cut out of your life. 

Reusable bottles, kitchenware, and bags are great ways to reduce plastics while keeping the everyday items you need. As for the plastics already in the environment, getting involved in local clean-up efforts can help clear affected areas and boost community engagement. If there aren’t any around you, consider starting one! Every movement, no matter how small, makes a difference. 

Birdwatching is just one of the many aspects of our lives that rely on the presence of these fascinating, loveable creatures. If they’ve helped you alleviate the stress from work, find friends, or even just given you some small amount of joy, consider paying it back — it could mean saving their lives.

Check out our End Plastics campaign for more information and ways to take action, like calculating your plastic footprint or signing the Global Plastics Treaty petition. 

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at woods@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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Plastic is marketed as cheap, and at the checkout counter it usually is. But the price on a water bottle or a takeout container captures almost none of what plastic actually costs us. The real bill arrives later on coastlines, in public budgets, and in hospitals. Plastics cost the world trillions of dollars every year, and as the world’s appetite for plastic accelerates, so will the bill.

A Trillion-Dollar Health Crisis

One of the highest costs of plastics is on human health. A 2025 Lancet review estimated plastics’ annual health-related economic damage at more than $1.5 trillion, and that figure covers only 38 countries, about a third of the world’s population. The real global figure is much higher. 

Part of the reason is what plastic is actually made of. There are more than 16,000 chemicals found in plastics, including phthalates, PFAS, BPA, and flame retardants. 25% of these chemicals are found to be hazardous to human health or the environment, and researchers have found a range of serious conditions, including cancer, heart disease, reproductive problems, and neurotoxicity, linked to plastics.

For example, in 2015, BPA exposure to that single chemical was tied to an estimated 5.4 million cases of heart disease and roughly 346,000 strokes, and hundreds of thousands of deaths that year alone. Even making plastics causes harm before it reaches the store shelf. Manufacturing releases fine particle pollution linked to about 158,000 premature deaths and over $200 billion in health costs worldwide each year. In the U.S., three of the most common plastic-related chemicals are responsible for roughly $675 billion in health damages annually. 

The Planet is Footing the Bill, Too

The economic damage to the natural systems we depend on is equally sobering. If nothing is done to address plastic pollution, the global cumulative environmental cost between 2016 and 2040 will range from $13.7 trillion to $281.8 trillion. 

In the U.S., factoring in both health and environmental harm, the lifecycle of plastics from extraction to waste is estimated to cost $1.1 trillion a year. Extracting and refining fossil fuels release greenhouse gases that cause an estimated $6.4 billion to $15.9 billion in climate-related harm (including more severe storms, higher healthcare costs, and crop damage). On top of that, the air pollutants released during fracking and other extraction operations, which are linked to asthma, cancer, and premature death, add another $2.9 billion to $31.9 billion in human health impacts. 

The disease and mortality rate from plastics during the use phase in the U.S. is estimated to cost $410 billion to $930 billion annually due to exposure to toxic chemicals. Dumping trash in landfills, which absorbed 86% of U.S. plastic waste as of 2019, costs roughly $2.9 billion, and clearing plastic litter from roadsides, waterways, and public spaces runs another $9.8 to $13.3 billion. The damage reaches the ocean too, where plastic debris costs U.S. marine industries about $3 billion by deterring tourism, damaging shipping, and harming fisheries, while degrading marine ecosystem services such as fisheries productivity, biodiversity, and recreation by an estimated $1.4 billion to $112 billion.

The scale of the problem is tied directly to production. Between 1950 and 2019, global plastic output has exploded from 2 million metric tons to over 460 million metric tons, and is projected to reach over 1.2 billion metric tons by 2060. As of 2015, 60% of all plastics ever produced have been discarded, while 30% is still in use. Of all the plastic waste produced between 1950 and 2015, 79% accumulated in landfills or the natural environment, 12% was incinerated, and only 9% was recycled.

Who Pays?

Part of why plastic looks so cheap is that its true cost is quietly subsidized. In 2024, the world’s 15 largest plastic-producing countries provided the polymer industry with an estimated $43 billion in direct subsidies. On top of that, fossil fuels (the raw material for plastics) received $725 billion in direct subsidies, plus an additional $6.7 trillion in “implicit subsidies”, which include indirect healthcare costs, climate damage, and lost agricultural productivity. 

