Plastic Poisons Primates: One Focus of 2026 American Society of Primatologists Conference

The American Society of Primatologists (ASP) is hosting its 2026 Conference in Arlington, Virginia, from June 17–20, 2026, with the theme Looking at the Past, the Present and the Future: What Is to Come for Primatology? It is a special year, as the ASP has recently endorsed the International Primatological Society (IPS) policy statement about plastic pollution and its impacts on primates: the first-ever research policy statement of its kind and an important development in primatological research. 

Plastic Pollution Coalition Co-Founder and Chief Vision Officer Dianna Cohen was among the experts who helped shape that statement, and will be part of a special roundtable session on plastic pollution and primates at the upcoming conference. During the session, Cohen will give attendees a background illuminating the full problem of plastic pollution, such as the fact that 99% of plastic is made from fossil fuels, and that plastic poisons primates—including people—and all living things. She will shed light on microplastics and plastic chemicals, and their presence in air, food, soils, water, and our bodies—discussing how plastics and chemicals in plastics affect the health and hormones of men, women and children. Cohen will dive into how plastic contributes to the climate crisis, and disproportionately harms rural, low-income, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities on plastic’s industrial frontlines/fencelines. Perhaps most importantly, she’ll address solutions, including new policies that can help curb plastic pollution; reducing plastic use in businesses, food and beverage packaging, and schools; and using litigation as a tool for change.

Why Are Primates Particularly Vulnerable?

Plastic Pollution Coalition Scientific Advisor Janette Wallis, Ph.D., has been sounding the alarm on plastic harming nonhuman primates for years. In 2015, she published a guest blog documenting a troubling pattern she’d witnessed across primate field sites: plastic everywhere, and curious primates picking it up, playing with it, and putting it in their mouths.

In January 2025, Wallis co-authored a major overview with primatologist and conservationist Evelyn D. Anca, detailing the problem: microplastics are increasingly found in the guts of monkeys and macaques, plastic-borne pathogens are threatening the health of species that can catch many of the same diseases we do, and forests are being left polluted.

Plastic pollution reaches the deepest depths of oceans and even unfolds deep in tropical forests, in the hands and mouths of primates. Nonhuman primates are among the most endangered groups of large mammals on Earth, with over 90% of their species’ populations in decline. They are also increasingly victims of the plastic pollution we leave behind. 

What makes primates uniquely vulnerable is, ironically, their intelligence. With their manual dexterity and curiosity, primates tend to pick up and explore the plastic they find, often manipulating it in an attempt to find food, exposing themselves to microplastics, toxic chemicals, and the pathogens plastic surfaces can harbor.

Since primates disperse seeds and regenerate forests, their health is the forest’s health. And the forest’s health is ours.

But there’s hopeful news on this front, as the IPS International Primatological Society) and ASP have formally taken up the Plastic Pollution Policy Statement that Dr. Wallis and Evelyn Anca drafted together, with help from Dianna Cohen, bringing it to official approval after years of work. In parallel, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Primate Specialist Group’s Section on Human-Primate Interactions officially formed a working group on plastics, which Wallis and Anca co-chair.

Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) and primatologists—like Dr. Wallis and Evelyn Anca, and the other presenters at this year’s ASP Conference—have been building the case that plastic pollution adversely affects our forests and primates. Attendees at the upcoming ASP Conference will learn more about this issue from some of the foremost experts working to address plastic pollution.

Participants in the special session will include:

Colin Chapman, Ph.D., is a Biologist and Biological Anthropologist at Vancouver Island University who has been doing primate field research in Africa for decades, focused in and around Kibale National Park in Uganda. He studies the roles that disease, nutrition, stress, and climate change play in determining primate abundance, while also exploring how to best conserve the world’s biodiversity. One of his recent interests is plastic pollution. Chapman is an advisor to Maria Fernanda Alvarez Velazquez, a student studying the relationship between howler monkeys and plastic pollution in Mexico, and has developed a community education component to her work.

Janette Wallis, Ph.D., is a Primatologist whose primary interest is chimpanzees, baboons, and other African primates and led the APS/IPS policy statement on plastic pollution and primates. She is a Scientific Advisor for Plastic Pollution Coalition and the Executive Director of the Kasokwa-Kityedo Forest Project in Uganda, where her research focuses on behavioral ecology of chimpanzees and the various effects of forest fragmentation. She also has an ongoing interest in the topics of primate conservation, disease transmission, and tourism. At this year’s APS Conference, 10 years after the first session held on the topic at the ASP/IPS Conference in 2016, she will provide a brief overview of the history of the topic of plastic pollution as it relates to primates and growing interest in this topic from fellow primatologists. 

