You might not know us, but we definitely know you.
We go by many names, so let me tell you a few!
Polyester, Polyethylene, or Polypropylene would be fantastic.
But to our friends who know us best, they call us Microplastic.
We live in your lakes and oceans, being gobbled up by fish.[1]
We’re now a part of the food chain, although not nutrient rich!
But what about the rest of us who do not end up as prey?
We hold hands and form Plastispheres where bacteria lay.
We live in your plants and on land, becoming a part of the soil.[2]
We’re returning to our roots after all we come from crude oil!
But what about the rest of us who do not end up underground?
We hang out in cities and natural spaces, spreading all around.
We live in your skies and air, and for fun we ride the wind [3]
We’re warming up the earth for you, a sunny spell we’ll spin!
But what about the rest of us who do not float above?
We hitch a ride inside your lungs with every breath you love.
We live inside your heart and brain, shrinking all day long.[4]
We’ll always be right here with you, now ten million strong!
But what happens when there are too many to bear?
We argue with your cells because we aren’t going anywhere.
Now we’re friends and know each other, I’ll let you in on a secret.
I’ll tell you the ways you can make more, and I know that you will keep it.
We know you’re going on a journey, we’ve tracked your upcoming flight.
There are things that we had hoped you’d do to bring us global might.
We looked inside your suitcase, but we didn’t find our crew.
No cheap fast-fashion outfits bought just for somewhere new.
You’re packing natural fibres from thrifted local shelves,
Complying with ideas aligned with SDG Twelve.
In the terminal, our parents wait: bags, bottles and straws.[5]
Ready to become garbage without a second’s pause.
You brought reusable travel gear to be environmentally clean,
And stood up for the ecosystems of SDG Fifteen.
Once you land we thought you’d take a private taxi ride.
Where wearing tires spread their dust across the countryside.[6]
Electric Trains and eco lanes are how your journey’s driven,
Supporting green communities and SDG Eleven.
And even when your days are done and you head back home to rest,
You clean your teeth with plastic sticks and hair with what we’ve blessed.
We hoped our microplastic waste would flow down through the mix.
But your solid bars and bamboo brush supported SDG Six.[7]
Across the map and through the skies, we spread our global waste.
Leaving a trail of single-use that can never be erased.
But every green alternative you choose along the way.
Inspires a global movement for a cleaner, brighter day.
[1] https://wesr.unep.org/media/docs/early_warning/microplastics.pdf
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12661513/
[3] https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2020719118
[4] https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/8/1404
[5] https://www.nrdc.org/stories/single-use-plastics-101
[6] https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/522
[7] https://www.thecommons.earth/blog/eliminate-microplastics-in-your-bathroom