Those subsidies aren’t incidental. In the U.S., the oil and gas industry spent $149.8 million lobbying the U.S. government in 2025 alone. Subsidies are what keep virgin plastics cheaper than non-plastic alternatives in the first place, so imagine if that money was invested in sustainable alternatives. 

Cleaning up and managing global plastic waste would cost the world around $361 billion a year, and most of that burden falls on cities and taxpayers rather than manufacturers. In the U.S., plastic waste management is projected to cost $40 billion annually by 2040, with taxpayers covering around 92% of that bill. That payment is through municipal budgets, property taxes, and waste collection fees that pay for waste management systems.

It is a pattern that shows up again and again. The people making money off plastics and the people paying for its damage are rarely the same. Communities near refineries, petrochemical plants, and incinerators, and low-income communities and communities of color, are the most disproportionately impacted by the health and environmental fallout. At the same time, the plastic industry is valued at $678.98 billion as of 2025. 

The Cost of Inaction

Every year of delay compounds the bill. The economics are now unambiguous: plastic is not cheap. We are simply paying for it somewhere other than at the cash register, and right now, the cost decision is being made by those in power, not by those impacted.

To learn more about how you can avoid exposure to plastics, visit our End Plastics page.

The post Counting the Economic Cost of the Plastic Pollution Crisis appeared first on Earth Day.

In 1950, the world produced just 2 million tons of plastic; in 2024, it produced around 360 million metric tons. In the last 20 years, plastic production has doubled, and without drastic policy changes, global plastic production is projected to almost triple by 2060 — half of which will end up in landfills and less than fifth ever recycled.

Against this backdrop, recycling has never come close to delivering the solution the public was promised. A 2025 study in the academic journal Nature found that the global plastics recycling rate has remained stagnant at 9%, against soaring production. The rest is burned, buried, or left to leach into rivers, soils, and oceans. Without management, scientists predict that 121 million metric tons of plastic waste filling in our landfills and polluting the environment will exist by 2050, weighing the equivalent of more than 36,000 Empire State Buildings.

The climate cost of the plastic crisis is enormous. Over 98% of plastics are made from fossil carbons, such as oil and gas, which are the largest contributors to and primary drivers of climate change. Specifically, plastic production and disposal accounts for roughly 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. As plastic production continues to soar, so too will its share of global emissions, a cost the planet simply cannot afford.

Big Oil’s Plastic Love

The daylight between what plastic recycling actually delivers and what the public believes is not an accident. It is the result of a deliberate and decades-long effort by the fossil fuel industry to shift responsibility away from producers and onto the public.

Big Oil is the name attributed to the West’s largest oil companies, who maintain a vested interest in plastics. Plastic is a way for oil companies to maintain profitability, particularly as the shift toward renewable energy threatens their traditional business model. Since 2010, fossil fuel companies have invested more than $180 billion into plastic plants in the U.S.

To defend its profitability, Big Oil has engaged in decades of deception. In the late 1950s, in response to Vermont’s ban of single-use bottles, food, drink, cigarette, and packaging companies formed Keep America Beautiful, an anti-litter organization that spent heavily on public campaigns promoting responsible disposable. Rather than addressing overproduction, these campaigns placed the burden squarely on the individual, framing plastic pollution as a litter problem. The message was simple: the problem was not the plastic itself, but individuals failing to throw it away correctly.

In the late 1980s, a growing percentage of the general public believed that plastics were harmful to the environment and public health. Faced with this widespread concern, Big Oil poured hundreds of millions of dollars into convincing the public that plastic was, in fact, largely recyclable. It was the beginning of a coordinated disinformation campaign, including the construction of recycling facilities. Many of these plants shut their doors within five years.

The construction of a recyclable future has proven far more appealing to Big Oil than actually building one. Adding to its sustained effort, the oil and plastic industry launched The Alliance to End Plastic Waste in 2019, a $1.5 billion campaign that promotes plastic recycling and clean up efforts, instead of calling for a limit on plastic production.

