As environmental activists call for the elimination of single-use plastic, others respond by thinking the issue has nothing to do with them. Raise your hand if you’re one of those people who keep on seeing those pictures of plastic waste dumped in oceans and think it isn’t your problem because you live far from the sea. Well, sorry to tell you it is your problem. No matter where you live, your actions are affecting our marine life and the entire ecosystem. You’ll only understand if you watch the videos here.

A couple of days ago, Hashem Raafat posted something that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Raafat and his friends; Ibrahim Khaled, Ismail Eldemellawy, and Hany Salem, stumbled upon a sea turtle caught in plastic as they swam in the Mediterranean in Sahel. The thoughtful guys couldn’t just walk away from it; they rescued it and cared to share their experience to raise awareness.

A large piece of plastic, almost the same size as the sea creature, was wrapped around its neck and flipper. The guys saved the day by carefully cutting away the plastic as they gently held the turtle.

“We are all connected in this circle of life. It was no coincidence that we came and freed this turtle, just like it was no coincidence that it was stuck there in the first place,” Raafat wrote on Facebook. “Be aware of what you are bringing into this connected circle,” he added.

If this is anything, then it’s a sign from the universe that you shouldn’t underestimate attempts to “save the sea turtles”. Yes, reducing plastic does make a difference!

So, what are you waiting for? Start with yourself and check out this list of tips we put together with Drumstick, or take a look at these Egyptian initiatives and see how you could help.