Plastic pollution is a big problem that affects animals and nature all over the world. Here are some important points to understand just how serious this issue is:

1. Eating and Getting Caught:

   • Every year, around 1 million sea animals and 100,000 sea mammals die because of plastic pollution.
   • For example, sea turtles often eat plastic bags, thinking they are jellyfish. This can cause serious health problems for them.

2. Damage to Homes:

   • Plastic waste can cover coral reefs, making it hard for them to grow and reproduce. Right now, about 11% of coral reefs are in danger because of plastic.
   • If things don't change, by the year 2050, there may be more plastic in the ocean than fish!

3. Tiny Plastics:

   • Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic that are smaller than 5 millimeters. They get into the food we find in the ocean, affecting everything from tiny plankton to big fish.
   • A study found microplastics in 63% of marine fish tested.

4. Ways to Help:

   • To tackle these problems, we need to do more to reduce how much plastic we make and increase how much we recycle.
   • Some countries, like Sweden, are making rules to cut down on single-use plastics, aiming for a 90% reduction by 2030.

These facts show just how important it is to adopt better habits to protect our planet and the animals living in it from the harmful effects of plastic pollution.