Planet or plastic? National Geographic Campaign

National Geographic Magazine just launched an informational and stunningly open campaign called Planet or Plastic? And this is what we all need to see and realize.

16 PHOTOS

1. A new issue of National Geographic will provide information on plastic waste.

2. Many of us know that there is too much plastic in our environment.

3. We all feel a little guilty when we throw away plastic bags, knowing that we are contributing to a problem that is too vast for us to truly understand.

4. But what if we have already faced dire consequences?

5. These powerful and heartbreaking photographs illustrate the damage of 9 million tons of plastic waste to our environment and wildlife every year.

6. It is one of the goals of the magazine's campaign to change the way plastic is used.

7. Because every change, no matter how small, helps at a certain level.

8. The magazine itself sets an example by starting to pack its publications in paper rather than in a plastic bag.

9. The campaign has identified plastic bags, bottles, and straws as harmful products.

10. And encourages consumers to commit to drastically reducing their use by making simple, conscious choices.

11. Will you make your choice?

12. For 130 years, National Geographic has documented the stories of our planet, providing viewers around the world with a window into the stunning beauty of the Earth, as well as showing the threats it faces.

13. Every day, researchers and photographers in the field bear witness to the devastating impact of single-use plastic on our oceans, and the situation is becoming direr.

14. Through "Planet or Plastic?" the magazine will tell stories about this growing crisis, work to solve it through the latest science and research, and will try to convey to audiences around the world how to stop using plastic and prevent it from entering our oceans.

15. China is the largest plastics producer, accounting for over a quarter of the world's total, most of which is exported to the world.