Summer is a time for road trips and exploring the natural wonders of the United States — including 63 magnificent national parks. 

Many popular outdoor spaces and activities, however, are inaccessible or poorly designed for visitors that use wheelchairs or have other disabilities. Several National Parks have implemented design choices that allow visitors of all abilities to experience the beauty of the parks, including paved paths, scenic drives with overlooks, interpretive exhibits or auditory aids. The Interagency Access Pass also provides free, lifetime admission to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites in the U.S. for those with permanent disabilities, including all of the National Parks. Here are few parks with the greatest accessibility (but, before hitting the road, note that several National Parks are requiring visitors to obtain advance permits this summer in order to visit). 

Acadia

Along the Atlantic coastline of Maine lies this iconic National Park of the Northeast. While Acadia’s rocky headlands might not look accessible at first glance, the park is among the most wheelchair-friendly in the country. 

In addition to a fleet of accessible shuttles that run from the nearby village centers to the park, the park’s Nature Center displays exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the area at wheelchair height. In the Wild Gardens of Acadia, wheelchair users can view native plants along a short, packed-gravel path lined with benches. Several trails are also usable by wheelchair; Jesup Path is made of a boardwalk that goes through a white birch forest, and Echo Lake features an accessible beach with wheelchair-accessible parking, bathrooms and a path right down to the water. If hiking isn’t your style, take a carriage ride along the park’s 45 miles of paved carriage roads in a wheelchair-accessible carriage from Wildwood Stables.  

Carlsbad Caverns

On the surface, the Chihuahuan Desert is home to cacti and desert fauna, but even more wonders lie beneath. This National Park is home to 119 caves carved in the limestone of the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico. 

A wheelchair-accessible elevator transports visitors 750 feet underground to the “Big Room” cave chamber, from which there are more than a mile of paved trails to roll through and view limestone formations. The trail might be wet from the dripping water in the caves, and some sections are rather steep and narrow, so it’s recommended that you visit with someone who can offer assistance during a self-guided tour. Visitors can also stop by the Bat Flight Amphitheater at sunset to view the swarming colony of bats each night. From late May through October, a ranger gives a talk in the evening (the time varies depending on the time of sunset), and there is a reserved area for visitors who use wheelchairs to watch. 

To see even more of the park, take your car down Walnut Canyon Desert Drive for a slow, one-hour, 10-mile drive through the desert to view wildlife and pull off at several (unpaved) viewpoints along the way. 

Grand Canyon

This iconic Arizona National Park encompasses 278 miles of the Colorado River and its adjacent uplands, and is a spectacular sight from both above and within. According to a study by Aging in Place, Grand Canyon National Park has 24 wheelchair-friendly trails, which accounts for 10.5% of all of the park’s trails. 

Visit the South Rim, which has accessible shuttle buses, bus tours, a visitor center, and viewpoints, several of which are barrier-free so the canyon views can be enjoyed from wheelchair height. Other accessible viewpoints include Mohave Point along Hermit Road, Grandview Point along Desert View Drive, the Arizona Room on the South Rim, and the view room at Thunderbird Lodge. Visitors can request a scenic drive accessibility permit at the entrance gate and visitor centers, which allows access to some drivable areas that are usually closed to visitors. 

For hikers, the 1.3-mile fully paved Trail of Time runs between the Verkamp Visitor Center and the Yavapai Geology Museum, with beautiful views and information along the trail. Companies like Arizona Raft Adventures provide other accessible experiences for visitors, including tours on boats with wheelchair ramps. 

Grand Teton

Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park is home to mountains, glaciers, faults, forests, rivers, lakes, wetlands and more, rising from 6,320 feet along the valley floor to nearly 14,000 feet in the Teton Range. The park’s recent Self Evaluation Transition Plan focuses on upgrading 17 areas of the park in order to make them accessible to all visitors. 

Fifteen miles of paved pathways run throughout the park, and several have appropriate grades for wheelchair use, such as Colter Bay headwall, Jackson Lake Dam overview and Menors Ferry Historic District. Around the 1,200-acre Jenny Lake, there is even a wheelchair-accessible path that allows visitors to roll into the water.  Several campgrounds — including Gros Ventre, Jenny Lake and Colter Bay — have partially accessible restrooms, as well as eight others along Grassy Lake Road. Accessible camping and RV sites are also available at Headwater Lodge & Cabins and Flagg Ranch. 

In Teton Village nearby, Teton Adaptive Sports leads adaptive climbing trips and other experiences for those with accessibility needs. 

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Great Sand Dunes 

While it’s one of the lesser visited national parks, Great Sand Dunes features spectacular natural sand dunes against a backdrop of snow capped mountains in Colorado. Rolling waves of slippery sand might not look accessible for all visitors, but the park offers special sand wheelchairs in both child and adult sizes. The chairs have inflatable wheels to traverse the landscape, and can be reserved in advance. The gap between the paved Dunes Parking Area and visitor center has an accessible mat, too. Campers who use wheelchairs can enjoy three accessible campsites at Piñon Flats Campground (one can be reserved, the other two are first come first serve), which have a hard surface and accessible bathrooms. The park even has a backcountry campsite at Sawmill Canyon that’s wheelchair-accessible from the parking area. But even if you don’t trek through the dunes, evening programs in the amphitheaters are the perfect place for visitors to view the iconic dark, clear skies over the park. 