Alongside these disinformation campaigns was the creation of Resin Identification Codes, the numbers 1 through 7 imprinted on the bottom of plastic products to indicate their material composition. Created by the plastic industry, RICs give the illusion of a vast and viable recycling industry. In reality, only 30 percent of number 1 and 2 plastics are recycled, numbers 3 through 7 are much more difficult to recycle, and numbers 6 and 7 are not financially feasible to recycle.

The familiar three arrows recycling symbol, inspired by the Möbius strip, was originally conceived to promote genuine recycling. However, because it was never trademarked, the fossil fuel industry was free to co-opt it, transforming the symbol into a deceptive instrument that continues to mislead the public into believing that plastic recycling is achievable.

Big Oil’s tactics have led to California’s lawsuit against ExxonMobil, alleging that the company promoted recycling as a viable option while knowing for decades that it is both technically and economically unfeasible. In doing so, the company encouraged the excessive use of plastic while allowing the enormous volume of plastic waste in the environment to grow.

The Plastics Industry and Global Treaty Talks

The fossil fuel industry deploys lobbyists that resist proposed plastic bans at the federal, state, and local levels. More than 1,500 lobbyists in the U.S. serve both fossil fuel companies and cities, universities, and environmental groups who are fighting the fossil fuel industry that is causing climate change. Operating in a largely unregulated sector with few disclosure requirements, these lobbyists are under no legal obligation to declare such conflicts of interest, leaving environmental advocates unknowingly sharing counsel with Big Oil.

The influence of fossil fuel lobbying is also present at global efforts to address the plastic crisis. Since 2022, negotiations have been underway to negotiate a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. Lobbyists for the plastics, fossil fuel, and chemical industries have flooded key negotiating sessions in an attempt to weaken or derail the agreement.

At the December 2024 talks in Busan, South Korea, 220 fossil fuel and chemical industry representatives were present, making the plastics lobby larger than the delegation of any single country or regional bloc, including the European Union. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, led a group of oil-rich nations, including Russia and Iran, that successfully blocked efforts to include binding limits on plastic production.

Stop Plastic Production

The fossil fuel industry has had decades to address the plastic crisis, and it has chosen profit instead. In reality, the plastic crisis cannot be recycled away, which is why EARTHDAY.ORG is calling for a 60% reduction in plastic production by 2040. Sign the Global Plastics Treaty to call on global leaders to create a brighter future, one without plastic pollution.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at woods@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

The post Reduce, Reuse, Deceive appeared first on Earth Day.

Positive News You Can Use is EARTHDAY.ORG’s monthly feature showcasing inspiring environmental progress from around the world. February’s edition delves into recent solutions addressing deforestation and forest regrowth with new technology, forever chemical removal that can be applied on a large scale, evidence of solar’s success, and a recent record-breaking rate of species discovery.

Learn, hope, and share this news with your friends.

No Longer Forever: New Technology Breaks Down PFAS

Rice University researchers found an environmentally friendly way to break down PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” which can take up to 1,000 years to break down. 

Since the 1940s, PFAS have been used in many everyday products, such as clothing, carpets, and cookware, for their heat and water-resistant properties.  As a result, these chemicals accumulate in food, water, animals, people, and the environment. Over 200 million people likely receive water with measurable PFAS concentrations. Exposure is linked to causing pervasive health issues, including some cancers and reproductive disorders. 

Current removal methods, like incineration, fail to eliminate all the chemicals. However, testing this new invention in river, tap, and wastewater yielded positive results, suggesting it could be used in municipal water treatment systems.

The technology uses layered double hydroxide (LDH), a material composed of copper and aluminum. The eco-friendly aspect stems from its reuse and cleanup: early testing showed that LDH can be reused in at least six cycles of PFAS capture, destruction, and renewal. With the adoption of this technology and other innovative solutions, we are one step closer to removing hazardous chemicals impacting human and environmental health.

Species Discovery Rate Hits Record-breaking 16,000 Yearly

Scientists discover over 16,000 new species every year, with the most recent comprehensive data from 2015 to 2020 showcasing a higher rate than any period ever recorded, researchers at the University of Arizona found.

Certain groups are more diverse than previously thought. Long-term projections suggest there could be up to 73,000 more fish species and 32,000 more amphibian species than previously thought. There may also be over half a million plant species in total. 