Dianna Cohen, is the Co-Founder & Chief Vision Officer of Plastic Pollution Coalition, a non-profit communications and advocacy organization that collaborates with an expansive global alliance of organizations, businesses, and individuals to create a more just, equitable, regenerative world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts. A Los Angeles based visual artist, Dianna has shown her work internationally at galleries, foundations, and museums. She uses plastic in her artwork to make a visual and social impact. With plastic bags as her primary material for more than 30 years, Dianna is interested in exploring its materiality through modifications and the material’s relationship to culture, media, toxicity, and the world at large and shared this in her 2010 TED talk “Tough Truths About Plastic Pollution.” Dianna studied Biology, Art, and Film at the University of California, Los Angeles and holds a BA in Fine Arts.

Virtual participants will include: 

Evelyn D. Anca, is a conservationist and a primatologist focusing on plastic pollution, the human–-wildlife interface, wildlife trade, and Indigenous knowledge; CEO of Plastic Free Israel; and conservation artist. She will join the conference virtually from the UK where she has recently started a graduate program at Durham University, and share her relevant work on the topic of plastic pollution and primates, including her research, plastic pollution advocacy work, and conservation art. Anca was also instrumental in the IPS/ASP policy statement and is working on an International Union for the Conservation of Nature document regarding best practices around plastic pollution for field primatologists.

Anamélia de Sousa Jesus, Ph.D., a primatologist studying plastic pollution and primates. She recently published a study on the first evidence of microplastic ingestion in an arboreal primate—howler monkeys—in Brazil. While many primatologists have assumed that it’s mostly terrestrial primates that are exposed to plastics, de Sousa Jesus has found even those spending most of their time in trees can be exposed. She will join virtually to discuss her work.

Mariella Siña, is a PhD student who has been studying the presence of microplastics in various terrestrial mammals in Hong Kong, including macaques as well as some non-primate species (boar, buffalo, cattle, and porcupine). She will join virtually to share her research.

Sabrina Kreif, D.V.M., is a professor and researcher studying primates, mostly chimpanzees, in Uganda. She will join the conference virtually to share exciting new research on plastic pollution and its impact on Ugandan primates.

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By Evelyn D. Anca, Primatologist, Plastic Free Israel CEO, and conservation artist; and Janette Wallis, Plastic Pollution Coalition Scientific Advisor, and Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group’s Africa Section

Plastic pollution in nonhuman primate habitats is a growing conservation threat. While plastic pollution has become everybody’s problem and global awareness of plastic pollution has centered attention to its impacts on the marine environment, the problems begin well before plastic reaches the ocean. After all, plastic is produced—and overwhelmingly discarded—on land. A staggering estimate of nine to 14 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean every year, and it’s estimated that 5 to 20 times that amount accumulates in terrestrial (land) environments (United Nations, 2021; Horton, et al., 2017).

Land Animals are Harmed by Plastic Pollution

 Pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) in a polluted mangrove forest, Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo by Elisabetta Zavoli

Land animals are harmed by plastic pollution in numerous ways. Evidence of the ingestion of plastic by terrestrial wildlife and domesticated animals is growing, shifting attention solely from the oceans to also include the impact of plastic pollution on land. Exposure to plastic pollution is raising concerns for conservationists working with terrestrial and arboreal (tree-dwelling) species, especially those that are threatened with extinction. Nonhuman primates, the most endangered group of large mammals, with over 90% of their species’ populations in decline, are considered the ‘gardeners of the forest’ due to their important role in seed dispersal and forest regeneration, making them keystone species in their ecosystems (Creighton and Nunn, 2023). Plastic pollution is an emerging threat to primates, as to a growing number of species, and one of many human activities now threatening their survival in the wild.

