'Every year an estimated eight million tonnes of the material flow into the oceans.'
'drawing attention to the harm done to creatures that become entangled in plastic or eat fragments that they have mistaken for real food.'
“I think it is becoming clear to scientists and, increasingly, to the public that we are getting close to various tipping points within natural systems, as a result of plastics in the oceans.”
'Fish and birds eat microplastics, which often look like perfect bite-sized morsels of real food, by mistake. Inside the gut, they act as poisons, both through their physical presence and because they release toxic chemicals'
'...plastic fibres. Analysis shows these to be present in streams, rivers, lakes and seas worldwide, as well as household drinking water.'
'Beaches of a remote British island in the South Pacific are littered with an estimated 37.7 million pieces of plastic, scientists have discovered.'
'More than 300 million tonnes of plastic produced worldwide each year is not recycled, said Dr Lavers.'
Marine litter is now 60 to 80 percent plastic, reaching 95 percent in some areas, according to a report by the Algalita Marine Research Foundation (created by Charles Moore), published in October 2008 in Environmental Research.
Biggest sources of plastic use:
- Plastic water bottles
- Plastic bags
- Plastic cups & cutlery
- Plastic Containers
Most of these plastics are single-use only, which are generally created for a small convenience e.g. plastic straws. With over 500,000 being used in the US alone each day, it's an obvious problem for our environment, considering only a quarter of that is recycled.
'..annual global plastic production reached 5m tonnes; by 2014, it stood at 311m tonnes – shockingly, over 40% of it for single-use packing.'
'..annual global plastic production reached 5m tonnes; by 2014, it stood at 311m tonnes – shockingly, over 40% of it for single-use packing.'
Examples of people/ groups already striving to make an effort
https://thelastplasticstraw.org/ - The Last Plastic Straw - an effort to ditch using single-use plastic straws in restaurants, bars etc.
Blue Planet 2 communicate the problem of plastics in our oceans through their TV show, available on multiple platforms.
Various forms of petitions are currently in circulation that are enforcing rules/ regulations regarding the use of plastics in restaurants/ bars/ supermarkets.
How can we communicate the problem of the damaging effects of single-use plastics on the environment?
Audience - Younger generations, young adults able to make the most difference. Also, those involved in social media.
Sources
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