Only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled, and most of it can’t be recycled more than once.
By 2050, plastic could outweigh fish in the ocean.
Unless we act, plastic production is expected to nearly triple by 2060.
These aren’t just startling statistics. They’re a reminder that the plastic crisis isn’t slowing down. At Turtle Island Restoration Network, we see the consequences every day: sea turtles tangled in fishing gear, seabirds feeding plastic to their chicks, and microplastics turning up in the guts of fish and the deepest corners of the ocean.
That’s why this July, we’re joining millions around the world for Plastic Free July, a global movement that encourages people to reduce plastic waste, one step at a time.
In 2024, an incredible 174 million participants took part in Plastic Free July. Together, they avoided 390 million kilograms of plastic waste, making it the largest global plastic action campaign to date. Most participants didn’t stop when the month ended. They kept going, swapping plastic packaging for reusables, learning about extended producer responsibility, and speaking up in their communities.
Plastic Free July reminds us that every action counts. Saying no to a plastic bag, carrying a reusable bottle, or avoiding excessive packaging might seem small, but each choice becomes part of a much larger shift. The kind that leads to cleaner coastlines, safer wildlife habitats, and stronger pressure on the industries and policies that fuel the problem.
Even when plastics break down, they don’t disappear. They become microplastics. These tiny fragments have been found in human blood, whale stomachs, and nearly every juvenile sea turtle studied across three major ocean basins. They enter our food webs and ecosystems in ways we still don’t fully understand.
But the plastic crisis doesn’t start at the supermarket. It starts at the wellhead. Plastic is a fossil fuel product, and its growth is driven by the same industry responsible for methane leaks, climate change, and massive infrastructure projects like the proposed Galveston LNG Bunker Port. Our Ocean Program Director recently wrote about the fight to stop it. It’s a reminder that plastic reduction and climate justice go hand-in-hand.
That’s why Plastic Free July isn’t just about individual swaps. It’s about awareness that leads to action. Action that supports organizations like TIRN working to protect marine life through science, legal advocacy, and community power. Learn more about how we’re tackling plastic pollution across the Gulf of Mexico and through our broader End Plastic Addiction campaign.
If you’re joining Plastic Free July this year, start with one thing. Reduce where you can. Refuse what you don’t need. Share what you learn. And when you’re ready, take the next step.
Join Our Beach Cleanup in Galveston
Sign a Petition to Reduce Plastic at the Source
Sources:
OECD, 2022: Only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2016: Plastic could outweigh fish in the ocean by 2050
OECD, 2022: Plastic production is expected to nearly triple by 2060
