By volume, plastics make up 46% of all solid waste in Israel. More than 430 million plastic bags are distributed every month by Israeli retailers. Yet only 6.6% of all that plastic is recycled. Unfortunately, the bulk of it ends up buried in landfills, dumped in the ocean, or left to litter the streets.

To give you an idea, not too long ago a whale (yes a whale) washed up dead along the Israeli coast with some 4.5 kilograms of plastic bags wrapped up in its stomach. If that isn’t frightening enough, there is a toxic island of plastics twice the size ofTexas in the Pacific Ocean that’s growing every day and introducing harmful chemicals into the food chain.

To say, that as a society we have a problem with plastic would be a gross understatement. We’ve reached the point where we need to start rethinking how we view plastics and how they impact our lives. They don’t biodegrade, producing them releases dangerous greenhouse gasses, and their improper disposal is wreaking havoc on some of our most fragile ecosystems. For example, in Israel many of Eilat’s beautiful coral reefs die each year because they are suffocated by plastic bags and migratory birds traveling along the Great Rift Valley get trapped in webs of plastic and die of starvation.

As it stands now, the situation certainly looks grim, but with a concerted effort on both the grassroots and governmental levels we can make a difference.

On the grassroots level you can act by:

§ Making sure to recycle all your plastic bottles (Note: In Israel bottles can be recycled at appropriately designated drop-off cages. If you don’t have one in your area contact your local municipality by dialing *106)

§ Saying no-thank you to plastic bags if you’re only buying a handful of items.

§ Bringing cloth bags with you to the supermarket instead of using the plastic ones (Tip: If you’re having trouble remembering to bring your cloth bags leave them in the car/bike in between trips).

§ Using a reusable water bottle instead of buying water bottles (Bonus: This also saves you money)

§ Choosing products with minimal packaging

On the governmental level you can act by:

§ Making politicians know recycling is an important issue for you and your friends (Tip: You can write letters, send emails, call, organize petitions, or even ask for a meeting. Remember, politicians are there to serve our needs, not theirs.).

§ Encouraging politicians to ban the use of plastic bags in your city (Note: Its already been done in one major U.S. city – San Francisco).

§ Calling your local municipality if you don’t think there are enough recycling cages in your area.

If you’ve done all of the above and your still burning to do more contact us at info@earthspromise.organd we’ll work together to find a solution that best suites you and your community.