Shenandoah

Located just 75 miles from Washington, DC, Shenandoah National Park is a haven of woods, waterfalls and vistas across more than 200,000 acres of land. The iconic 105-mile Skyline Drive — the park’s only public road — can be driven in 2 hours and features 69 overlooks, about a quarter of which have wheelchair-accessible parking spots. 

To get deeper into the park, try Limberlost Trail — a 1.3 mile loop made of crushed greenstone that’s smooth and flat — or see Dark Hollow Falls along Rose River Trail, which is accessible to motorized wheelchairs, but is made of dirt and gravel, so scooters and manual wheelchairs will have more difficulty. Lewis Mountain, Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge all have accessible lodging, and all picnic grounds and campgrounds within the park have accessible sites. 

For the deaf and hard-of-hearing, assistance listening devices are available for loan to learn about exhibits and follow along with films at the park, or try a virtual tour of the park. 

Yellowstone

Stretching across swaths of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, visitors flock to Yellowstone to marvel at its hydrothermal and geologic features. The park contains about half of the world’s active geysers, several of which which are accessible by wheelchair. 

16 accessible trails traverse the park — which is a relatively small percentage of the total number of trails, given the sheer size of the 2.2 million-acre park — and the famous Old Faithful Geyser is accessible via a boardwalk system. The Mount Haynes Overlook on the Madison River has an accessible fishing area, too. From your car, view natural features along the Virginia Cascade grand loop and Firehold Lake drive. 

If you’re planning an overnight, note that all campgrounds have a minimum of one wheelchair-accessible site, and both Goose Lake Backcountry Campsite and Ice Lake Backcountry Campsite can accommodate wheelchairs in the backcountry.

The park’s website has extensive information about accessibility in specific areas of the park for wheelchair users, including how to rent both manual and beach wheelchairs. 

Yosemite 

In the High Sierra, Yosemite National Park is known for its waterfalls, but there is so much to see for visitors of all abilities in this diverse landscape.  

The park provides an in-depth accessibility guide on their website to plan your visit, including how to access various points of interest. The famous Yosemite Falls, for one, rises to 2,425 feet and has a paved trail in the lower section, along which are benches and exhibits. Glacier Point offers views of Yosemite Valley along a 300-yard paved trail, leading to a vista and a model of geological gestures. Tuolumne Grove also has a paved path through the trees (including 25 giant sequoias), although there is a 7.5 grade section that’s slightly steep. While not currently visitable, a major project is underway to make Bridalveil Falls more wheelchair-accessible with a path and viewing area. 

Since the 1970s, Yosemite has maintained a Deaf Services program to assist deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors. The Deaf Services Coordinator can help you plan your visit beforehand, and then attend programs with you as an ASL interpreter. Visitors are also provided with public videophones and other items, like shake-awake alarm cloths and light-flasher smoke alarms inside the park lodge. 

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Faced with a wall of egg cartons at the grocery store, all plastered with different labels and phrases, it’s hard to know what to choose. Which is better: cage-free, free range or pasture-raised? What does “farm-fresh” mean? What lies behind the USDA Organic label? Are vegetarian-fed hens healthier and happier?

Without uniform regulation of these terms by the USDA, it’s hard to determine which phrases are legitimate and actually communicate something about the conditions of the farm, and which are merely greenwashing. While nonprofits and third-party organizations provide their own certifications, there is no single label that takes all issues of environmental sustainability, animal welfare and works rights on industrial factory farms — where most meat, dairy products and eggs are produced in the United States — into account. Deciding which labels and certifications to pay attention to requires some insight into the process.

Labels Regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture 

USDA Organic 

Like other USDA organic-certified products, USDA Organic eggs must meet pretty stringent requirements to earn the label. The Organic certification is primarily about environmental standards — not the welfare of the chickens or workers’ rights, although hens must have “liberal access to the outdoors” year-round and be fed 100% organic feed. They also aren’t fed antibiotics or poultry by-products (as chickens are sometimes given slaughterhouse scraps in their feed). 

USDA Grades (AA, A, B)

You know those big letters on egg cartons? They’re actually tied to some pretty specific egg qualities evaluated by the USDA through their Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). It’s not required for producers to have their product graded, so not all eggs on the shelf will have these grades, but those that do have been inspected for certain standards. Producers often enlist AMS to assure customers of the validity of their marketing claims.

Eggs from producers evaluated by the USDA will get a USDA Grade Shield, which also means that the marketing on the package has been verified by the Department (like the terms cage-free, free-range, etc). The grades are based on the quality and appearance of the shell, white (the albumen) and the yolk: AA is the highest grade, with A close behind, and B last, which allows for some imperfections (although no cracks) on the shell. 

Labels From Independent Third-Party Organizations

USDA-regulated labels, however, aren’t the only certifications found on egg cartons. Various independent third-party organizations have created their own labels to help customers know that marketing claims made on the product (“non-GMO,” “free-range,” etc.) are legitimate, since they’ve been vetted by this third-party organization. Many of these certifications speak to different issues — animal welfare, biodynamic or regenerative farming practices, etc. — so there’s no single, catch-all label to look for. 

