When archaeologists of the future unearth our civilization, will they marvel at our ingenuity or will they recoil in horror at the obvious signs of a society living beyond its ecological means? Like a Roman dig unearthing layers of tools, broken pottery and coloured tiles from where palatial villas once stood, they will uncover – plastic. Some scientists have suggested that because it is so ubiquitous, plastic waste could serve as a geological indicator of what is now being called the Anthropocene era. While there is still debate over the term and when it began, it refers to the period during which human beings have had an influence on the Earth’s geology and ecosystems.

And plastic is one of those influences. Around the world, one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute and up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year.

While it may feel like plastic has been around forever, it has really only been in widespread production for a little under 70 years. When plastics first hit the market around 1950, the global annual production was 1.5 million tonnes. At that time there were about 2.5 billion people on our planet. Today, the population is 7.6 billion and 300 million tonnes of plastic is produced each year. By 2050, if this trend continues, another 33 billion tonnes of plastic will have accumulated.

As the global standard of living has grown, so has the amount of plastic entering the oceans. Marine litter has been recorded in 100% of marine turtle and more than half of whale species. A lot of seals and seabirds have also been negatively affected, for example when they eat or become entangled in marine litter.

The problem is not that we use plastic products. The problem is that too much of it is used once and then just thrown away. In Europe, 40 per cent of all plastic is intended to be used only once. Think about a trip to the grocery store: berries, small tomatoes, single red peppers and many other products, all wrapped in plastic. You bring them home and dispose of the plastic. Even where recycling programmes exist globally, only about 10 per cent of the plastic used is recycled. Some of the rest eventually makes its way, in one form or another, into the marine environment.

The problem is our level of consumption. Plastic has transformed our world in many ways. Now the question is can we transform it again and move away from plastic. And while this question is posed about this single substance it applies to all of our environment problems. The complexity of our systems means many of our problems reach across a number of policy areas.

When the world agreed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, it adopted a series of goals which include number 14, “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.” The agenda outlines governments’ determination to “take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world on to a sustainable and resilient path.”

This kind of transformation requires action in a number of social, environmental and economic dimensions. While a 2015 study stated that there are 5.25 trillion plastic pieces floating in the oceans (about 720 pieces for every person on the planet), plastic pollution is not the only threat. A larger problem may be how it compounds all the other stresses on ocean health. These threats include, overfishing, habitat destruction, acidification and ocean warming.

Achieving transformation requires policies that are strategic, coordinated and guided by a clear vision.

We see signs of that vision developing as countries, cities, organizations and individuals are mobilizing to deal with the problem. While there is much research still to be done on the long-term effects of plastic on ecosystem and human health, we know enough already to take action. An important signal came from the world’s environment ministers when they met at last year’s UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya and adopted a resolution on marine litter and microplastics. If the steps in that resolution are followed, then we may be on our way to transformative change.

One of the main messages from the environment assembly is that responsibility for combatting pollution does not rest with national governments alone. The need for awareness must be built on knowledge and facts, followed by action. That means individuals, organizations, business and government need to play a role. The good news is, there is good news.

Awareness is increasing and people, governments and businesses are starting to take action. And action is happening right here in Arendal. This month, seven local schools will hit the beaches for the sixth annual clean up. Besides picking up garbage, students will learn a lot about why plastic is such a problem.

The Arendal municipality is developing an action plan on reducing plastic use which is expected to be finalized this autumn. The plan will provide ideas on what actions can be taken by individuals, businesses and the municipality. The Norwegian government has committed to reducing the amount of plastic litter entering the country’s environment as well cleaning up it up in the country and along the coasts. It has also taken a lead globally on the issue. To mark its 25th anniversary this year’s International Market tried to be plastic-free.

International actions include Clean up Kenya, an environmental project to encourage citizens develop a sense of civic pride in clean neighborhoods. In Bali, Bye Bye Plastic Bag is a youth-driven environmental campaign to rid plastic bags from that Indonesian island tourist destination. The city of San Francisco is banning plastic bags and water bottles and the Indian state of Maharashtra and the European Union are banning single-use plastics. The combined populations of Maharashtra and Europe is about 850 million – just over 11 per cent of the world’s population.

Transformation does not always mean that environmental policies must be all-encompassing. A clear vision can be articulated, and action taken, through a variety of policies at different levels.

It is the momentum for change that leads to transformation.