Track 3.1

Track 3.1
Plastic. It’s everywhere, and it’s not going away.

It takes about 100 years for a plastic bag in the ocean to break down and disappear completely, and 450 years for a plastic bottle. Plastic is filling our oceans, and it’s killing the animals in it.

We use plastic all the time. But do we have to? And can we reduce the amount of plastic waste in the world? Yes, we can, but we have to follow three important rules.


First, we have to reduce. This is the most important rule. We have to buy and use fewer plastic things and stay away from plastic items we only use once, like straws and plastic bags.

Second, we have to reuse. Don’t throw away plastic yogurt containers—you can reuse them. They’re great for keeping leftover food, or for growing small plants.

And third, we have to recycle. When we can’t reuse plastic items, we have to recycle them. We can’t just throw them away with the rest of our trash. We have to separate them and put them in recycling bins.

There are many ways that we can use less plastic. In some places, stores aren’t allowed to give plastic bags to customers. They can only give paper or cloth bags that people can reuse.

Think about plastic, and how you can help make a difference. And tell your friends all about the plastic problem, too.