Why should you ditch plastic cling wrap?
Plastic is actually made from chemicals which leach into our food and drinks and even in our environment. Did you know that plastic is made from fossil fuels? Yes the stuff that is accelerating climate change! According to the World Resources Institute 550 billion tons of carbon have been going into our atmosphere from fossil fuels and cement production.
How plastic cling wrap was made
It was actually made on accident by scientists and originally used by the military to line planes and their boots in and now we use it to cover our food, yuck! One study found that in just six months 80 million Americans go through at least one large roll of disposable cling wrap.
They also add something called a plasticizer to make the plastic cling wrap more transparent and flexible.
How plastic is harming wildlife
Plastic cling wrap is not recyclable and ends up taking up unnecessary space in our landfills or polluting our beautiful oceans. Over 8 million metric tons of plastic actually goes into our oceans every year. This is dangerous because wildlife often mistaken plastic as their food and eat it leading to illnesses or death.
A new study, published in Current Biology, has found that turtles have been confusing the scent of plastic with food. It’s a mixture of food and plastics soaked in the ocean that entices them. According to CNBC, “Scientists estimate that over half of the world’s sea turtles and nearly every seabird have ingested plastic.”
Alternative to plastic wrap
Reusable beeswax wrap is a great alternative to plastic food wrap. It's great for wrapping sandwiches or leftovers. Just wash and dry it and use it over and over again. A perfect way to cut plastic out of your life!