The Plastic Problem: 50 Small Ways to Reduce Waste and Help Save the Earth

by Lonely Planet Kids, Aubre Andrus

Look around you – plastic is everywhere! It’s in your shoes, pens, toothbrush, car, toys, TV, water bottles, food packaging... It’s so popular that it’s almost impossible to get through one day without using it. And it’s creating major problems for our planet, wildlife and ourselves.

With The Plastic Problem, you’ll discover loads of brilliant and easy ways to cut plastic out of your life! By becoming a ‘plastic patroller’ instead of a plastic polluter, your actions will help protect our world, and inspire friends and family to do the same. Inside this practical guide, the follow-up to our popular 101 Small Ways to Save the World, you’ll find out how to:

- Pack a zero waste travel kit to help your family reduce its rubbish on trips
- Take better care of your clothes, swap items with friends, and get excited about hand-me-downs
- Switch your toothpaste for natural tooth powders and choose an electric, non-throwaway toothbrush
- Take your lunch to school in a reusable container and bring reusable cutlery
- Reduce the amount of things you buy, reuse what you have, and recycle what you no longer need
- Take reusable bags to the supermarket or with you when you go shopping

Today is the perfect time for a change. As a future guardian of the planet, you can say no to plastic. Your actions, however small, can make a big difference every day. And with each change, you’ll help our oceans become a little cleaner and our planet a little healthier.

Are you up to the challenge?

The contents of The Plastic Problem include:

Plastic, plastic everywhere – What is plastic, where does it come from, and why do we use it?

The problems with plastic – Why are we still using plastic and what are the reasons we need to stop?

Take action! – Learn how to avoid plastic, start making smarter choices and make a real difference

Become a 'Precycler'– Choose what’s better for the environment instead of what’s more convenient

About Lonely Planet Kids: Lonely Planet Kids – an imprint of the world’s leading travel authority Lonely Planet – published its first book in 2011. Over the past 45 years, Lonely Planet has grown a dedicated global community of travellers, many of whom are now sharing a passion for exploration with their children. Lonely Planet Kids educates and encourages young readers at home and in school to learn about the world with engaging books on culture, sociology, geography, nature, history, space and more. We want to inspire the next generation of global citizens and help kids and their parents to approach life in a way that makes every day an adventure. Come explore!

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Middle Grade, Science

112 pages, Hardcover

Published March 13, 2020

Reviews

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Featured in grandma reads chapterbook sessions.

A mighty book about plastic and all the harm it is doing to the world, despite the many conveniences and purposes it serves in our world. I wanted to raise awareness levels and help all of us make different choices and this book leans hard into that very goal. We need to find a different way to live and still move forward - we need to be smarter and better stewards with our resources.

This isn't an end-all-be-all book - it is a starting place, a way to get the lingo, and see some of the concerns and considerations of some of the projects that are in front of us. My guys were interested and listened to this over a number of sessions.

[Margaret Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I have been searching for a book this thorough for quite some time. I originally pre-ordered "The Plastic Problem" in anticipation of Earth Day 2020, as I hoped to share it with my fifth-grade class. Because of the coronavirus shutdown, I ended up reading it aloud to a third-grader instead (long story). As someone who has been an environmental activist since the age of ten, I was pleasantly surprised to learn new facts about the harmful effects of plastic. Here are a few of the book's key features that distinguish it from other children's literature about plastic:

- There is a focus on fact-based solutions. This author explains the problem and goes into great detail about a plethora of solutions that children can implement. Other books that I have read about plastic tend to be more cutesy and story-based. That is fine, but nowhere near as empowering as having usable information!
- The plastic problem is not discussed as some new phenomenon. After reading this book, you will have a general understanding of the historical timeline that led us to our current predicament.
- The text is made more digestible for elementary and middle grades by the colorful pictures woven throughout. It is actually difficult for me to pin this book down to a grade level, but I estimate that it would be suitable for the average third-grader and beyond.
- This author clearly did her research. Any zero-waster/low-impact activist would be proud at the way that this information is presented. Aubre Andrus writes like someone who has lived out the changes that she suggests!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are plenty of books, articles, and documentaries that lament the prevalence of plastic in our world, listing the problems caused by this ubiquitous material. This book does that as well, providing a brief history of plastic, identifying the different types of plastic and where it is found, but also going one step further by identifying 60 different ways to deal with the problem. While recycling is helpful, the author makes it clear that the best move is to avoid single-use plastic. She also suggests using bars of soap rather than body wash, eschewing squeezable snack pouches, refusing plastic utensils, bringing reusable bags when shopping, avoiding glitter and balloons, and speaking up to help others understand the severity of the problem. The text isn't overwhelming or overly preachy, and since it's accompanied by colorful font and illustrations, readers can digest a lot of good information and start to chart a course for change, even if they only use one or two of the suggestions such as avoiding plastic water bottles and straws. This is a great title to have in a classroom, even in late elementary grades, since going green can never start too early.

[Dina Romanova · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is for kids but even I, a grown-up, learned something new.
This book certainly gives a lot to think about. It has many suggestions on what everyone could do to help reduce plastic waste. It also provides useful resources.
Our family has always been conscious about environment. We used reusable shopping bags and water bottles. But now we'll do even more. A small change in your routine can have a big impact. We have only one blue planet 🌍

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Gives you the info and tools to make a difference.

[Erica Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to keep as a reference for ways to reduce waste! I even learned that gum isn't biodegradable anymore!

[Nikita Fong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to understand and grasp the concept of plastic problems we have on this planet. Learnt lots of essential concepts in how to battle with climate issue and recycling

[Dove Tupper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a longer, more informational book. I liked that it went through each number on plastic items, it also included a timeline of the historical aspects of plastic. There are ways that plastic is a part of our daily lives & specific examples that help the reader understand the extent of plastic being an issue. I liked the slogan "reduce, reuse, refuse." The book put the plastic problem into perspective & provided a multitude of potential solutions, & there were a lot.
The book is more useful for mid to upper-elementary students & could take multiple days to read as a class, but would be very beneficial for a recycling project or for context to being more conscious of our environment.
I especially liked the resources at the end of the read such as checklists, pledges, a glossary for vocabulary, further readings, & a quiz.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

it’s good, but…

It’s a good book, colorful and informative. Maybe can be used in classes about environmental issues, but for reading with kids it’s too long and kind of boring, if you try all the way to the end. So, that’s why I gave two stars.

[C.]

Well intentioned but lacks nuance

[Rissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for a challenge but I actually learned a lot. There were quite a few things I didn't know.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful guide for kids, although despite it being published in 2020, it’s already a little out of date - in a good way, as countries are making progress in banishing single use plastics.