Pollution in oceans inspires man to live a plastic-free life

Casey Jordan, an environmentalist, has replaced the plastic products in his bathroom with environmental-friendly alternatives in an effort to decrease the amount of plastic pollution in the oceans.

Jordan began his journey towards a plastic-free life by making simple switches without sacrificing things that are important to him.

“I think there’s a misconception about switching to plastic-free alternatives,†Jordan said. “Implementing small changes to things you use everyday makes the switch easier.â€Â 

Jordan started his new lifestyle by swapping out products that contain plastic in his bathroom with environmental-friendly ones. He said these switches were easy for him.

“I began doing research online and found an article about this person who first started with their bathroom,†Jordan said. “Since I’m a guy, and I don’t use a lot of products such as makeup or hair care, the switch was somewhat easier for me.â€Â 

Jordan gathered all of the products he used on a daily basis including his toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo and other products he uses occasionally. All of these products contained plastic.

“After I gathered all of my daily essentials, which, of course, all included plastic, I was shocked at just how much plastic we use everyday,†Jordan said. “It’s easy for us to become numb to using these products that sometimes we don’t think twice about the plastic that will be on this planet forever.â€

After Jordan saw images of the ‘great garbage patches’ in the ocean, he became aware of how plastic products are having a negative impact on the environment. 

“It was scary to think that when plastic goes into the ocean, it’s almost impossible to clean up when it goes below the surface,†Jordan said. “Many of the things we use in minutes like plastic bags, dental floss and water bottles are all single-use plastics and are still on this Earth today because they aren’t biodegradable.â€

While some of the plastic we use is recycled, a large portion of it ends up in the environment including the ocean. Every day, about 8 million pieces of plastic pollution find their way into the oceans, according to marine conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage.

“For every pound of tuna we’re taking out of the ocean, we’re putting two pounds of plastic in the ocean,†said Sherry Lippiatt, an ocean scientist and California regional coordinator for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s marine debris program.

Researchers said Earth’s oceans contain five major gyres, or “plastic islands,†floating in the oceans filled with plastic. The Pacific Ocean Patch is one of the largest, which is twice the size of Texas.

Jordan has several ways he cuts down on plastic use without having to sacrifice too much time or money. 

Bamboo toothbrushes are an easy switch instead of plastic toothbrushes. With bristles made from 62 percent castor bean oil and the base made of bamboo, this makes them biodegradable.

Soap and shampoo bars are a great alternative to throwing away plastic bottles and even last longer than liquid soap and shampoo, too.  

Making your own toothpaste or buying toothpaste in glass jars and aluminum tubes to recycle is not only a simple switch, but it’s inexpensive, too. 

Buying an electric razor instead of disposable razors is not only good for the environment, but the investment is worth it.  

Use toilet paper that is biodegradable, unbleached or paper-wrapped toilet paper as opposed to plastic-wrapped. 

“I’m still not 100 percent plastic-free, but I’ve come a long way since the beginning,†Jordan said. “Some of the switches can be overwhelming but taking baby steps and switching a few habits each day will make you one step closer to living a plastic-free life.â€Â