The Global Animal Partnership seal is a common one, and reflects animal welfare standards at the production facility. A level 1 seal means that the facility allows cages and crowding, but the higher the level, the higher the quality of life for the chickens. Levels 5 and 5+, for example, require producers to eliminate or reduce painful procedures on the hens. Certified Humane — set by the Humane Farm Animal Care, a nonprofit organization — also has very specific standards for animal care regarding lighting and air conditions, food, cage-free living and access to enrichment activities for the chickens (like dustbathing, perches, etc.). 

FoodPrint shares several certifications with verifiable, comprehensive standards that look at environmental sustainability, animal welfare and social responsibility, including Animal Welfare Approved and Certified Regenerative by A Greener World, Demeter Certified Biodynamic, Regenerative Organic Certified and Real Organic Project. View a checklist of the requirements for each label on their website.

Common Phrases and What They Mean

Cage-Free 

In the United States, 99% of farmed chickens are raised in factory farms, where they are subjected to dangerous, unhealthy and miserable conditions. The vast majority of our egg supply also comes from these facilities, where each cage is smaller than a sheet of printer paper. While cage-free chickens aren’t put under these horrible conditions, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re wandering around in farm fields. 

USDA guidelines say that cage-free hens need to be able to move both vertically and horizontally in their indoor houses, and have access to fresh food and water. The hens must also be able to exhibit “natural behaviors” and have access to enrichments such as scratch areas, nests and perches. It’s important to note that the term “cage-free” is no indication of whether the chickens have access to the outdoors, or how much space the birds have. To know whether these elements are being addressed, the term needs to be accompanied by another third-party certification that evaluates their outdoor access and space requirements, like Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane or Global Animal Partnership.

Currently, there is no data on whether free-range or cage-free eggs have a higher nutritional value than those raised in conventional housing. 

Free-Range 

By USDA definition, “free-range” hens mean those that have “unlimited access to food and water” and have the “freedom to roam within the area” and “continuous access to the outdoors during their production cycle.” They must also be fenced and/or covered with netting, and like cage-free eggs, the birds must be allowed to roam both vertically and horizontally in their indoor areas. However, these requirements aren’t super stringent: there’s a lot of flexibility for what these outdoor spaces could be, from a small screened room, to a barn flush with the outdoors. No requirements are set for the size or quality of the space, or the amount of time they need to be outside. Although outdoor access can increase the quality of the hens’ lives, they might still face other types of inhumane treatment. 

All-Natural

While the world “natural” is often mistaken to be the same as “organic,” this isn’t true. The USDA defines “natural” eggs as any to which no artificial ingredients were added, and all eggs meet this criteria. Thus, any version of the word “natural” on an egg carton is ultimately nothing more than a marketing tactic. 

Farm Fresh

Despite the photographs of small, idyllic farms and rolling hills that might be on the carton, the term “farm fresh” says nothing about where the eggs inside actually come from. In fact, they could still be coming from a factory-farming operation. The term isn’t connected to any regulations. 

Hormone-Free

Products without hormones could also be labeled as rBGH-Free, rBST-Free and No Hormones Added. On dairy products, these labels mean that the cows weren’t given artificial hormones, which help increase milk production — but they are not relevant to eggs. No egg-laying hens in the United States are treated with hormones, so this isn’t an anomaly, or a reason to buy one carton of eggs over another. If you see this on an egg carton, it’s just a marketing tactic

Vegetarian-Fed

While the concept of vegetarian chickens initially sounds more sustainable, the concept is controversial since chickens are natural omnivores that eat grubs, worms and other bugs. Without this source of food, hens often don’t get the necessary amount of methionine (an important amino acid), so some facilities give their birds supplements instead. The chickens are still able to forage for insects on farms where they are allowed to roam outside, but as long as there’s no meat in their provided feed, the “vegetarian-fed” label can still be applied. The label also means they aren’t fed any animal by-products (which can sometimes include ground chicken).

Pasture-Raised 

The term itself isn’t defined by the USDA, but certifications from independent groups indicate that such standards are met. Certified Humane eggs labeled as pasture-raised, for example, are laid by chickens raised on land that has at least 108 square feet per bird, and they must be outside year-round with protection available from weather and predators. However, there’s no common government standard for producers, no uniform definition of what a “pasture” is, and no inspections are required to claim the pasture-raised label. 

Non-GMO

If stamped with a non-GMO label, the eggs inside come from hens that aren’t fed with genetically modified foods. While all organic products are non-GMO, non-GMO products aren’t necessarily organic, and the label doesn’t speak to whether pesticides or other chemicals were used in the production of the animal feed. 

Humane

Phrases like “humane,” “humanely handled” or “humanely raised” are not defined by the USDA, so producers can create their own definitions. Thus, the word itself therefore doesn’t mean anything, unless it’s alongside a seal or certification from a legitimate third party.

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Pollinators are crucial for growing the food we eat and supporting the diverse plant life that sustains our ecosystems. When feeding on pollen or nectar for energy, pollinators carry pollen from the stamen of the flower to the stigma, which fertilizes the plant so it can produce fruit and seeds. While honeybees and bumblebees might come immediately to mind as pollinators, they actually aren’t native to the U.S. There are 20,000 different species of bees in the world, and 4,000 in the U.S. and Canada alone, many of which look different from the bees we’re familiar with. Plenty of other species work as pollinators, too, like ants, beetles, butterflies and wasps, as well as bats and birds. About 2,000 bird species feed on flowers — primarily hummingbirds in the U.S. 

