As the world is becoming a more developed place, we as humans are developing as well, so it is about time we change a few of our habits. Materials that are not biodegradable should not be used as much as they already are as they have mostly negative effects on the environment and there are many alternative materials. There are a countless number of negative effects of using non biodegradable materials. First of all, non biodegradable means that these materials cannot be decomposed naturally by air, climate, anything, and consequently, harm the environment. Items such as plastic bags take approximately a thousand years to decompose in landfills. After we use things such as plastic bags, we tend to litter. It is simply human nature. Animals and plants are killed when we litter, especially in the oceans and seas, and this breaks the food chain. According to the about.com Environmental Issues website, hundreds of thousands of whales, dolphins, sea turtles and other marine mammals die every year after eating discarded plastic bags they mistake for food. It is possible to write a book about simply the negative effects of harmful materials, but these are just a few important facts. To conclude everything, reduce reuse and recycle; this is a very common phrase known by the majority of people, but very few actually follow it. Reduce the amount of unhealthy materials being used, reuse materials whenever possible, and recycle things after use.