Plastic is everywhere. When looking around, it is likely that your eye will fall on something made of plastic. From water bottles and cups to athletic shoes and eyeglasses, plastic is a significant part of our daily lives. But what, you ask, is plastic?
Scientifically speaking, “plastics are a group of materials, either synthetic or naturally occurring, that may be shaped when soft and then hardened to retain their given shape.” This definition makes sense when you think of the numerous different items made of plastic, many of them taking on a different size and/or shape. Plastic can become just about anything, leading to the reasoning of why plastic is found just about anywhere.
Plastic has a rich history, its invention dating back as early as the mid-19th century. The existence of a polymer that could be molded into different shapes and sizes was discovered by John Wesley Hyatt in 1869. This breakthrough was heralded as a saving grace for animals, such as tortoises and elephants, whose shells and tusks were being hunted and used by humans for their ivory. Plastic soon became a replacement for the ivory, thus protecting the animals’ existence.
The original polymer has been updated since Hyatt’s first experiments. It became fully synthetic, containing no molecules found in nature, in 1907 when Bakelite was invented by Leo Baekeland. This new plastic was a great insulator and was durable and heat resistant. Plastic became an even larger necessity as World War II charged on in the 1940s and the need to save scarce natural resources became even more apparent. The push for synthetic alternatives drove the plastic industry into the powerhouse it has become today.
Fast-forward 150 years from its initial discovery and plastic can hardly be praised as a protector of animals and the natural world. In fact, it has become quite the opposite. With plastic’s emergence as a global necessity in the production and distribution of numerous goods, the substance has raised serious concern due to its pollutant effects.
Americans throw away 30 million tons of plastic per year, only eight percent of which is recycled. Much of our plastic ends up in landfills while some becomes litter, polluting land and oceanic ecosystems. Plants and animals face harsh consequences when this non-biodegradable substance ends up in their environment.
Ingestion and entanglement are some of the leading issues facing animals who come in contact with plastic in their natural habitats. Birds with plastic six-pack aluminum can rings around their necks and sea turtles with plastic straws in their noses are just a few of the horrifying images representing the effect of plastic on wildlife.
Plastic waste has taken over the globe and these crazy Plastic Pollution Facts are proof of a synthetic beast that is far from being tamed.
Just Say No To Plastic 
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