Few male celebrities are more defined by their long, luscious locks than Jason Momoa. Until today.
In a recent Instagram post, the actor revealed that he has shaved his head to raise awareness about the perils of single-use plastics. Momoa has had long hair for the majority of his time in the spotlight –– aside from one major chop to a shorter length around 2013, the Aquaman star has maintained a flowing, shoulder-length cut for over a decade.
Now, he's sporting a new buzzed look, much to the surprise of his followers –– including actors Marisa Tomei and Dave Bautista, who commented their shock and support on Momoa's post.
"I'm tired of all these plastic bottles, we've gotta stop… plastic forks, all that shit. It goes into our land, goes into our ocean," Momoa said in his Instagram video, which has since been viewed over 7.5 million times.
He explains that he has noticed an abundance of ugly plastic waste in the water in his home state of Hawaii, sparking him to take action.
"So please, anything you can do to eliminate single-use plastics in your life … plastic bottles are ridiculous," he added.
Single-use plastics are one of the most toxic pollutants threatening our communities.
The Natural Resources Defense Council defines the term eloquently: "single-use plastics are goods that are made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after use—often, in mere minutes."
The United Nations Environment Programme reports that we produce about 400 million tons of plastic waste every year –– and less than 10% is recycled. A significant portion of single-use plastics is used in packaging.
Though plastic waste is a threat to life everywhere, Momoa's attention to its effect on our oceans is particularly well-reasoned.
Plastic Oceans reports that 10 million tons of plastic waste end up in oceans each year, killing 1 million marine animals annually. The organization also estimates that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.
Momoa's Instagram caption reads: "heres to new beginnings let's spread the aloha. be better at protecting our land and oceans. we need to cut single use plastics out of our lives and out of our seas. plastic bottles, plastic bags ,packaging, utensils all of it. let's aloha our 'āina together aloha j"
There are numerous ways you can cut down on your single-use plastic usage today. Buying a reusable water bottle instead of spending extra money on tons of disposable plastic ones is a great place to start (Momoa tagged his own water bottle company, Mananalu Water, in his post).
It is estimated that the average American can save a whopping $1,200 a year by switching from plastic water bottles to reusable ones. That's a pretty sizable payday on an investment that typically costs less than $30.
Saving food in reusable glass containers instead of using plastic wrap, bags, or boxes is another simple move that can cut down plastic usage and save you money.
Additionally, explore product options with biodegradable or fully recyclable packaging instead of continuing to buy single-use plastic options that are destined for the landfill or the ocean.
When the most eco-friendly and cost-effective options overlap, the choice is a no-brainer.
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