12 Connections Between Oil Spills and Plastic Pollution

1. Both oil spills and plastic pollution kill ocean wildlife in obvious, quick ways and slow, insidious ways.

2. The longer oil spills and plastic pollution are in the ocean, the harder they are to clean up.

3. Oil spills and plastic pollution despoil beaches, coastlines and ocean habitats.

4. Oil and plastic pollution cost communities millions in lost tourism and cleanup costs.

5. Plastic pollution and oil spills are both linked to powerful, multibillion dollar producers.

6. Approximately 25% of US oil production is used to make plastic, much of it single-use plastic, making up a large percentage of ocean pollution.

7. It is impossible to completely clean up oil slicks and plastic pollution in the ocean.

8. Plastic pollution is far more common, widespread and destructive than oil spills.

9. Plastic pollution and oil spills make you, our kids and our planet unhealthy.

10. Plastic pollution and oil slicks are connected to seemingly insatiable human addictions.

11. Plastic pollution and oil slicks are linked to a misunderstanding of convenience and consumption.

12. We have realistic, existing, green alternatives to much of our current use of both plastic and oil.

In summary, the biggest oil spill on our planet is the one in the form of plastic pollution, spread throughout every ocean basin and washing up on virtually every single beach.

Keep these links in mind as the ocean burns.