• Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. More than one million bags are used every min- ute.
• 46 percent of plastics float (EPA 2006) and it can drift for years before eventually concentrating in the ocean gyres.
• It takes 500-1,000 years for plastic to degrade.
• Billions of pounds of plastic can be found in swirling convergences in the oceans making up about 40 percent of the world's ocean surfaces. 80 percent of pol- lution enters the ocean from the land.
• The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is lo- cated in the North Pacific Gyre off the coast of California and is the largest ocean garbage site in the world. This floating mass of plastic is twice the size of Texas, with plastic pieces outnumbering sea life six to one.
• Plastic constitutes approximately 90 percent of all trash floating on the ocean's surface, with 46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile.
• One million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed annually from plastic in our oceans.
• 44 percent of all seabird species, 22 percent of cetaceans, all sea turtle species and a growing list of fish species have been documented with plastic in or around their bodies.
• In samples collected in Lake Erie, 85 percent of
the plastic particles were
smaller than two-tenths of an inch, and much of that was microscopic. Research- ers found 1,500 and 1.7 million of these particles per square mile.
• Virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists in some shape or form (with the exception of the small amount that has been incinerated).
• Plastic chemicals can be absorbed by the body—93 percent of Americans age six or older test positive for BPA (a plastic chemical).
• Some of these compounds found in plastic have been found to alter hormones or have other potential human health ef- fects.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Class Te 8-week original MBSR training developed by
Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD with Rossana Magalhaes, MS.EdS, LPC, NCC In the MBSR program, you will learn to
access and cultivate your natural capac-
ity to actively engage in caring for your- self and find greater balance, ease, and peace of mind. Te MBSR program is an eight-
week, nine sessions weekly program in- cluding a full day of class on a Saturday. Te course teaches a range of key mind- fulness practices and is designed to de- velop skills as the program progresses. People completing the MBSR pro-
gram oſten report less anxiety, greater ability to recognize pattern of reactiv- ity and transform it in health responses, feeling more confident, assertive, and op- timistic, and more. Te 8-week MBSR course was devel-
oped by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Uni- versity of Massachusetts Medical Center.
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NaturalTriad.com
Here are 10 Ways to Rise Above Plastic:
• Choose to reuse when it comes to shop- ping bags and bottled water. Cloth bags and metal or glass reusable bottles are available locally at great prices.
• Refuse single-serving packaging, excess packaging, straws and other "disposable" plastics. Carry reusable utensils in your purse, backpack or car to use at bbq's, potlucks or take-out restaurants.
• Reduce everyday plastics such as sand- wich bags and juice cartons by replacing them with a reusable lunch bag/box that includes a thermos.
• Bring your to-go mug with you to the coffee shop, smoothie shop or restaurants that let you use them, which is a great way to reduce lids, plastic cups and/or plastic- lined cups.
• Go digital! No need for plastic cds, dvds and jewel cases when you can buy your music and videos online.
• Seek out alternatives to the plastic items that you rely on.
• Recycle. If you must use plastic, try to choose #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE), which are the most commonly recycled plastics. Avoid plastic bags and polystyrene foam as both typically have very low recycling rates.
• Volunteer at a beach cleanup. Surfrider Foundation Chapters often hold cleanups monthly or more frequently.
• Support plastic bag bans, polystyrene foam bans and bottle recycling bills.
• Spread the word. Talk to your family and friends about why it is important to reduce plastic in our lives and the nasty impacts of plastic pollution.
Jon Kabat-Zinn & Rossana Magalhaes aſter the “Way of Awareness” retreat at Omega Institute in September 2018.
For more information about this class:
336-543-6624
contact@rossanacounseling.com or visit
rossanacounseling.com/mbsr-programs Use code NTM for 10% discount
Written by Nicole D'Alessandro, EcoW- atch. EcoWatch is a leading environmental news site engaging millions of concerned individuals every month. We are leading the charge in using online news in the U.S. to drive fundamental change to ensure the health and longevity of our planet. Visit
www.EcoWatch.com.
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