LANSING, Mich. — To help the health of the Great Lakes, the Alliance for the Great Lakes is asking that you make the effort to keeping plastic out of the waterway this holiday.
Millions of people will be heading to their favorite beach to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday this week.
The organization says that plastic pollution is too often an unwanted part of holiday celebrations.
Researchers at the Rochester Institute of Technology estimate that more than 22 million pounds of plastic debris ends up in the Great Lakes each year.
Plastic never completely disappears.
It just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, called microplastics.
These tiny plastic pieces are consumed by wildlife and have been found in bottled drinking water, beer, and even tap water.
However, the Alliance adds with some simple changes, anyone can make a positive difference for the lakes.
For your Fourth of July holiday celebration, the Alliance for the Great Lakes recommends:
* Use a reusable water bottle. (Plastic bottles and bottle caps are among the most commonly picked up litter items on beaches. Skip the one-time plastic drink bottles. Instead, use reusable water bottles and drink containers.)
* Bring reusable cutlery for your picnic. (Use reusable cutlery instead of single-use plastic forks, knives, and spoons.)
* Be careful with balloons. (It is tempting to let balloons go, but what goes up must come down. Balloons take years to decompose and are an entanglement risk for animals.)
* Tote it. (Use reusable bags. Bring the party, but not in plastic bags. Carry all the necessary items for your festivities in a reusable bag.)
* Skip the straw. (Plastic straws are only used for a few minutes, but take nearly 200 years to break down.)
Remember, recycling is always available.
Using plastic is sometimes hard to avoid.
If you end up with some single-use plastic, make sure you recycle and have an environmentally friendly Fourth.
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