Many scientists have declared we are in a mass extinction event, the sixth of the last 500 million years, but the first directly caused by human activity. Being able to use and redirect human influence for positive efforts through effective biological conservation efforts relies on documenting, identifying, and discovering species.

Brazilian AI System Stops Deforestation Before it Happens

The growing integration of artificial intelligence into environmental initiatives continues with Brazilian nonprofit Imazon, a scientific institution fighting for Amazon rainforest survival. The AI deforestation prediction model uses colored dots to indicate risk levels in Amazon patches. Notably,71% of the 15,000 square kilometers identified as high-risk forest areas were saved: Imazon’s map has helped inform 4,400 environmental legal cases and uncovered99% of illegal deforestation since its 2021 launch.

The Amazon is home to over 10% of the planet’s biodiversity and 40 million people. Deforestation has impacted the Amazon’s overall forest loss of 17%, and with current deforestation rates, 27% of the forest will be without trees. 

Predictive and large-scale modeling projects like these provide efficient methods to identifytopographic data in real time and combat deforestation. Models can therefore be used to inform environmental policy and direct government reforestation efforts involving high-risk and vulnerable forest patches. Imazon partners with local state prosecutors to push for deforestation prevention over punishment.

Solar Just Met 61% of America’s 2025 Electricity Needs, and Costs 96% Less Than it Did 40 Years Ago 

Solar, wind, and batteries continue to grow in the US, with solar named as the fastest-growing source of America’s electricity in 2025. Solar power generation met 61% of America’s electricity demand growth last year, the entire rise in daytime electricity demand, and with batteries, also met most of the rise in evening electricity demand. 

Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas are finite resources, meaning that at some point they will be depleted. For instance, global coal reserves are estimated to run out in 133 years with our current use rates. Renewable energy technology allows a promise for energy generation far beyond this deadline. Solar energy sustains human populations using the Sun as an unlimited power source, all while contributing far fewer harmful greenhouse gases that accelerate the climate crisis. 

Solar energy costs have reduced 96% over the past four decades, and are projected to keep reducing from scaled-up production, manufacturing advancements, and technological improvements.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Doubles Forest Regrowth Speed

Researchers at the University of Leeds found that when forest soils contain enough nitrogen, tropical forests can regrow twice as fast after deforestation. Plants depend on nitrogen to form chlorophyll, allowing sunlight and nutrient absorption for growth. 

Forests help capture carbon through carbon sequestration. This helps slow climate change by taking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Reforestation efforts are gaining more traction in Brazil with the announcement of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, which can protect and revitalize tropical forests worldwide.

Even as global reforestation rates slowed in 2025, the current rate yields 10.9 million hectares of forest lost every year. Findings on how to direct regrowth efforts and exploring natural solutions help inspire different methods for governments, organizations, and individuals to regrow our forests. 

These discoveries serve as a reminder that people are doing their part to save the planet, and you can too. We have the power to innovate, using science to understand our natural world and technological advances to protect it. Mark Earth Day 2026 with Our Power, Our Planet, on April 22nd and every day to continue, promoting scientific progress that helps protect our world.

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Walking around most stores today, it is hard to imagine a world without plastic. In the U.S., food packaging and containers alone account for over 82 million tons of plastic waste per year. Given that plastic is a staple material of 21st century life, you may be surprised to learn that a world without plastic is not some distant reality. In fact, all you have to do is look back less than a century to find a completely plastic-free world. Today, we are examining that plastic-free history to show that a plastic free world is possible. 

The Eco-Friendly Solution of the 1800s

Although plastic has gained a deservedly bad environmental reputation over the years, one of the driving forces behind its creation was actually one of environmental concern. In the late 1800s, animal horn, specifically ivory, was a valuable source of malleable material used in applications as diverse as hair combs to billiard balls. 

Since ivory is sourced from elephants, they were facing the acute threat of extinction as a result. This helped to prompt scientists to search for synthetic alternatives to materials like ivory. In 1869, John Wesley Hyatt invented the first synthetic polymer, which is a chain of atoms in repeating units, called monomers, often much longer than anything  found in nature. In theory, this new material would relieve some of the pressure on the increasingly scarce natural resources, like ivory. 

It wasn’t until World War II that plastic production really skyrocketed, with production in the United States increasing 300% as it was used to help make aircraft windows, helmets, parachutes, and body armor.  