About 80% of all plants on earth depend on pollinators to survive, as well as 75% of leading food crops. Without pollinators, we would lose so many plant species that depend upon them, and thus lose their service as carbon sequesterers, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and thereby combating climate change. Yet, due to pesticide use, habitat loss and fragmentation, and the impacts of climate change, pollinator populations are dwindling. In 1947, there were around 6 million managed bee colonies — a number that plummeted to around 2.71 million by 2020. 

In the face of colony collapse and other threats to pollinators, these species need more hospitable environments to reproduce and thrive — and your backyard can be the perfect place.

Ditch Your Lawn

It’s time to break up with your lawn. 

Turf grass covers 2% of the continental U.S., and it’s the single largest irrigated crop in the country. Basically, we’re mono-cropping our yards with non-native grass species and failing to support the diverse plant and animal life needed in a healthy ecosystem, creating a food desert for pollinators. Growing multiple plant species in your yard provides multiple food sources for animal species, boosting the diversity of your yard and contributing to the larger food web of the region. Plants will also be less susceptible to disease in the midst of greater diversity. Instead of throwing down grass seed, try cultivating a few new plants in the yard (more on growing native plants later). 

Or, let the weeds reign! Clover, dandelion and other lawn weeds are some of the most important food sources for bees in urban areas. Try native ornamental grasses instead of the typical Kentucky Bluegrass, or try other groundcover plants like barberry cotoneaster, clover, Corsican mint and creeping jenny, or flowering perennial groundcover species like horned violets, liriope and sweet woodruff. 

Mow Less

If you do need to maintain a lawn, cut back on mowing. Rather than cutting the grass once a week, try for every three weeks, which is enough time for pollinators to enjoy flowering plants before they’re gone. Not to mention, you’ll emit fewer fossil fuels without turning on the gas-powered lawn mower as frequently.

Plant Native Species 

Perhaps the most important thing you can do to attract pollinators to your yard is planting native flowering plants! Instead of covering the expanse of your yard with non-native grass, transform a section — or the whole thing — into a native plant garden. Even if you don’t have a yard, a few window boxes or containers on a porch or balcony is very beneficial to pollinators. 

Regional pollinators coevolved with native plants over time, forming mutually beneficial relationships that can play out in your own yard; both pollinator and plant will be more successful by interacting with one another. Because native species vary widely by region, there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation for which plants to grow. Look for local gardening resources before choosing seeds, or check out the National Plant Society and the Ecoregional Planting Guides from the Pollinator Partnership to search for native plants in your area. 

Spring and summer aren’t the only times for growing flowers — be sure to look for pollinator-friendly flowers that grow in the late summer and fall, too. 

Provide Nesting Sites

Along with providing pollen and nectar for pollinators to feed on, provide them with a safe place to live, too. Both bees and hummingbirds create nests, maybe even in your backyard. Hummingbirds use plant matter like moss and lichen to build nests in trees or bushes, so take care not to interrupt their existing nesting sites when trimming shrubs or trees.  

Contrary to popular representations of bees, not all live in hives. In fact, most bee species are solitary. Ground nesting bees create burrows in the ground to live and lay their eggs. Provide them a space to nest by leaving a small patch of bare dirt at the edge of your yard, out of reach of the sprinklers. Cavity nesters, on the other hand, use piles of sticks, logs, branches and twigs for nests. If it’s not a hazard, leave some debris piles for them to utilize, especially at the end of the season when you aren’t using all garden space. 

Alternatively, buy (or make) an insect hotel, which mimics natural nesting areas for a variety of beneficial insects, like wood-boring beetles and solitary bees. Take a wooden container (preferably one that’s rot-resistant, like cedar) and fill it with natural materials like bamboo pieces, twigs and sticks, pinecones, wood shavings and other materials. The crevices between them are good nesting sites for bugs. 

Avoid Pesticides and Befriend the Bugs

To invite pollinators into your yard, lay down the pesticides. 

Some pesticides — like neonicotinoids — are “systemic.” This means they make plants toxic to insects, including bees. It can impair their memory, interfere with reproduction and make them more at risk for viruses, which are widespread and potentially deadly. Scientists have found evidence of pesticides and herbicides in beehives and honey, meaning that bees pick up these substances when they’re pollinating and bring them back to their hive. 

Instead of spraying your crops, try an organic method instead. Check out the Farmers Almanac guide to naturally deterring garden pests. Bringing in more bugs can actually help, too. Add more beneficial insects to your garden — like ladybugs and praying mantises — that feed on the problematic ones. Ladybugs can eat thousands of aphids, and the ground beetles will take care of caterpillars, slugs, nematodes and weevils. The more species diversity, the less problematic those bag bugs will be. 

If you do use pesticides, read the EPA’s guidance on how to do so responsibly and with minimal impact. 

Provide a Water Source

Like us, pollinators need water. A small water source in your yard helps them hydrate, clean themselves and moderate their body temperature. Butterflies and bees like a puddle area, and all will benefit from a bird bath or small water feature. Hummingbirds will even drink from a hanging water bottle with a slow drip. For the bees, put out a shallow dish of water filled with marbles or stones so they can reach the liquid without drowning.

