Prevent Plastic Pollution with Shedd this Earth Day

Chicago (April 17, 2024) – This Earth Month, Shedd Aquarium is offering opportunities to take collective action to curb plastic pollution, helping to create a better and healthier future for our shared blue planet. Aligned with the national theme for Earth Day, “Planet vs. Plastics,” that calls for the end of plastics for planetary health, Shedd provides solutions for Chicagoans to join the movement.

Plastic pollution threatens the health of wildlife that can become entangled in it or consume it, habitats that animals depend on, clean drinking water and greenspaces where people go to connect with nature. In fact, 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes every year – the weight of over 50 passenger planes.

Shedd Aquarium continuously strives to combat this issue by reducing plastic use in regular operations; educating the public about the harms of plastic pollution; promoting science-based policies to reduce sources of aquatic plastic pollution; and galvanizing volunteers to help clean up litter along shorelines.

Here are some ways to join Shedd in tackling plastic pollution during Earth Month and beyond.

RAISE YOUR VOICE

Advocate with Shedd to support proposed laws that reduce plastic production and pollution in Illinois. Disposable single-use plastics make up nearly half of Americans’ plastic use and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Since neither plastic bags nor Styrofoam can be recycled through curbside services, a fact not commonly known, two state bills are aimed at banning these sources of plastic waste.

Currently, Chicago has a plastic bag tax of 7 cents for each checkout bag used. A new plastic bag bill (HB 4448/SB 2211) would go one step further and ban all plastic single-use bags in stores and restaurants to ensure reusable bags become the norm, following the lead of 11 other U.S. states that have seen success from this type of legislation.

Last year, the state of Illinois signed into law a ban on foam foodware containers in state facilities, as foam cannot fully break down and often pollutes the environment. Now, proponents of the Styrofoam bill (HB 2376) hope to keep the momentum going and ban all retailers and restaurants from using disposable foam foodware containers.

Show support for these bills by sending a letter to lawmakers using a pre-made template.

RESTORE LOCAL HABITATS

Volunteer with the aquarium to pick up litter along shorelines and remove invasive plant species to support wildlife and natural spaces. Shedd Aquarium Action Days give volunteers the opportunity to see the difference they can make in the Chicagoland area.

Last year, Action Day volunteers picked up 5,513 pounds of waste from local Chicago shorelines. Plastic makes up 86% of the litter removed during Great Lakes cleanups, according to the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Action Days are held year-round and volunteers can register online. Upcoming litter cleanup days include Saturday, April 20 and Wednesday, May 1. Teens can sign up for the next Teen Nature Day on April 27 and clean lakefront habitat along 12th Street Beach while learning about key conservation issues.

SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS

Whether it’s grabbing a meal or giving them a shout-out, support Let’s Shedd Plastic restaurant partners making a difference by reducing single-use plastic in their operations. To date, 130 collaborators have joined the movement to work toward plastic-free waters.

REMEMBER YOUR REUSABLES

Disposable plastic like cups, utensils and bags can be found everywhere, but taking the small step to opt for reusables can make a big impact. Single-use plastics have become a regular staple of daily life due to their convenience, but plastic is not biodegradable, often not properly discarded and can easily end up in our waterways and environment.

Not sure where to start? Shedd provides an Action Guide to track weekly plastic use and identify the most frequent sources of waste to switch to reusable alternatives.

VISUALS: Find high-resolution photos and broadcast quality video here: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8e6f638a5f616fab73a2

Photo Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium