30 Facts About Sustainability to Take Seriously

Here at Make Waves, our sustainability efforts aren’t just something we say, it’s something we do. We know just how important it is to take care of our planet, and these facts about sustainability are the evidence. 

We’ve already shared some of our favourite ways to be sustainable in everyday life, but sometimes it’s important to understand the why. We only ever use recycled plastic in our products, and our refill capsules are 100% recyclable. This way, we aren’t putting any new material into the world, only putting that which already exists to use (rather than waste!).

With these environmental facts, you’ll understand why our commitment is so important to us, and why it's imperative that we start putting existing plastic to use, and not waste.

30 facts about sustainability you need to know

As winners of Marie Claire’s Sustainability Award, you can trust that we know what we’re talking about when it comes to sustainability. Taking care of our planet isn’t just a one-time thing - it’s a long-term commitment to doing what is best for everyone. 

Ocean sustainability facts

1. In areas of the ocean deeper than 6000m, more than 50% of the debris was plastic (almost all of which was single-use). (Source: UNEP)

2. Single-use plastic has been found in the world’s deepest ocean trench - a plastic bag was found in the Mariana Trench, 10,898m below the surface. (Source: UNEP)

3. It is thought that the ocean will contain one tonne of plastic for every three tonnes of fish by 2025. (Source: Ellen McArthur Foundation)

4. By 2050, there will be more plastics than fish by weight. (Source: Ellen McArthur Foundation)

5. Every single minute, the equivalent of a truckload of plastic pollutes the oceans. (Source: World Economic Forum)
   
   

Facts about the environmental temperature

6. In April 2025, the average temperature around the world reached 1.22°C above pre-20th-century levels. (Source: NCEI) 

7. 2025 is set to become the second-warmest year on record - second only to 2024. (Source: Carbon Brief)

8. The world’s extreme weather could cause $145 billion in insured losses this year. (Source: Swiss RE)
   
   

Global emissions statistics

9. China, the U.S., and India contribute 42.6% of total global emissions. (Source: WRI)

10. Whereas, the bottom 100 countries make up just 2.9% of global emissions. (Source: WRI)

11. Global GHG emissions must be reduced by 42% by 2030 in order to limit warming to the 1.5°C threshold. (Source: UNEP)

12. This should reach 57% by 2035. (Source: UNEP)

13. If emissions continue to rise at their current rate, almost a third of species could be near extinction by the end of the 21st century. (Source: Science)
    
    

How AI is impacting the environment

14.  Almost 50% of executives have shared that AI has increased their carbon emissions. (Source: Capgemini)

15. On average, one ChatGPT prompt requires almost 10 times the electricity to process as a standard Google search. (Source: Goldman Sachs)

16. Just one data center can use nearly 5 million gallons of water each day for cooling. (Source: The Washington Post)

17. On average, 30% of servers in large data centers are unused but still consume electricity. (Source: Siemens)
    
    

How consumers are impacting the environment

18. Consumers are signaling their commitment to sustainability - with 46% reporting that they are opting for goods that are sustainably produced or sourced. (Source: PwC)

19. Consumers are willing to spend an average of 9.7% more for sustainable products. (Source: PwC)

20. The fashion industry makes up as much as 10% of global emissions. (Source: Centre for Biological Diversity) 

21. As well as 20% of industrial water pollution. (Source: European Parliament)

22. For every five garments produced, it’s believed that three end up in landfills or are even incinerated. (Source: McKinsey & Company)

23. More than 70% of the microplastics in the ocean are thought to be from washing clothing made of synthetic fibers. (Source: The Ocean Race)
    
    

Statistics about deforestation

24. In 2023, the world lost 9.1 million acres of primary tropical forest. (Source: The New York Times)

25. The following year, the tropics lost 6.7 million hectares of primary rainforest - breaking the previous record. (Source: World Economic Forum)

26. More than 4.7 million hectares of forests – an area larger than Denmark – are lost every year. (Source: UNEP)
    
    

Plastic environment facts

27. It can take between 20 and 1000 years for plastic to decompose. Certain plastics don’t fully decompose either - they simply degrade into smaller particles. (Source: Divert)

28. To make a plastic bottle from recycled plastic, 75% less energy is consumed than using ‘virgin’ material. (Source: WRAP)

29. It is estimated by scientists that only 9% of all the plastic waste from around the world is recycled. (Source: OECD)

30. The UK collects 390,000 tonnes of plastic bottles a year for recycling. (Source: BPF)
    
    

Wondering how you can be more sustainable? Support businesses like Make Waves!

We are all told that we need to do more to protect our planet, and these facts about the environment really put things in perspective. If you’re sitting there not knowing what you can do to support the environment, making sustainable swaps is where to begin. 

Our natural deodorant and antiperspirant uses a circular economy that doesn’t add any new materials to the planet. By only using recycled materials that can then be recycled themselves, you can trust that with us, you’re doing your bit to help the planet, and preventing existing plastic from getting to landfill, or worse, our oceans!

With over 2,200 5-star Trustpilot reviews, will you be next? Shop our products today!