The post How to Attract Pollinators to Your Yard appeared first on EcoWatch.

Quick Key Facts

1. Plastic use has quadrupled over the last 30 years, and 380 million metric tons are now produced annually.
2. Microplastics are small plastic fragments 5 mm or less in diameter, and are either created for products at this size or are the result of plastic degradation in the environment. 
3. Microplastics are found virtually everywhere on Earth, from the deepest parts of the ocean to the highest mountains, in the air we breathe and in the water we drink. 
4. Oceans are an area of particular concern regarding microplastics, as plastics degrade there more readily, and marine wildlife often mistake plastics for food. 
5. Heavy metals and environmental contaminants can stick to microplastics, which bioaccumulate in the tissues of animals that ingest them. 
6. Bottled water, seafood, dust, and even fruits and vegetables contain microplastics. Humans ingest roughly 50,000-120,000 pieces of plastic every year.
7. Microplastics have been found in human blood, lungs, kidneys and placentas, where they can cause adverse health effects. 
8. New technologies are seeking to remove microplastics from environments using nanocoils and magnetic liquid.

We use a lot of plastic. 

Since the 1950s, more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic has been produced by humans. All in all, only 9% of these plastics have actually been recycled, and the rest has either been incinerated or landed up in landfills — and, in many cases, in the natural environment, especially waterways and oceans. At our current rate of plastic production and disposal, our oceans are on track to contain more plastic than fish as soon as 2050.

Consider single-use plastic water bottles, for instance. One million of these plastic bottles are purchased every minute. So, what happens to all of this plastic? When we fail to dispose of it safely and it ends in natural environments, how do they change? Do they ever truly decompose?

What Are Microplastics?

No organisms can break down the chemical bonds in plastic. So when plastic waste ends up in the environment, it doesn’t degrade like paper, organic matter, textiles, or even aluminum, all of which can decompose eventually. In the presence of sun, heat, water, and mechanical forces from waves, winds and tides, plastics merely break down into smaller and smaller pieces. These tiny plastic fragments are called microplastics, and they’re found almost everywhere, from the most remote regions on Earth, to the food and water we consume, to the blood in our own bodies. Microplastics are defined as any plastic that’s 5 mm (about ⅕ of an inch) or smaller — sometimes so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye. 

Where Do They Come From?

Microplastics are made of polyethylene (the material of most plastic bags and bottles), polystyrene, nylon, or PVC. They’re either created at that microplastic-size or are shed from larger plastic products over time as they degrade through exposure to heat, UV light, oxidation and mechanical processes. These two types of microplastics are categorized as either primary or secondary microplastics. 

Primary Microplastics

Primary microplastics were already less than 5 mm in size before they entered natural environments. Sometimes, these are resin pellets created to be melted down to make larger plastic products. Often, however, these primary microplastics are microbeads or textile fibers from synthetic fabrics, created purposefully for these products. Microbeads first appeared in personal care products about 50 years ago, according to the United National Environment Programme, and it’s very likely that you’ve encountered them before, whether you realized it or not. These tiny polyethylene beads are found in face scrubs, toothpaste, sunscreen, and makeup, and easily wash down drains and pass through treatment plants given their tiny size. 

Microfibers are another ubiquitous type of primary microplastic. They look like thin strands of hair and are found in textiles like clothing, towels, and even cigarette butts. In the laundry, these fibers shed off of fabrics — as many as 700,000 per load — and contaminate wastewater. Fleece fabrics in particular are notorious for their shedding of plastic microfibers. 

Secondary Microplastics

Secondary microplastics, on the other hand, were not created at these miniscule sizes, but rather come from larger plastics — plastic water bottles, plastic straws, plastic bags, tea bags, fishing nets, car tires, etc. — which degrade slowly into microplastics. Secondary microplastics account for two-thirds of all microplastics. They are created as large plastic products degrade in natural environments (like the ocean) over time, or are caused by run-off over land, which carries tiny fragments from landfills, road paints, tires, etc.

Nanoplastics

Microplastics can break into even smaller particles called nanoplastics — ranging in size from 1 nanometer (one-billionth of a meter) to 1 micrometer (one-millionth of a meter) — the effects of which are still being researched. 

Environmental Impact of Microplastics 

Although small, microplastics pose significant threats to the environment. Given their miniscule size, microplastics can travel far on the wind and water, reaching remote ecosystems, coating the floor of the ocean, and impacting wildlife along the way. 

Where Are They Found?

Microplastics easily make their way into oceans and waterways, carried in the wastewater from our homes and industries, runoff from the land, or by wind and storms that bring plastic litter or microplastics into the ocean. They are found virtually everywhere on Earth: in the soil, the depths of the ocean and floating through the air. Microplastics have been uncovered in some of the remotest regions of the plant, including the Arctic and in freshly fallen snow in Antarctica. They’ve been found in the Mariana Trench — the deepest part of the ocean — and the summit of Mount Everest — the highest place on Earth. 

Impact of Microplastics on Wildlife

We’ve all seen some version of the same photograph: a fish or wild animal cut open to show a stomach full of plastic, brightly colored waste where food should be. Extensive research has been done on the impact of plastics on wildlife, but information is still emerging about the impact of microplastics specifically. However, though they are small, we know that they do cause damage in ecosystems all over the world. On Lord Howe Island — a remote island of Australia — up to 90% of fleshfooted shearwater birds have at least one piece of plastic in their stomachs, showing just how far-reaching this problem is. 

