It is so crucial for those in our community to take initiative in protecting our beautiful environment. Humans have the tendency to not give a second thought about all the waste they inquire on a daily basis, and furthermore, the affect that it has on the world. According to an article called "15 Key Facts & Statistics About Plastic Pollution" from Arcadia Power, over 40% of plastic in the landfill comes from packaging, particularly plastic bags. In fact, these bags are only put to use for a few minutes before being tossed. Many stores have started implementing a no plastic bag policy, which is really great. However, an even better option is to use material bags when going shopping for groceries or clothing. Not only can these bags be used over and over again, but they will ultimately not contribute to the plastic land dump. Because so many consumers in society are constantly putting plastic wrap and bags into the landfill, it accumulates dangerously fast. To put in perspective, Arcadia Power claims that it can take anywhere from 500 - 1,000 years for plastic to decompos e. At the rate we are moving, this could potentially destroy endless numbers of habitats. Luckily, there are a few simple steps that one can take in their daily life to dramatically reduce this waste. One idea is to begin thrifting. The article "How Does Thrift Shopping Help You Save The Environment," from Green Living explains that thrifting reduces your carbon footprint through water preservation and plastic reduction. Studies show that Americans throw out 60-80% of their textile waste, when it could easily be reused. Although styles shift and sizes change, your old clothes can be perfect for someone else. In addition, thrift shopping does not entail large plastic bags that may be used when shopping online. Instead of buying new clothes, buying used clothing reduces energy that would have otherwise been put into manufacturing, as well as the thousands of gallons of water used to grow the cotton. Not feeding into such wasteful and damaging industries will ultimately reduce their consumption, and therefore production. I have been thrifting since I was young, and not only is it fun and sustainable, but I have found numerous cute items. Another wonderful way to greatly reduce one's carbon footprint is to stop buying plastic bottles. Arcadia Power states that over 100 billion plastic bottles were sold in 2014, and only to assume the number has increased over time. An easy and impactful solution is to begin using reusable containers and water bottles. These can be used for years and years without contributing more to the dump. In conclusion, there are so many creative ways to reduce and repurpose items so that we are consciences about plastic use and the ways in which it is damaging our world.