As the plastic pollution crisis worsens, interest in addressing plastic pollution in primate research and tourism sites is now increasing. We conducted a survey that assesses the level of plastic pollution in primate field sites to find that the presence of plastic in primate habitats is a serious and growing problem that threatens primate conservation (Wallis and Cohen, unpublished data). We have also collaborated with other researchers and experts to raise awareness of plastic pollution, including with Plastic Pollution Coalition Co-Founder & CEO Dianna Cohen, with whom we co-chaired talks at the International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2023) and the International Primatological Society’s conference (IPS-MPS 2023). Following these talks, we co-authored a paper detailing what’s known about plastic pollution and primates, and outlined our major concerns (Anca and Wallis 2024). We feel that this paper serves as a call to action for primatologists and conservationists to take action to address plastic pollution in nonhuman—and human—primate habitats around the world. Additionally, we are calling on the ICCB and IPS to adopt strong policy statements about plastic pollution and its impacts on primates.

The majority of primate species live in tropical forests, with many spending most or all of their time in trees. Yet plastic has reached these remote primate populations as well. Plastic pollution ends up in primate habitats through different types of human-primate interactions because almost everywhere there are people, there is also plastic. Plastic pollution reaches forests through activities exploiting natural resources (logging, oil drilling, road construction) and from local communities, tourists, and researchers. 

As rainforests are enormous reservoirs of water, the flow of water and rivers through them allows large amounts of plastic pollution to flow in and pollute primate habitats. Plastic pollution also endangers mangrove forest systems which are found in many primate habitats and used by some species of primates as habitats, a source of food, and shelter (van Bijsterveldt, et al., 2021). In slightly less remote places, we can see habituated primates foraging for food in urban areas and tourist sites, subject to provisioning, which may create a dependency on human food often associated with plastic packaging.

Plastic Pollution Harms People, Primates, and All Animals

Vervet monkey eating from a plastic and aluminum sachet, Victoria falls visitor center, Zambia. Photo by Evelyn D. Anca
Bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) with plastic bottle in India. Photo by Janette Wallis

As in the sea, plastic pollution on land can cause entanglement and physical harm to wild animals, reach their digestive system and result in death from suffocation and/or starvation. Unlike some other animals in both terrestrial and marine environments who consume and ingest plastic accidentally, dexterity and manual skills of primates, combined with their curiosity to explore, results in them intentionally manipulating plastic pollution. This can expose primates even more to microplastics and the chemicals leaching from them, and even to diseases carried by plastics (Syberg, et al., 2018). 

In fact, disease transmission can occur through touching inanimate objects, as we remember with COVID-19, which is especially true for plastic. Plastic surfaces can harbor pathogens that transmit diseases between humans and primates and vice versa. And, because primates are so close to us biologically, they are often susceptible to the same diseases (Wallis and Lee, 1999). In addition to spreading disease, plastics also leach and absorb toxic chemicals, and shed particles of plastic called microplastics. Microplastics have been discovered in the stomachs of howler monkeys in Brazil and in the feces of macaque monkeys in Indonesia. Since the publication of our 2024 paper, more evidence of microplastic ingestion has been found in wild long-tailed macaques in Thailand and in Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys in China (Thamsenanupap, et al., 2024; Xia, et al., 2024).

The presence of plastic particles and plastic chemicals in the human body has been linked to many health phenomena—from problems with the hormonal system to various types of cancer. Yet, we still do not know how it affects wild animals in the long term—particularly the primates who are so essential for rainforest regeneration.

Many Indigenous and remote communities living in or near rainforests are facing environmental injustices and are disproportionately affected by pollution, including plastic pollution. Moreover, due to waste colonialism and a lack of access to waste management infrastructure, some of these communities often resort to improvised landfilling and uncontained burning of their trash, leading to further environmental contamination and harmful health effects linked to toxic plastic chemicals.

Most of the plastic we as humans are exposed to is around us, right here, on land. Plastic is now found in the fruits and vegetables we eat; pollutes the streams, lakes, and water we drink; and harms the ecosystems we need to survive—the sea, deserts, mountains, tropical forests, and more. Plastic pollution is everywhere, because it is being produced in huge quantities, never benignly biodegrades, and rapidly breaks up into tiny toxic particles that pollute the air, soil, and water. Therefore, it is important that we continue to research and understand in depth what happens to living beings and the environment when plastic pollutes even the most remote locations. It is essential that we notice the types of harm plastic causes to animals, ecosystems, and plants early enough to prevent the cascading effects that are likely to follow.