Most of the time, larger plastics and microplastics alike are mistaken as a food source by wildlife. When ingested, they are known to block the gastrointestinal tracts of fish and small birds, and can be abrasive to their digestive systems. There’s evidence to suggest that microplastics also cause a false sense of fullness in some animals, which might lead to decreased feeding and subsequent malnutrition. Microplastics can also interrupt nutrient absorption and impact an animal’s ability to reproduce, thereby affecting mortality rates and population growth.

Microplastics and Our Oceans

Eight million tons of plastics reach our oceans every year, which makes them an area of particular concern regarding microplastics. Imagine: that’s a garbage truck the size of New York City depositing waste in the ocean, every minute for a whole year. It’s thought that 14 million metric tons of microplastics are on the floor of the ocean alone, and in 2021, Kyushu University scientists estimated that 24.4 trillion microplastics are in the world’s upper oceans, which is equivalent to about 30 billion half-liter bottles. 

Wind and runoff from waterways transports microplastics from land, and plastic also breaks down very quickly on beaches and in the ocean with heat, tides and wind aiding the degradation process. The top five trash items in the ocean — cigarette butts, plastic bottles, food wrappers, plastic bags, and straws/stirrers — degrade, as do the huge amounts of “ghost” (abandoned) fishing gear in oceans. There is evidence, too, that plastics increase ocean acidity, which could lead to coral bleaching and impact the development of molluscs.

Plastics are also vectors of heavy metals and environmental contaminants like PCBs and DDT. These pollutants can be found in low concentrations in the ocean, and easily latch onto the surfaces of microplastics, where they interact with one another and become more harmful. When aquatic wildlife mistake microplastics for food, these chemicals enter their body. As larger animals consume smaller ones, these chemicals bioaccumulate in their tissues over time, so predators at the top of the food chain are ingesting harmful amounts. 

Microplastics and Human Health 

New research has been emerging on the long-term health effects of microplastics on the human body, and it’s estimated that the average person ingests 50,000-120,000 pieces of plastic every year. In fact, we could each be eating as much as a credit card’s-worth of plastic every week. 

How Are Microplastics Ingested?

Microplastics have become so widespread that they’ve been detected in the food we eat and water we drink — especially in bottled water, which is easily contaminated with microplastics through the manufacturing and packaging processes. Teabags release microplastics, too, when brewed in hot water — one study recorded as many as 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics released by a single tea bag during the brewing process.

Because fish often mistake microplastics for food, small species that are eaten whole (like shellfish) are a common vector of microplastics for humans. A recent study found that 75% of fish have ingested plastic in some capacity, and microplastics specifically have been found in 386 aquatic species, half of which are used commercially. Even fruits and vegetables can contain microplastics, absorbing incredibly tiny nanoplastics through their roots. Because microplastics and microfibers often mix with household dust, they can be ingested through the air, too.

Impact of Microplastics on the Body

All of these ingested microplastics can make their way into different areas of the human body. Some are even small enough to enter the bloodstream, confirmed by a groundbreaking 2022 study that found microplastics in human blood and 39 different microplastics in all regions of the lungs. Microplastics have even been detected in the human placenta for the first time, as well as the liver, spleen and kidneys. 

Exposure to microplastics can disrupt the gut microbiome, damage DNA and affect human cells, causing allergic reactions and cell death. When inhaled, they can cause irritation, inflammation and even cancer. The harmful chemicals in plastics also impact the body, including endocrine disruptors like BPA and phthalates that impact hormone levels and can cause reproductive problems. Other chemicals like dyes and plasticizers leach out as the plastics break down. Of the 10,000 chemicals identified in plastics, 2,400 are of “potential concern,” and 88% can leach. 

How to Avoid Microplastics 

Luckily, there are simple steps you can take to cut microplastics out of your life, and help minimize their introduction into the environment. 

1. Cut out cosmetics and beauty products that contain microplastics. 

Take a look at your current personal care products and beauty routine. You can determine whether a product has microbeads in it by looking at the ingredients. Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Nylon (PA), Polypropylene (PP) and Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) are common ingredients in microbeads. Beat the Microbead’s search tool also helps you uncover the plastic content of common personal care products like lotion, toothpaste, face wash, soap, makeup, sunscreen, lip balm, perfume and more. 

2. Don’t microwave food in plastic.

When heated, some plastics will leach out BPA and phthalates into the food you’re about to eat. Transfer leftovers or takeout onto plates instead of heating them right in the container. Paper takeaway cups are similar, and release microplastics when hot liquids are poured into them. When grabbing a coffee on the go, try using a reusable, insulated thermos instead. 

3. Drink tap water instead of bottled water.

A 2018 study found that bottled water has double the amount of microplastics as tap water, so avoid it whenever possible (plus, single-use bottles are a huge source of waste). Tap water can contain microplastics, too. Filter your tap water at home with a carbon block or distillation filter, which are proven to filter out microplastics. 

