The images of our planet's ocean in the grip of a serious plastic pollution crisis have been going viral on social media. And while federal and state governments continue to ignore this issue, an upcoming global initiative called "Plastic Free July" will help us all make meaningful changes for cleaner beaches worldwide!

A plastic-waste tsunami-like wave washed up onto Brazil's Sao Conrado Beach, where it was discovered by locals, who then notified authorities about what they found. Similar scenes can also be seen across Guatemala - you cannot see any water because everything else has taken its place: plastics.

The video by 4 Ocean to Local 10 News shows the harsh reality of our global plastic consumption. The images are shocking. What's more, you don't have to look hard in South Florida - we're consuming plastic more than any other country on earth and discarding it like garbage right into their own oceans!

And while Naples Junk Removal companies are trying their best, more contributions are required.

As per the words of Dania Beach resident Emily Robinson, "It's like a firehose of plastic every day, and it doesn't go away."

From Dania Beach to Biscayne Bay, pollution is everywhere. The water has turned a dark color, and small particles are floating on top of it, making you think about what could be swimming underneath without knowing for sure. Who wants their seafood cooked in someone else's dirt?

Sophie Ringle, founder of Clean Miami Beach says, "It is unbelievable to me to see how addicted we are to plastic and how we continue to ignore the problem."

Clean Miami Beach was able to pick up all of the plastic strangling Pine Tree Park's mangroves last weekend, but it has been reported that they will need at least two or three cleanups per week for our shores to look decent.

Earth's resources are rapidly running out, and we have been generating more waste than ever before. The planet can't take anymore, but with recycling only 9% of all plastic, it seems our hands are tied!

Catherine Uden from Oceana says, "Recycling does not work. We cannot keep up with the amount of plastic that's produced now and will be in the future, so we have to just reduce it at the source."

It seems that the state of Florida doesn't want to allow Uden, a Conservationist, and representative for Oceana. An organization is trying for more plastic regulation to protect our oceans from being polluted by garbage that is killing sea turtles and other marine life.

Upset about this decision, I wonder if you've ever thought about running for office?

"Right now, plastic production is expected to quadruple," Uden said. "Obviously, the more plastic production we have, the more plastic you will see in the environment."

The planet needs us to take a stand against plastic pollution. And this month, we're doing just that by committing ourselves exclusively to reusable products for one full week! The initiative "Plastic Free July" was launched 11 years ago, engaging people from around the world who want a better life for themselves AND our environment."

"It might seem very overwhelming to the average consumer to do anything about it, but there are very easy, simple tips that you can do on an everyday basis to make a big difference," said Caiti Waks, co-founder of Debris Free Ocean.

If you want to be environmentally friendly, one thing will make a huge difference. Stop drinking plastic-bottled water!

Why? Well, they cost more in terms of energy and material costs because most major brands add toxins like Bisphenol-A (BPA). It can leach into your drink, causing serious health problems such as hormonal imbalance or breast cancer tumors - talk about scary stuff there! All this aside, we would recommend getting yourself some reusable containers.

"You can get reusable bags that are machine washable," Waks said.