| By Matthew Griffin Microplastics are everywhere. These small plastic particles — often smaller than the width of a human hair — have been found in the food we eat, the liquids we drink and throughout the human body, including in lungs, brains, blood and breast milk. While researchers are still determining the exact impacts on human health, microplastics (and their tinier variant, nanoplastics) pose a dual threat. The particles can cause harm, and so can the chemicals they contain. One study linked plastics in blood-vessel plaque to the risk of heart attack, stroke or death from any cause. Other research has found plastic exposure may increase the risk of cancer, Parkinson's disease and male infertility. Plastic's ubiquity means that avoiding it entirely is impossible. But experts say there are steps you can take to minimize its presence. Use less plastic, full stop Some microplastic exposure comes from the environment: Airborne particles enter the body when we breathe, for example, while plastics in bodies of water build up in seafood. But other sources are closer to home. The "easiest low-hanging fruit" for limiting exposure is to simply cut down on how much plastic you use, says Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington who studies chemicals in plastics that affect the endocrine system. Straightforward steps, such as switching from bottled to tap water, make a difference. A one-liter bottle of water contains an average of 240,000 plastic fragments, according to a study.  Avoid microwaving food in plastic containers. Photographer: rahman roslan Keep plastics out of the kitchen Food storage containers, cutting boards and many other kitchen goods are often made from or include plastic. Fortunately, many of those same items also come in glass or stainless steel (or for cutting boards, wood). Making that switch is especially important when it comes to heat exposure, which can cause plastics to break down more quickly.  "Absolutely don't microwave food in plastic," says Gillian Goddard, an endocrinologist in New York. For warming up food, tempered glass such as Pyrex is a good alternative. When you do use plastic items, Goddard recommends hand-washing them — heat and abrasion from a dishwasher can spread particles — and tossing or repurposing them once they're scratched. She advises against reusing single-use items, like bags and takeout containers, for storage. Choose clothes made of natural fibers Textiles made of synthetic fibers are a frequent and often-forgotten source of microplastic exposure, particularly when they're washed or dried. Plastic-free alternatives include natural fibers like wool, cotton and linen. When washing synthetic fabrics is unavoidable, there are some ways to minimize harm to the environment, including washing full loads, using cold water and air-drying as much as possible. Keep your air clean Plastic particles often end up in the air — when they're thrown off by tires, for example, or launched from bubbles on the surface of the ocean. If you're walking around outdoors, a high-quality face mask may be your best bet for minimizing intake. At home, though, you can install a HEPA air filter to keep your air clean. The filters catch many particles, though the smallest may slip through. Sathyanarayana also recommends that people take their shoes off in their homes to limit dust recirculating.  Plastic debris scattered along the Lake Uru Uru shore in Oruro, Bolivia. Photographer: Marcelo Perez del Carpio/Bloomberg Imperfect solutions Because plastic is everywhere, no individual steps will get it out of your life entirely. But small steps can't hurt. Mitigating exposure is particularly important for people who are already more vulnerable to health impacts, Sathyanarayana says, including children and pregnant women. Cutting back on plastic also has a positive impact on the environment, though making real headway against the plastic problem will require systemic solutions. The United Nations' Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution is working on what could become a legally binding plastics treaty, but countries remain divided on its scope — particularly any provision that would call for reduced production. Read and share a full version of this story on Bloomberg.com. Then take our quiz: Can You Identify the Everyday Products That Contain Plastic? For unlimited access to climate and energy news and original data and graphics reporting, please subscribe. -
Libya has two governments competing over control of oil. One government's ousting of the leadership of the central bank — custodian of the nation's oil wealth — sparked a standoff and an order by the rival government to halt crude production. -
US clean energy jobs are growing faster than jobs overall. Employment in clean energy rose 142,000 from 2022, or 4.2%, compared to economy-wide job growth of 2%. EVs; renewables; and energy transmission, distribution and storage experienced significant gains. -
Exxon expects oil use to be unchanged in 2050. Demand will remain above 100 million barrels a day through mid-century, the oil major reported. The International Energy Agency says oil demand must drop to 24 million barrels a day by 2050 to limit warming to 1.5C. -
Chat rooms are fueling power grid attacks. Police have charged suspects in connection with plots to attack energy facilities in Idaho, Maryland and Ohio, part of a rising trend of far-right extremists targeting power infrastructure in an attempt to sow chaos. -
China's war on pollution is working. By curtailing cars, cutting steel capacity and banning some coal plants, China reduced air pollution by 41% in the decade through 2022, and the average citizen can expect to live two years longer as a result. -
The world's coffee mostly comes from two countries. Over half of global production happens in Brazil and Vietnam, where a destabilized climate is pushing up prices. That's lending new momentum to coffee-industry investments in other countries, from Cuba to Rwanda. -
Rain is a growing climate threat to the Northeastern US. For every 1C rise in temperature, air can hold up to 7% more water. It's a relationship that's driving up extreme precipitation — and driving it up faster in the Northeast than in any other part of the US.  Flood damage at Mill Pond Dam in Stony Brook, New York, on Aug. 20. Photographer: James Carbone/Newsday RM/Getty Images Talk to renewable-energy executives and almost everyone complains about how long it takes to get government permits. Unless they're in Germany. Among the countries hardest hit by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Germany was forced to quickly wean itself off Russian gas, urgency that translated into building more import facilities for liquefied natural gas, and speeding up renewable installations. Two years later, the country is now deploying more renewables than any other European peer. Before he founded the geothermal startup Fervo in 2017, Tim Latimer was a drilling engineer for the oil and gas industry — a job he loved. "Honestly, if it wasn't for climate change, I probably wouldn't have ever changed my career," he says this week on Zero. Now Latimer is applying his drilling know-how to Fervo's wells, and supercharging their production. | 
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