These days, we all know that plastic pollution has become a pretty hefty problem. When the first man-made plastic was created way back in the mid-19th century, nobody imagined that we'd wind up producing an annual volume that exceeds the weight of the entire human population of the planet in the 21st century—that's roughly 380 million tons per year and counting!
These kinds of unsavoury statistics definitely raise awareness that single-use plastic isn't exactly a great idea, but do they also leave you feeling a little overwhelmed? With scientists warning that there might be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050, the issue can seem insurmountable. But the truth is, every small effort we make to choose sustainable over single-use contributes to turning the tide on plastic pollution. So, if you could use a dose of compostable motivation, read on as we delve into 7 reasons why your Eco Bunny Boutique purchase really is making a difference!
1.Making Sustainable Choices Puts You In Great Company
If you're thinking about reaching for biodegradable and earth friendly party supplies for your next lux picnic, birthday BBQ, or football-watching session, then that places you right on the pulse of the in-crowd. How do we know? Well, the latest research tells us that a mighty 75% of people around the world are now on board with banning single-use plastics. Pretty good, right?
Better yet, the same global survey revealed that 82% of today's consumers actively favor products with less plastic packaging; a statistic that manufacturers are sure to pay attention to. So, by steering into a more sustainable way of living, you're also aligning with a big movement for change. If that's not a reason for optimism—and a fresh hop in your step—then we don't know what is!
2. Being an Eco Bunny Is a Powerful Way to Help Save Energy
If you've been watching the news lately (or even just your utility rates) then you'll know that we're collectively riding out a particularly bumpy energy crisis. Framed by that, it's interesting to note that we often hear talk about the damage done by single-use plastic after someone chucks it, but there's far less chatter about how much power it took to produce in the first place.
Yes, processing all that plastic is an energy hungry endeavor—so much so that a single store-bought bottle of water requires around 2000x the energy input of its equivalent in tap water. When we consider that around half of plastic produced is only used once before being thrown away, it's crystal clear that switching out plastic products for biodegradable and sustainable alternatives is an opportunity to save on energy input as well as pollution output.
3. Because Recycling Isn't Enough On Its Own
You might be wondering, what's the problem with using plastic if we can just recycle it? It's possible that this would be a pretty neat solution if recycling rates were better, but the tough truth is that each year only around 9% of used plastic gets recycled, with the rest winding up in landfill.
You see, it's not just that people don't always remember to separate out their recyclables. We're also lumbered with the reality that plastic prices tend to track with oil prices—because oil is what plastic is made from. These fluctuations mean that sometimes it's cheaper for companies to buy virgin plastic than recycled plastic. With around 8% of the world's petroleum supply either being transformed into plastic or being used to power the process, we'd better just side-step the whole show by steering clear of the shiny stuff all together!
4. You're Taking a Swing At the Microplastics Problem
In recent years, scientists have confirmed that microplastic pollution not only makes its way to the deepest depths of the ocean, but also onto our plates and into our bodies. And what are microplastics, exactly? Well, these are the teeny tiny little pieces of plastic that result from degrading plastic waste in our environment. If that doesn't sound appetizing, then you can feel good about taking action on the issue—by being one of the eco-gifting, boho-sustainable, edible straw-slurping super heroes taking a stand!
5. You're Joining the Fight Against Forever Chemicals
Forever chemicals have also been in the headlines lately—because these long-lasting toxic substances have been linked with various cancers, hormone disruption, and diabetes. But did you know that many of them begin their journey in throw-away plastic packaging? While there is some seriously cool research being done right now on how we might break down forever chemicals in the future, the best thing we can do today is avoid using them whenever we can.
6. We Know That Changing Our Habits Works
The UK showcases a great example of how changing a small habit can make a big difference. After they introduced a nation-wide mandatory charge on plastic bags in supermarkets, a whole lot of people stopped using them. In fact, plastic bag use dropped more than 95%, negating the need for hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic in the process. Can you imagine what we could achieve if we all opted for sustainable tableware and biodegradable packaging too? The possibilities are worth getting excited about!
7. Because Who Could Be Better To Take the Lead Than Us?
When Greenpeace looked into Coca Cola's plastic use a few years back, they found that the mega-brand was not only failing to hit its targets for using recycled plastic, but was also increasing its single-use plastic production. The truth is that we can't always wait for big-name manufacturers or even governments to drive real change. It's down to us as consumers to flex our muscles and use our power—encouraging supply to meet our demand! That's exactly why we are dedicated to curating eco alternatives that you can choose over single-use plastic today.
As we move into the steady roll of coming events, such as football season, Halloween, and the holidays, there couldn't be a better time to make the noble switch to sustainable products. Why not check out the Eco Bunny Boutique range ahead of your next gathering?
