Turning the Tide on Plastic

“Today, however, we have to realize that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” 
― Pope Francis, Laudato Si

A recent study reported in the Irish Times confirms that plastic pollution is affecting marine life in some of the most remote parts of the Atlantic Ocean with almost three quarters of a sample of more than 230 deep-water fish collected by NUI Galway scientists having ingested plastic particles.  See: Deep Sea Fish Study – Irish Times 19 Feb 2018

The contamination level among the fish species, located in the northwest Atlantic thousands of kilometres from land and 600m down in the ocean, is one of the highest reported frequencies of microplastic occurrence in fish worldwide, according to the study published today in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

All over the world statistics on plastic pollution of our oceans are growing at an ever increasing rate. Tons of plastic debris (which by definition are waste that can vary in size from large containers, fishing nets to microscopic plastic pellets or even particles) is discarded every year, everywhere, polluting lands, rivers, coasts, beaches, and oceans.

Single use plastic is used in a lot of things for example straws, paper cups, water bottles, packaging, shampoo bottles, toothpaste tubes, make up products, medicines and plenty of other items. We use these items every day.  Every piece of plastic we use not only outlives us but will take hundreds of years to biodegrade into micro pieces that cannot be seen anymore.

If you are still deciding what to give up, or perhaps take up, for Lent this year than you may like to consider taking a few simple practical actions to reduce your individual use of  ‘single use’ plastics.

Here are 6 simple suggestions taken from the #Clean Seas Pledge see:  http://cleanseas.org/

• Say no to straws
• Remember to bring your reusable bag when shopping
• Avoid products with microbeads
• Choose products with none or less plastic packaging
• Use a refillable water bottle
• Bring your own takeaway containers or coffee cups

UN SDG Goal 12 is about ensuring sustainable consumption & production patterns see:  link UN SDG’s on our website.