365 Ways to Save the Planet

Day 328 – Most of us don’t give any thought about how long it takes for common items to decompose. We tend to toss things into the trash and never think about where it goes from there. Many everyday items are here to stay for a very long time.

Here are 20 items and the length of time it takes for them to decompose.

1. Plastic bags – It can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.
2. Cigarette butts – 10 years
3. Plastic straws – 200 years
4. Wet wipes – 100 years
5. Plastic 6 pack holders – 450 years
6. Tin cans – 50 years
7. Tires – 2,000 years
8. Nylon fishing net – 40 years
9. Plastic bottles – 450 years
10. Synthetic fibers – 100+ years
11. Aluminum cans – 80-100 years
12. Hairspray bottles – 200-500 years
13. Shoes – 25-40 years
14. Disposable diapers – 500 years
15. Lumber – 10-15 years
16. Batteries – 100 years
17. Ink Cartridges – 450-1,000 years
18. Glass – over a million years
19. Aluminum Foil – never
20. Styrofoam – never

We all need to think twice before we throw things away. We need to ask ourselves a few questions.

Can this be recycled? Items in bold print can be recycled.

Can this be reused?

Can I avoid using this item in the future?

We are running out of places to put our trash. We need to make changes now.

Tomorrow, dogs to the rescue.