Too much trash, not enough change

Have you ever wondered how much trash we have produced each day? Too much! Each person in the USA produces 4.9 pounds of trash per day.  

There are many ways we can cut down on trash. We can recycle things, like using a reusable water bottle instead of a disposable one, or using metal forks instead of plastic forks. It can even be as simple as getting a cone at the ice cream shop instead of a cup, or not using a plastic straw at a restaurant!  

Another way we can cut down on trash is by shopping locally instead of ordering online. We can use reusable bags at the grocery store instead of plastic or paper bags. Cutting up the plastic rings that come on sodas is also helpful. Believe it or not, so many turtles die each year from getting their head stuck in it or accidentally mistaking it for food. The same happens with plastic bags and other animals. They will see the colorful plastic and think it’s food, causing them to eat it and then die.  

Another form of pollution we don’t think of often is light pollution. And it’s especially harmful to South Carolina, with all of our sea turtles. When they hatch, they follow the light of the moon to the ocean. But if they confuse a porch light for the moon, they might get eaten by a predator before they can reach the sea.  

If we could all just do our part, the Earth would be much cleaner!