4. Switch up your laundry routine. 

With each load of laundry, your clothes are likely shedding microfibers — possibly hundreds of thousands per wash. A 2017 report found that 35% of all ocean microplastics originate from synthetic fabrics, but you can prevent these fibers from entering wastewater in the first place. Install microfiber filters in your washing machine, or wash your clothing inside a Guppyfriend bag, which traps fibers inside. The Cora Ball is similar, and keeps fibers from breaking off of clothes in the first place. The tumbling action of dryers also allows clothing to shed fibers more readily, so air-dry whenever possible. 

5. Clean regularly. 

Since microplastics are often in dust particles, keeping your space clean will minimize the threat of inhaling microplastics — especially if you have small children that crawl or play on the ground. 

6. Cut down on single-use plastics.

Simply put, the fewer plastics we consume, the fewer microplastics will end up in our natural environment. Each year, 335 million metric tons of plastic are created, 50% of which consists of single-use products. Consider the single-use, disposable items you use regularly — coffee cups, water bottles, plastic storage bags, heavily-wrapped produce — and whether they can be replaced with reusable alternatives. 

What Can We Do? 

Personal actions — like reducing use of single-use plastics — are important, but in order to truly get microplastics under control, legislative and technological solutions are paramount. 

The Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 was signed by President Obama, and prohibits the manufacturing and distribution of rinse-off cosmetics that contain microbeads. The UK released a similar ban on microbeads in personal care products and cosmetics in 2018. However, further legislative action targeting both plastics and microplastics specifically will be necessary to reduce their introduction into the natural environment. 

New technological innovations, however, seek to remove microplastics from the environment after they’ve been introduced. Scientists are using nanocoils — an emerging hybrid material that acts as a small reactor — to break down microplastics into smaller pieces, then eventually into water and carbon dioxide. They hypothesize that this technology could be used on wastewater, too, before it flows into the environment, catching microplastics before they move out to sea. Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology have also discovered a way to use magnets to remove microplastics from water. They’ve developed an absorbent that, when mixed with water, is attractive to microplastics (and even some environmental pollutants). Because of the iron content of the absorbent, magnets can be used to collect it and the microplastics afterwards. These scientists believe this technology could be a viable, affordable alternative to existing technology, which cannot filter out microplastics smaller than 5 mm. 

Takeaway 

The issue of microplastics is complex, and one that’s wrapped up in many other social and environmental concerns: our huge use of plastics (contingent upon consumerism and dependence on disposable items), our flawed systems of recycling and waste disposal, and lack of adequate regulation around plastics. A reduction in single-use plastics, better removal technologies, and legislative action around plastic production and disposal are needed to reduce microplastics for the sake of human and environmental health.

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The days are getting longer, the sun is getting brighter, and the temperature is getting (slowly) warmer. It’s seed sowing time! 

Getting a garden started can be expensive, especially when you buy seedlings from nurseries. A few dollars for each herb, flower, and vegetable you want to enjoy can add up really quickly. Starting your crops from seed yourself is much more cost effective (plus, it’s exciting to watch).

For warm weather crops like tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, the spring soil is too cool for germination, so they can’t be started outside to begin with. In some regions, there aren’t even enough warm days to go from seed to harvest for certain plants too, so starting indoors gives you a leg up and earlier harvests. Check out the Farmer’s Almanac’s guidance on what seeds can be started indoors, and which prefer being started outside. 

Here’s everything you need to know about growing happy, healthy seedlings indoors. 

Selecting Seeds

Before getting too mesmerized by the seed selection at your local garden center (yes, we know the feeling), consider a few things before making any purchases. 

First and foremost, consider the conditions of your garden — like light exposure and soil composition — to determine what plants will thrive in your space. It’s also important to figure out what Hardiness Zone you live in, which is based on the average temperatures of your region. Seed packets will list which zones a given plant can survive in. 

It’s also important to be realistic about how much work you’ll be able to put in — don’t overdo it, especially your first year. But know that even if you have a small space — like a fire escape, front porch or balcony — there are still plants you can easily grow in containers, so don’t let that stop you. 

Check the date printed on the seed packet before planting; seeds don’t last forever, so you don’t want to use anything that was bought more than two or three years ago. To save them for next year, store the packets in a cool, dry, dark place.

When to Plant 

Figuring out the optimal time to plant is perhaps the hardest part of indoor seed starting. Different seeds need different lengths of time indoors before they can be transplanted into an outdoor garden — some as short as 2 or 3 weeks, some as long as 10 weeks. Additionally, not all seeds want to be started inside either (although, most vegetables and many flowers can be).

First, find out the estimated last frost date in your region. The seed packet will indicate how many weeks before the last frost date they should be started, so count backwards from that date and plan to start your seeds then. Look at local gardening resources as well for tips from seasoned growers in your region; they might offer further tips about the likelihood of freak snow and frost events late in the season, and recommend an even later planting date. Optimal planting dates will be different for different plants, so your seed starting might be somewhat staggered. 

Supplies and Setup

Seed Trays 

For tiny, tiny seeds like mint and basil, you can put multiple seeds all together in a larger pot, but in most cases, seeds should be planted in small, individual containers. Garden centers carry long trays with rows of individual cells, one for each seed — but you can use whatever you have: extra small pots you have laying around, old yogurt containers and tupperware, or plastic egg cartons. Just poke some little holes in the bottom for excess moisture to escape. Seed trays usually come with a cover that fits over the tray and acts like a greenhouse to trap in moisture, but any transparent container, plastic wrap, or bag will do the trick too. 

