Plastic pollution is a serious problem, we know this and we need to recognise our crumby habits and change them.

Sometimes they’re not obvious or we’re unaware of the problem. Either way, they need to change. We’ve has identified five really easy changes that we can all make today. These changes both help the seas and save money. If you’re already doing some or all of them, we salute you! For the rest of rest of us, it time to get with the program.

1. Bring your own shopping bag

We’ve been pretty good in Ireland about this ever since the introduction of the bag tax. But there’s still a few hold outs. Keep a bag in your car or bring one with you.

2. Bring your own cup to the coffee shop

This is becoming a more commonly done and it’s fantastic. With 2 million coffee cups thrown away everyday in Ireland more and more people should come on board. Lots of coffee shops now offer incentives if you bring your own cup so not only do you cut down on waste you also save money.









3. Stop buying bottled water

Water water everywhere and we go and buy it from a shop. The more you think about this one, the more wasteful and obvious a change this is to make. You can pick up reusable bottles in sports shops and lots of supermarkets have them as well. Plastic bottles are one of the most commonly found waste items on beaches. It needs to stop!

4. No more straws

Use a straw once then throw it out. You can see how these little habit changes can mean a lot less plastic. Avoid straws. Westport Co. Mayo recently announced that they plan to be the first town in Ireland to get rid of plastic straws.

5. Stop buying products with microbeads

Not so obvious this one. Shower washes that have these little plastic micobeads are making an oversized contribution to the plastic problem. In addtion to this they are easily consumed by marine life and can quickly make their way up the food chain to a plate near you.

The 5 listed changes sound pretty simple but try it for just one day. See if you can avoid these 5 items and then you’ll realize the scale of this issue. But now you know.

All this plastic we throw away ends up in the sea and becomes a menace to marine life and we can stop it. Tell others and keep trying, if only for the seals sake.