Break Free From Plastic Pollution

The movement against plastic pollution is defined by a collection of movements, campaigns, organizations, and groups around the world that aim to end the negative effects of plastic. Efforts of the movement include bringing awareness to the magnitude of plastic pollution and calling the general public to both reduce their consumption of single-use plastics and clean up plastic from highly polluted areas.

Effects of Plastic Pollution
Plastic pollution has a severe effect on natural habitats and human populations alike. An accumulation of plastic infiltrates ecosystems and poses danger for wildlife, such as in entanglement and consumption of plastic objects. Plastic pollution is especially dangerous because it breaks down into microplastics, which is nearly undetectable and heavily consumed by marine life such as zooplankton and other small marine organisms. Plastic objects that are less than 5mm makes up a significant amount of plastic pollution in oceans. Studies have found that a variety of species have ingested small pieces of plastic such as bottle caps, cigarette lighters, and plastic bags.

In addition to ocean wildlife, plastic pollution also finds its way into terrestrial habitats. It clogs drainage systems, which causes flooding. It also is found in the digestive tracts of many terrestrial animals, making their ecosystems uninhabitable.

Solutions to Plastic Pollution
Solutions to plastic pollution involve limiting the use of plastics and enforcing plastic clean-up. The first legislation against plastic pollution was in 2002, when Ireland introduced the first plastic bag tax. After that, more countries followed in Ireland's footsteps. In 2008, China introduced a nationwide ban on plastic bags. The District of Columbia followed with a 5-cent charge on plastic carryout bags in 2018. Fines for littering also began to rise. In the past few decades, more and more countries have taken steps to reduce the use of single-use plastics, and thus conversations surrounding the negative effects of plastic were taking off, both on and offline.

Statistical Data
Online discourse surrounding plastic pollution utilize statistical data as a tool for persuasion. Social media posts, articles, announcements, and other wide-spread online broadcasts use statistics about the enormity of plastic pollution to create exigence for the issue, making it much more tangible for the general public audience. In order to capture public attention, these posts employ the elements of document design, such as layout and color, to make the information more accessible and easier to digest. These communications are effective because they help audiences visualize the extent of plastic pollution, which could entourage them more to be more conscious of their personal contributions to the problem.