Take Action

A real size howler monkey made from agricultural plastic waste, inspired by the finding of microplastic in howler monkey’s gut. By Evelyn D Anca, Evi Art 2024
A real size Peruvian spider monkey made from agricultural plastic waste. By Evelyn D Anca, Evi Art 2024

Ending plastic pollution and its toxic impacts is important for people, primates, and all life on Earth. Check out here some of the things YOU can do to address plastic pollution on individual, community, and systemic levels.

Take the pledge

Resources:

Anca, E.D. and Wallis, J., 2024. Plastic pollution and human–primate interactions: A growing conservation concern. Cambridge Prisms: Plastics, 2, p.e10.

Conti, G.O., Ferrante, M., Banni, M., Favara, C., Nicolosi, I., Cristaldi, A., Fiore, M. and Zuccarello, P., 2020. Micro-and nano-plastics in edible fruit and vegetables. The first diet risks assessment for the general population. Environmental Research, 187, p.109677.

de Souza Jesus, A, Nonato, F, Cruz, AN, Valsecchi, J, El Bizri, HR, Tregidgo, D and Rabelo, R (2023) Primeira evidência de ingestão de partículas plásticas por um primata arborícola. Paper presented at the 19° Simpósio sobre Conservação e Manejo Participativo na Amazônia, 3–7 July, Tefe, Brazil. 

Horton, A.A., Walton, A., Spurgeon, D.J., Lahive, E. and Svendsen, C., 2017. Microplastics in freshwater and terrestrial environments: Evaluating the current understanding to identify the knowledge gaps and future research priorities. Science of the total environment, 586, pp.127-141.

Suyadi (2023) Plastic Pollution in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Its Implications, and Public Awareness. National Research and Innovation Agency Indonesia, BRIN.

Wallis, J. (2015) Plastics endanger primates: A field report. Plastic Pollution Coalition blog. Available at https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/blog/2015/8/23/plastic-endanger-primates-a-field-report

Wallis, J. and Cohen, D. (2022) Plastic pollution and primates: A survey of field sites. In Poster Presented at the XXVIII International Primatological Society Congress, 9-15  January, Quito, Ecuador (Unpublished).

Wallis, J. and Lee, D. R. (1999). Primate conservation: the prevention of disease transmission. International Journal of Primatology 20(6): 803-826.

This World Sea Turtle Day, we recognize how plastic harms sea turtles—and show you how you can help. 

Sea turtles have stood the test of time. They are among the oldest living creatures on Earth. Their origins date back at least 110 million years ago, when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. 

But plastic pollution threatens the future of these amazing survivors. At least 11 million metric tons of plastic pollution enter the ocean per year, and without urgent action to cut plastic production, this number is expected to triple by 2040. With more than 170 trillion plastic particles estimated to be floating on the ocean’s surface alone—and with many more accumulating beneath the waves and on the seafloor—plastic poses a serious threat to sea turtles (and all marine life).

Swimming Through Oceans of Plastic: How Plastic Pollution Affects Sea Turtles

Sea turtles spend their lives traveling the oceans. Female sea turtles will not rest until they reach what they feel is a suitable nesting spot to lay their eggs. For example, in the Atlantic Ocean, female leatherback sea turtles migrate from their nesting grounds on Caribbean beaches to feed in waters off the coast of Canada, an incredible distance of roughly 10,000 miles. When baby sea turtles hatch from their eggs, these tiny creatures must dig their way out of the sand and dodge predator animals as they hurry into the ocean. And that’s just the beginning of their journeys covering super-long distances on ocean currents.

Sea turtles become entangled and entrapped in plastic

Even before they reach the water, newly hatched sea turtles have to navigate through piles of microplastics and plastic items just to make it from the nest to the sea. Mother sea turtles are forced to dig their nests and lay their eggs on beaches increasingly covered by plastic pollution. Entanglements and entrapments in all sorts of plastic items, from car tires to abandoned fishing gear, on land and at sea are common for sea turtles—and are almost always deadly.

Sea turtles ingest plastic pollution

All seven of the world’s sea turtle species ingest plastic. In some populations, more than 90% of individual turtles have ingested microplastics. It seems that younger turtles, and species that feed primarily on the ocean’s surface, generally ingest the greatest amounts of plastic. Just one piece of plastic can spell disaster for a sea turtle: Scientists have found that sea turtles who ingest just one piece of plastic have a one in five chance of premature death; turtles who ingest 14 pieces of plastic have a 50% chance of dying early. Much of the risk comes from physical blockages that plastic items, fragments, and microplastics can create in sea turtles’ digestive systems.

