From a grocery store trip to applying lotions, our plastic consumption is omnipresent. Due to their chemical composition, all plastics take from 450-1,000 years to biodegrade, many cannot be recycled at all, and none can be recycled more than a few times. This deadly fusion – combined with the obscenely high rate of production which involves burning fossil fuels and ensuing greenhouse gas emissions – has made plastic a global environmental tragedy with disastrous consequences for both humans and wildlife. Through education, research, and policy, we here at Turtle Island Restoration Network are actively engaged in treating our modern day plastic addiction. Our anti-plastic campaign is heralding the fight against prolific single-use plastic. Through educational programs in schools and awareness events we are spreading the message about the dangerous nature of this material.
Plastic manufacturing and subsequent accumulation is a worldwide crisis impacting our health, natural environment, and the tens of thousands of vulnerable marine animals that have been observed suffering from entanglement or ingestion of plastics.
Already, plastic waste is disrupting marine food webs and affecting species. It is found in the guts of more than 90% of seabirds, the stomachs of over half of the world’s sea turtles, and is tangling and choking whales, sharks, and other marine mammals. Even “biodegradable” plastic is not safe — it usually joins other garbage in the landfill instead of being sent to facilities that can properly recycle it. Microplastics, or plastic fragments from clothes, cosmetics, and industrial processes, have been seeping into all of Earth’s layers, from the pristine peaks of Mount Everest to the remotest floors of the deep ocean. This burgeoning environmental health epidemic spanning across the food chain will affect all organisms, including people. Before Earth becomes completely plastic-saturated, we must unify and mobilize as stewards of the planet to halt this spread.
How we end plastic addiction
Inspire Consumer Change
Our campaigns help you make more sustainable choices, raise public awareness about the amount of microplastics in seafood, and alert consumers to the high plastic content that is polluting oceans and waterways around the world.
How we end plastic addiction
Encourage Government Action
Our strategic litigation and advocacy campaigns enforce stronger protections for endangered species and their habitat, and promote sustainable policies that curb plastic manufacturing.
How we end plastic addiction
Research & Monitoring
Our multi-year research in collaboration with partner agencies and organizations has revealed exorbitant amounts of microplastics infecting our beaches.
How we end plastic addiction
Environmental Education
Our classroom visits, beach cleanups, art installations and more raise awareness on the importance of protecting marine habitats.
Take the Pledge: Say NO to Balloons!
When released, balloons suffocate and entangle endangered species like sea turtles. Do you part to keep balloons out of the ecosystem by pledging to NEVER use balloons.
Take the Pledge
