Ok. Prepare for your mind to be blown. More than 90% of plastic cannot be recycled.🤯
Recycling different types of plastic requires expensive machines that most recycling plants do not have access to. Also, because the quality of plastic deteriorates when it is recycled, better quality products come from newly produced plastics. Some plastics (thermoset plastic) are created with an irreversible chemical bond. This means that no matter how much heat is applied, they cannot be melted down into a new mold. These are just a few reasons why placing a plastic fork in the recycling bin does not mean it gets recycled.
So what happens to the 88,000 tons of plastic collected from our recycling bins every single day in the United States?
Most of that plastic goes into already overflowing landfills. A portion of it gets into our waterways and eventually ends up in our oceans. On the ocean surface, plastic pieces outnumber sea-life six to one!
The truth is, once a piece of plastic is produced, it will be part of our environment forever. Every plastic bag, plastic fork, plastic straw and plastic to-go container you have ever used is still out there, polluting our oceans and air. Single-use plastic items like these cannot be recycled. We use them once (for an average of 12 minutes), throw them away, and produce more. How wasteful!
It doesn’t have to be this way! At Lotus Sustainables, we believe you shouldn’t have to sacrifice convenience for sustainability. That’s why we design reusable, time-saving, life-organizing products that are soooooooooooo much better than basic plastic bags. Can a plastic bag keep your ice cream cold? Nope. But our Lotus Trolley Bag can!
When you change the way you shop, you prevent thousands of plastic bags from entering our environment every year. We like to say that when you use Lotus Sustainables, you’re loving the earth, one bag at a time.
But plastic bags are only the beginning!
Eliminating all plastic pollution is a big job. And creating a plastic-free future isn’t easy. But if we work together, anything is possible!
At Lotus Sustainables, we are proud to partner with three incredible organizations that are leading the charge toward a plastic-free future.
3 Amazing Causes that are Helping Us Break Away from Single-Use Plastic and End Plastic Pollution for Good
Plastic Pollution Coalition
The Plastic Pollution Coalition is a growing global alliance of more than 1,200 organizations, businesses, and thought leaders in 75 countries working toward a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impact on humans, animals, waterways, the ocean, and the environment.
The Plastic Pollution Coalition works to educate the public about harmful effects of plastic.
Did you know that the number one thing plastic is made out of is oil? And that every year we use 17 MILLION barrels of oil to make plastic water bottles?🤯
Did you know that plastic chemicals like BPA are absorbed by the human body? And that BPA has been linked to cancer, learning disorders, infertility, diabetes and obesity?🤯🤯
These are just some of the mind-blowing facts we learned from the Plastic Pollution Coalition’s video, Open Your Eyes.
Visit the Plastic Pollution Coalition’s website to learn how you can help combat plastic pollution and sign petitions that keep big plastic (aka big oil) in check.
Surfrider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's ocean, waves, and beaches through a powerful activist network.
We like to think of Surfrider Foundation members as beach first responders. Because any time there is an issue regarding the health and safety of our beaches, Surfrider volunteers are there, fighting for the beaches' right to be plastic-free. Interested in becoming a volunteer? Find a chapter near you.
Surfrider Foundation volunteers protect their local beaches. But they also fight for national changes. Surfrider Foundation consistently campaigns for legislative victories that protect the coastal and ocean environments. Learn more about what the Surfrider Foundation is fighting for here.
1% for the Planet
1% for the Planet brings dollars and doers together to accelerate smart environmental giving. In other words, 1% for the Planet is an organization that connects businesses and individuals with eco-focused nonprofits that align with their values.
When businesses join 1% for the Planet, they pledge to give 1% of their sales back to the environment (whether they are profitable or not). Why? Because companies profit from the resources they take from the earth. They should give back to protect those resources.
Individuals can also become 1% for the Planet members. When you join as an individual, you can pledge 1% of your annual salary to the nonprofits of your choice. Or you can donate 1% of your time to volunteer work.
By connecting a diverse group of people and businesses with a wide range of nonprofits, 1% for the Planet empowers us to be a collective force working together to solve the world’s problems.