Plastic chemicals harm sea turtle health

In addition to the physical dangers of plastic, its chemicals also pose a risk to sea turtle survival. Plastics contain any mixture of at least 16,000 chemicals, including about 4,200 of which are already known to be hazardous—such as bisphenols (like BPA), dioxins, flame retardants, PFAS, and heavy metals. Plastic chemicals cause numerous and serious health problems in all animals, including sea turtles. Heavy metals in plastics have been linked to hormone-disrupting effects that can feminize sea turtle populations. BPA can have similar feminizing effects on turtles, and can cause infertility. Scientists have also found a connection between plastic and other pollution and harmful tumors that develop on sea turtles.

Plastic pollution on beaches feminizes sea turtles

The sex of a sea turtle is determined by the temperature of the sand surrounding their egg. Usually, male sea turtles hatch deeper in the cooler parts of their mothers’ sand nests, while females hatch in the warmer sands closer to the top of these nests. Sea turtle populations are being feminized not only by plastic chemicals, but also by the way that microplastics raise the temperature of sand on beaches. This effect is made more extreme by climate change, to which plastic production, shipping, and disposal is a significant contributing factor. As a result, on the Great Barrier Reef, 99% of sea turtle hatchlings are now being born female. Experts say the eventual total feminization of the species is a real and unfortunate possibility, a major survival risk.

Take Action

Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to the survival of sea turtles, and all other life on Earth. This World Sea Turtle Day and every day, there are many things you can do to take action toward a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts. 

Learn more about sea turtles

To learn more, a great book to check out is Christine Figgener’s book, My Life With Sea Turtles: A Marine Biologist’s Quest to Protect One of the Most Ancient Animals on Earth. In 2015, when Figgener and a team of scientists posted a disturbing video of them extracting a plastic straw out of a turtle’s nose, it incited the worldwide conversation around the real dangers of single-use plastics. Figgener’s dedication to protecting sea turtles shines in this heartwarming book.

It’s never too early to gain appreciation of and respect the Earth and all life. Makana Is A Gift by Janet Lucy and illustrated by Alexis Cantu is an inspiring and beautiful educational children’s book about sea turtles perfect for storytime with your little one(s). 

If you’re into podcasts, we recommend tuning into this episode of the Daily Rally from Outside Magazine, which features Plastic Pollution Coalition Founding Advisor and Scientific Advisor Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, a sea turtle expert whose book Blue Mind shows us how being near, in, on, or under water is good for our body, minds, and spirits.

Take steps to end plastic pollution

Making small changes to your life, in addition to advocating for systemic change that will help end plastic production and wastefulness, helps celebrate and care for sea turtles and everyone on Earth. Avoiding plastic is better for your health too. If you’re planning on having a beach picnic this summer, essentials like utensils, food containers, and cups all have reusable glass, metal, and wooden options. Make sure to take everything you carry in with you back home to help keep beaches safer for sea turtles.

Take the pledge
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February 16, 2023 , 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm EST

PPC Webinar: Plastic-Free Pet Care: Safeguarding the Health of Our Furry Friends
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Date: Thursday, February 16
Time: 2-3 pm PT | 5-6 pm ET
Click here to convert to your timezone.

Did you know that plastic can be harmful to your pet’s health? From plastic toys to disposable food containers and poop bags, plastic pet care items are everywhere. Science has established links between exposure to plastic chemicals and a range of diseases in humans—and many of the same risks apply to our furry, feathered, and scaly friends!

During our February 16, 2023, webinar, we will discuss the health hazards of plastics used in pet care products. We’ll also provide tips and tricks for finding plastic-free alternatives and explore the impacts of plastic waste on the environment and how we can reduce our plastic footprint as we care for our animal friends. Whether you’re a new pet owner or a seasoned pro, this webinar is for anyone who wants to learn more about how to provide the best possible care for their furry, feathered, or scaly pals, while also taking better care of our planet.

Joining us will be Dr. Arlene Blum, Founder & Executive Director, Green Science Policy Institute; Dr. Marty Goldstein, Veterinarian & Author, The Spirit of Animal Healing; and Tracy Rosensteel, Founder, Pooch Paper LLC. The webinar will be moderated by Dianna Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO, Plastic Pollution Coalition.

