The next time you pick up your Fiji bottle, you might want to think twice before you drink out of
it.

In a report by Ban the Bottle, it was recorded that Americans used nearly 50 million plastic water
bottles last year. The recycling rate for plastic is only 23 percent, which means more than $1
billion worth of plastic is being wasted each year. In addition, Plastic Oceans Foundations
reported that more than eight million tons of plastic waste entered our oceans last year.

Many will argue and say, “People are just littering,” but in reality, a majority of the plastic
escapes our landfills, ending up in the rivers or oceans. According to a Greenpeace report, about
10 percent ends up in the oceans, and it is estimated that plastic bottles in oceans take about 450
years to decompose. Many marine animals mistake plastic bags as jellyfish and swallow them.
Once ingested it stays in the stomach of the animal because it cannot be passed through. Either
way, if they’re drifting atop or sinking to the bottom, they’re hurting our sea animals.

We all know that many sea animals drink water, and while they are trying to survive, they are
also prone to inhaling our waste including bags, and bottles and their caps. If we reduce how
much plastic waste we use, we as a country can stop turning our oceans into a revolting waste
dump.

If schools purchased water-bottle-filling stations that are placed above water fountains, students
would be able to place their reusable bottles under them and get filtered water. We all dislike
tilting our bottles at a water fountain and having it only fill up halfway. Many universities have
placed these filters around their campuses and it would be beneficial to have these in public
schools.

Although these are quite expensive, with their prices ranging between $400 and $900, and West
would have to get many to accommodate for the students and staff, we could make a big impact
on our environment by installing them. Another way we can make a difference is by using
reusable or paper bags instead of plastic for your groceries or even to carry donations in. At
Crafted: The Art of the Taco, a local Winston-Salem restaurant, they eliminated the use of plastic
straws and switched to paper ones. This change is making a big stride toward cleaning up our
oceans and saving our animals.

As a school, we need to understand that we can make a difference and start realizing that our
actions can affect our environment, so recycle that plastic water bottle and switch to a reusable
one knowing you’re doing a good deed.