Soon after, civilian uses for plastic quickly took hold. A major development came in 1965 when the single use polyethylene plastic shopping bag was created by a Swedish company. In the following decades, plastic shopping bags would completely replace paper and cloth bags in grocery stores around the world. With these developments, plastic became a key component of the consumer ‘experience’. 

Plastic Water

Humans have been packaging and storing goods, notably food and drink products, for thousands of years. With the packaging sector contributing the most plastic waste out of all sectors, it is important to understand both what alternate materials exist today, and which ones were utilized in the past, to help us break our present day plastic addiction.

The tradition of using bottles to transport and sell water can be traced back all the way to the Roman Empire, when mineral water from northern Germany was transported through the Empire in clay pottery. Botted water did not appear until the 18th century when glass bottling grew rapidly as major bottling companies in the United States were established. 

In U.S. grocery stores, as late as the 1970s and 80s, soft drinks came packaged exclusively in glass bottles. These bottles could then be returned to supermarkets for recycling for a few cents.  

There is already a strong and growing global interest in returning to using this recyclable glass bottling system for drinks and the recycled glass market is projected to grow significantly as a result, with sales approaching $2.6 billion by 2035. Right now however, just as with soft drinks, it is much more common to see most bottled water in plastic bottles. 

The transition from glass to plastic water bottles primarily occurred in the 1970s. The key development was in 1973 when Nathaniel Wyeth, an American engineer, patented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. PET was lightweight, shatter-resistant, cheap, and versatile for molding into various shapes, which made it ideal for water and soda bottles. 

A 2021 study, published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the journal “BMC Public Health,  reported that in 2016 more than 480 billion plastic drinking water bottles were sold worldwide,  60% higher than a decade earlier. The same study also noted that bottled water consumption is increasing annually by about 7% globally, with estimates that global consumption of bottled water would reach around 513 billion liters by 2025. 

97% of all water sold globally is packaged in plastic bottles.

It is worth noting that drinking water from plastic bottles means we are probably drinking microplastics too. A 2024 study from Columbia and Rutgers Universities found roughly 240,000 plastic particles per liter of plastic bottled water, with most being tiny nanoplastics. They discovered lower levels of around just 5.5 particles per liter in tap water, according to a Penn State Extension summary. 

Plastic Food

Food storage today also tends to involve some form of plastic. Specifically, around 60-70% of all food packaging globally is made from plastic.This large share of plastic packaging also corresponds to the fact that packaging as a whole accounts for about 40% of global plastic waste.

In the past, we used a variety of natural materials to store and preserve our food. In the 18th and early 19th century ceramic containers were popular as they served both a functional and decorative purpose.  These containers were often ornately decorated with materials such as cobalt oxide glaze.

Ceramics are typically made from clay and other raw materials, hardened through a high-temperature firing process. At the time, stoneware clay pottery was an especially popular option for food storage because it held liquids without leaking and kept perishable goods cool. 

Since household items were higher quality and not easily replaceable in the 18th and 19th century, society placed great importance on the concepts of reuse and repair. Newspaper advertisements from colonial America, for example, carry adverts touting the services of craftsmen dedicated solely to the art of repairing ceramics and other housewares. 

In the present age, where everything is disposable, the idea of dedicated household repair professions might seem peculiar, but it could be making a much-needed comeback in the 21st century.  In recent years, various not-for-profit repair shops, working to fix an array of household items, have popped up across the United Kingdom. 

In the US, too, we are seeing a similar resurgence in the interest in these hands-on skills, with enrollment in mechanic and repair programs having increased 11.5% between spring 2021 and 2022, according to the U.S. National Student Clearinghouse.

Plastic Bans Revive Cultural Traditions in Mexico City

In 2020, Mexico City enacted a ban on single use plastic bags and various other plastic products. This set in motion not just a reduction in plastic trash, but a return to the use of traditional bags and food packaging. One of these traditional products is known as ayate bags. 

Ayate is a fabric often made from the fibers of the agave plant. These fibers are known as ixtle by the Otomi indigenous people of central Mexico, who have been making products such as bags, brushes, and clothing from ixtle for hundreds of years. 