PANELISTS

Dr. Arlene Blum
Founder & Executive Director
Green Science Policy Institute

Arlene Blum PhD, biophysical chemist, author, and mountaineer is Executive Director of the Green Science Policy Institute and a Research Associate at UC Berkeley. The Institute’s scientific research and policy work with government and business has contributed to preventing the use of harmful chemicals in products worldwide. 

Blum led the first American­ and all-women’s ­ascent of Annapurna I, considered one of the world’s most dangerous and difficult mountains, co-led the first women’s team to climb Denali; completed the Great Himalayan Traverse across the mountain regions of Bhutan, Nepal, and India; and hiked the length of the European Alps with her baby daughter on her back. She is the author of Annapurna: A Woman’s Place and Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life. Blum’s awards include a 2022 Honorary Doctorate from the University of San Francisco, honorary membership in the American Alpine Club, and induction into the California Hall of Fame. 

Dr. Marty Goldstein(1)
Dr. Marty Goldstein
Veterinarian & Author
The Spirit of Animal Healing

Dr. Marty Goldstein earned his DVM from Cornell University in 1973. He was certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 1977 and was one of the founding members of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. Over the last four plus decades, Dr. Marty has given seminars on alternative therapies worldwide and has appeared on numerous regional and national radio and television programs, including the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Martha Show, and Good Morning America. He is also the author of The Nature of Animal Healing, first published in 1999. It received excellent reviews and has continued to sell consistently ever since. He has completed the sequel, The Spirit of Animal Healing, which was published February 2021. For 6 years, he hosted his own weekly program, “Ask Martha’s Vet with Dr Marty” on Martha Stewart’s Sirius/XM satellite radio network.

Dr. Marty, his wife and three daughters share their lives with dogs, cats, parakeets, chickens, two horses, and a bunny named Pork Chop in a very happy home.

Tracy Rosensteel
Tracy Rosensteel
Founder
Pooch Paper LLC

Tracy Rosensteel has worked over 23 years on Wall Street selling and supporting mission-critical trading floor technology. The first 10 years were spent supporting the trading infrastructure at the Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the Board Options Exchange. In 2007, she moved to NYC and opened her own 15-person firm that she ran until 2016, where she sold the balance of her contracts. While much of her career was spent in high-pressure environments, Tracy would consider her “side hustles” the initiatives which capture her heart.

In 2011, Tracy created, produced, directed, and hosted an award-winning travel television series about people around the globe who live their lives in pursuit of their dreams. Originally airing on PBS nationwide for four years, In Pursuit of Passion can now be found streaming on Amazon. Tracy actively authors and illustrates children’s books and plays and most recently launched Pooch Paper, inspired by her passion for protecting the environment and her love for her “man about town” French Bulldog named Indiana Jones.

RESOURCES

May 17 is Endangered Species Day, which is an opportunity for people around the world to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species and everyday actions we can take to protect them.

About Endangered Species

An animal is considered endangered when its numbers in the wild have dropped so low that it’s at great risk of extinction. Today there are 41,415 endangered species on the IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. Of those 41,415 species, 16,306 are considered endangered species threatened with extinction. Sadly, according to a recent UN report this number might soon be much higher, and it is largely the result of human behavior.

The UN report states: “Human actions threaten more species with global extinction now than ever before,” and estimates that “around 1 million species already face extinction, many within decades, unless action is taken.”

The report also shows that one of the main threats to nature is plastic pollution, which has increased tenfold since 1980. According to the report, marine plastic pollution has affected at least 267 species, including 86% of marine turtles, 44% of seabirds, and 43% of marine mammals. Marine animals die every day from ingesting plastic of all sizes.

What Can You Do?

There are many things you can do on a daily basis to help protect endangered species, including committing to refusing single-use plastic whenever possible. Here are a couple of easy ways to cut plastic out of your life to help protect endangered species:

-Bring your own reusable water bottle instead of buying single-use plastic ones

-Say “No straw, please” when dining at a restaurant

-Bring your own reusable bag when you go shopping

-Carry reusable utensils and containers to work or school

-Bring your own mug or tumbler when getting coffee to-go

–Join Plastic Pollution Coalition as individual or as a representative of your business or organization

-Speak up and demand companies reduce the plastic footprint

What is your favorite way to go plastic-free?

Photo: Green Turtle hatchling climbing over plastic bottle strewn on the beach, Juani Island, Tanzania. @wwf_australia

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