Growing Medium 

Choosing a growing medium is a little more complicated than throwing some soil into a pot. Ordinary potting soil is fine for some plants, but most prefer a porous seed starting mix. These mixes usually contain things like coconut coir, perlite, rice hulls, sphagnum peat moss, and vermiculite, which create a lighter, finer soil that is better for the tiny seeds and helps prevent fungal problems. Some mixes also include things like compost or other fertilizers to aid in growth, but seed starting mixes are generally low in nutrients. A homemade or store bought mix is fine, but don’t use soil from outside — it might carry pests or diseases, and is probably too heavy and compact for the seeds to grow. 

Light 

Even in a south facing window, it’s likely that the seedlings won’t get enough hours of light. Any LED or fluorescent grow light that’s “full spectrum” — meaning that it acts like the sun producing light in the full range of visual spectrum — works, and should be suspended about 2-3 inches above the seedlings. Pretty much all seeds want light, although some prefer more darkness than others. Check the packet to make sure you’re giving the plants the amount of light they need to thrive. 

Temperature

Your basement probably isn’t as hot as a warm, summer garden, but if you can keep the area around 65-70º, the seeds should be just fine. Remember if you don’t have a spot in your house that’s that warm, they’ll get some heat from the light, and the trapped moisture will provide a humid environment.

Some warm season crops need higher temperatures to germinate, in which case you can consider a heat mat to place underneath your seed trays. This isn’t always necessary, but it’s a good option if the place you’re keeping the seeds is exceptionally cold. Alternatively, just place the trays somewhere in the house that’s already warm, like the top of the refrigerator. 

Planting Seeds 

Once you know the light and temperature needs of your crops, it’s time to start planting. 

First, you’ll need to dampen the seed starting mixture. Mix the soil with water until it’s the consistency of a wrung-out sponge: damp, but not wet. Distribute the soil into containers, tamping it down a little, but not packing it so much that it loses its fluffy, aerated structure. 

Check the seed packets for additional instructions; some need to be soaked or chilled for a period before being planted, although this isn’t common. 

One seed should be planted in each cell (or “plug”) although you can do multiple if you want to be safe and ensure that the seeds take — just know that if multiple sprout in one cell, you’ll have to remove the others. Poke a hole with your finger or the eraser end of a pencil at depth specified on the packet, which ranges widely: some seeds want 1-2 inches, some ½ of an inch, and some as little as ⅛ of an inch. The tiniest seeds should just be pressed into the surface of the soil, without being covered at all. Generally, the smaller the seed, the closer to the surface it should be. Cover the deeper planted seeds with a little soil. When in doubt, plant a few more seeds than you need. If you want three basil plants, plant four or five in case some don’t take — you can always give them away!

After you plant, label each cell (or cluster of them) so you know what seeds to expect — you don’t want to lose track of what things are! Use popsicle sticks or seed labels to write the names in permanent marker so it doesn’t run when you mist the seeds. 

Daily Care

There are three main considerations in daily seed care: temperature, light, and water/humidity. It seems long, but the seeds need at least 12-16 hours of artificial sunlight a day — so pretty much the entire day. Spray the trays with a mister (watering cans send out a forceful stream that could dislodge the seeds) at least once a day to keep the soil wet but not damp. Soaking soil could lead to fungal diseases that quickly kill off young plants. You can also bottom water the plants by pouring a little water into a container underneath the trays, and the seedlings will soak up water from below. However you choose to water, the transparent tray covers will help hold in heat and moisture all day long.

Caring for Larger Seedlings

Pretty soon, you’ll see tiny leaves unfurling from the soil. These are the “​​cotyledons” — the first leaf or pair of leaves to come from the embryo of a seed — which eventually wither and the “real” leaves start to form After this happens, you can start lightly feeding the seeds with a water soluble, diluted fertilizer while watering, but only once every two weeks. 

If you planted multiple seeds in a cell and several take, you’ll need to “cull” the seeds, sacrificing the smaller ones so resources can be allocated to only one plant. Cut them down with a pair of scissors or garden shears rather than pulling them up out of the soil, which can damage the roots. 

The seedlings might need to be “potted up” eventually — that is, moved into larger pots once they’re too big for their cells, but aren’t ready (either because of their size or weather conditions) to move outdoors. Move the seedlings into pots about 3-4 inches wider. You can use potting soil for these now, rather than the seed starting mix. Don’t wait too long before potting up; the seedlings will struggle without proper space and get weaker or leggy. 

Hardening Off Seedlings 

When the seedlings are almost ready to go into the garden, they need to be prepared for the wind, and harsher temperatures of the outdoors — a process called “hardening.” Move the seed trays outdoors to a shady spot for one hour, increasing the time by an hour every day over a period of 1-2 weeks. Eventually, they’ll be able to withstand the direct sunlight, and can be left out overnight, as long as the temperature doesn’t fall below 50 degrees. By the end of the process, they’ll be acclimated to the outdoor conditions and won’t be shocked when put outside. 

Transplanting

Once the seedlings are large, sturdy, and well acclimated, they’re ready to go in the garden! Try to transplant at a time that isn’t especially hot — ideally a cloudy day or late in the afternoon. The seedlings might wilt initially, but they should perk up in a day or two. Using row covers can help protect them for the first few days while they’re adjusting to the outdoors, but they aren’t vital.

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