Ixtle products were common throughout Mexico until the 1970s, when they were replaced by cheap plastic. With the plastic bag ban in place in Mexico City and other Mexican municipalities, ixtle products have seen a huge rise in popularity as a sustainable and durable alternative to plastic. 

While ixtle represents a sustainable alternative to plastic, ixtle producers, such as the Wäda collective of Cardonal, Hidalgo, stress that a shift in mindset about how we consume goods must also accompany the shift away from plastic. Recently, for example, the collective rejected an order of 8,000 ixtle bags by a national company, explaining that they are not industrial producers, and do not want to overexploit their land. 

The commitment of the Wäda collective to sustainable production, in line with the regenerative capacity of earth’s resources, is a potent reminder that changing the way we think and we consume is just as important as using sustainable materials. 

Searching history for solutions to the plastic waste crisis can have significant environmental and cultural benefits. Although not every plastic substitute of the past can and should be replicated, what history shows us is that human societies successfully stored food, created home and personal care products, and adopted sustainable approaches for thousands of years before plastic was ever even an idea. Alternative packaging and shipping materials include other natural fibers such as coconut fiber, hemp, husk, oat hulls, cotton burs, jute (similar to burlap) and bagasse (a byproduct of sugarcane harvesting).

On top of that, science is inventing new non-plastic alternatives today as well. For example, In 2021, Hongli (Julie) Zhu, an associate professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University, developed a biodegradable plastic bag alternative made from bamboo fiber and sucrose. The bag, unlike most biodegradable materials, retains its strength in wet conditions and does not degrade until exposed to the outdoors. According to Zhu, once the bag is buried in the soil it will degrade completely in just 60 days. 

Alternative ways of creating; packaging; and most importantly, placing value on our goods, could provide the solution to our plastic waste crisis. As the global population continues to skyrocket and consumer demand increases, it is likely that our waste production will also grow. So we need plastic alternatives, now more than ever.To keep the pressure on global governments to manage soaring plastic production we must collectively demand caps on the production of plastics. Please sign our Global Plastics Treaty Petition and tell the United Nations and all governmental organizations to slash plastic production globally by 60% by 2040.

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Gifts are one of the biggest drivers of holiday waste. Packaging, boxes, wrapping paper, bows, plastic clamshells, tape, and shipping materials often end up in the trash moments after presents are opened. According to one report, about 40 percent of holiday waste comes from packaging materials like wrap, boxes, and bows. Every December, Americans generate around 25% more waste than in any other month, adding up to 5.8 million extra tons of trash. On average, that represents about 36 more pounds of waste per person during December, compared to a typical month. In the U.K., during the Christmas season, around 114,000 tonnes of plastic packaging are sent to landfill (rather than recycled). What’s worse is that most of this trash is plastic that can’t be recycled. However, there are ways to reduce human and environmental exposure to plastics.

Reducing Plastics in Meals

Food and kitchen practices are a major source of holiday plastics, not only because of surplus meals but also due to the plastics used in preparation, serving, and storage. Disposable plates, cups, cutlery, plastic chopping boards, utensils, take-out containers, plastic food wrap, freezer bags, and packaging all contribute to massive plastic trash and microplastic contamination. In the U.S., plastic containers and packaging accounted for the largest share of plastic tonnage in municipal solid waste – over 14.5 million tons annually. Single‑use plastics (like disposable plates, cups, utensils, and containers) remain among the top contributors to plastic waste that ends up as litter or in waterways.

Studies show that plastic food containers, especially when heated (e.g., microwaving, hot takeout, warm soups), can release microplastics and nanoplastics. In one study, a single square centimeter of a polypropylene container released millions of microplastics and billions of nanoplastics merely through microwave heating or long-term storage. These micro‑ and nanoplastics are a concern not only because they are tiny particles that enter the environment, but also because plastic often contains additives (like bisphenol A, phthalates, plasticizers, flame‑retardants) that can leach into food and drinks and have been linked to illnesses like endocrine disruption, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity, and cancer. Populations such as infants are especially at risk.

By switching to reusable items such as plates, cups, cutlery, and storage containers made of glass, metal, silicone, or ceramic, families can dramatically reduce plastic use during holiday meals. Avoid single-use plastic items and packaging, and opt for biodegradable materials instead.

