Heat waves, floods, wildfires and the like are an ongoing reminder that climate change is already here. Mankind’s actions have permanently changed the world and it’s only getting worse.

The news is full of constant reminders of the urgency of the crisis and the need for mitigation. A key part of this is identifying opportunities to make meaningful changes wherever they may lie. Human activity has increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere from 280 parts per million to 416 parts per million in the past 150 years, and plastic has contributed more than many realize.

Plastic pollution is a scourge many environmentally conscious individuals and organizations bemoan; but concerns usually focus on plastic’s impact on shorelines, marine life, and risks of proliferating microplastics.

Unfortunately, plastic doesn’t get a free pass when it comes to climate change, either: Manufacturing virgin plastics emit significant levels of CO2 — between one-and-a-half to three times their weight. And the very building blocks of plastic itself are highly problematic from the moment they’re unearthed.

Read the full article on Sustainable Brands.