Reducing Plastics in Gifts

Holiday gifts are a major source of plastic waste, from plastic-coated wrapping paper, tape, ribbons, bows, and glittery or metallic embellishments to shipping materials like bubble wrap, plastic airbags, foam peanuts, polybags, and labels. In the U.S., more than 300,000 tons of wrapping paper are discarded every holiday season. Product packaging also contributes heavily, including molded plastic toy shells, electronics clamshells, protective films, chargers, cosmetics, and personal care kits in rigid plastic boxes, and food gift baskets wrapped in shrink wrap. Online shopping adds extra packaging too; it produces 4.8 times more packaging waste than shopping in person. Even receipts, often coated with BPA or BPS thermal paper, add to the problem. Retail bags, though declining due to bag bans, and online shopping packaging further increase plastic use.

But surveys show that although a large majority of Americans see holiday waste as a problem, only about 25% take active steps to recycle or reduce holiday packaging.

When buying physical products, selecting items with minimal or compostable packaging and consolidating shipments helps cut excess plastic. Choosing gifts from local artisans, experiences, or digital items can also minimize packaging waste. Avoiding tiny plastic gadgets that break quickly and opting for consumables like snacks, lip balms, artisanal soaps, or practical items reduces unnecessary waste. 

To reduce plastic wrapping, people can wrap using recyclable kraft paper, newspaper, old maps, or fabric wraps (like furoshiki), and replace plastic tape with paper tape or twine. Reusing packaging materials such as boxes and bubble wrap, supporting eco-friendly retailers, and properly sorting recyclables further prevent plastics from entering landfills. Creative reusable options like fabric wraps, scarves, or decorative tins provide sustainable alternatives while keeping gifts festive.

Reducing Plastics in Decorations

Up to 75% of post-holiday cleanup waste comes from decorations such as lights, tinsel, ornaments, and novelty items. Many holiday lights are discarded each year, with estimates showing that as many as 80% of light strands are thrown away rather than recycled. Christmas trees also contribute heavily, as Americans purchase between 25 and 30 million real or artificial trees annually, many of which end up in landfills along with plastic ornaments and other decor. Common sources of plastic waste include tinsel, plastic ornaments and their packaging, artificial trees made of PVC, insulation and wiring in LED lights, disposable décor like plastic tablecloths and banners, party favors, and microplastic-producing items such as confetti and glitter.

To reduce this plastic burden, it is best to reuse existing decorations whenever possible. Choosing high-quality or natural décor, such as pine branches, dried fruit, popcorn strings, or cinnamon sticks, can replace plastic items and last for many years. Cloth or paper table coverings, real plates, cups, and utensils help avoid disposable plastics, and asking catering services for bulk containers instead of foam or individually wrapped items further cuts waste. Avoiding tinsel, glitter, and other microplastic-producing materials, using biodegradable confetti, and borrowing decorations or party supplies from friends or community groups are additional ways to reduce holiday plastic waste and make celebrations more sustainable.

Recycling and Responsible Disposal

Some things cannot be reused, so recycling and proper waste disposal make a big difference during the holidays. Many of the items we throw away, like cardboard boxes, plain paper, glass, metal, can be recycled if sorted correctly and not contaminated by food waste or non‑recyclable materials. In recent years in the U.S., around 71-76% of cardboard and 65-69% of paper used for shipping and packaging have been recovered for recycling. This shows that recycling infrastructure works when we take the time to use it correctly.

Despite this, a lot of holiday waste ends up in landfills because of improper sorting, wrapping paper with non‑recyclable coatings, plastic tape, or contaminated food packaging. One guide estimates that up to 80% of holiday waste could be reused, repurposed, recycled, or composted if carefully managed.

To make recycling count, it helps to flatten and bundle cardboard boxes, separate plastic film, clean out food containers, separate recyclables from trash, and avoid contaminating recycling bins with non‑recyclable items. If your local recycling program does not accept certain plastics or waste types, consider drop‑off centers or reuse options for plastics, lights, and decorations.

You do not need to give up the joy and magic of the holidays to be mindful about waste. Reducing plastic use, rethinking consumption, and being intentional about disposal can help protect Earth’s resources while preserving the warmth and generosity that make the season special.

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