WHAT CAN WE DO?
There are various possible ways that we could reduce the amount of plastic- though all have their pros and cons. A combination of some/all might be better:
PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC?
320 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, but most don't know what goes into it- only 11 out of 100,000 chemicals were identified. Plastic factories are like fortresses. some call for a ban on plastic production- but we are too dependable on it- 1 trillion bags are used and discarded every year- it is everywhere! We could start looking at other resources. Some bioplastic is being made of maize/starch- but this uses too much land, food and resources to meet global demands.
PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC?
OCEAN CLEANING?
There are currently plans to clean the ocean: such as boats converted into onboard recycling boats, floating barriers that take in floating plastic, or look at data to see key areas of plastic and focus on them. It's difficult to remove small plastic particles without taking the plankton that sea creatures need. It is estimated that there will be 7.25million tons of plastic in the ocean gyres (a circular current in an ocean) by 2020. There are 5 of these gyres in total- so some believe 24 platforms that tunnel the water towards them - it could clean an entire ocean! Though there are a few barriers: the size of the ocean, the amount of plastic, the lack of money and it not being top priority. But soon it will- it is poisoning the planet & the animals and humans that walk on it!
OCEAN CLEANING?
STOP AT SOURCE?
What if we could stop plastic before it reached the ocean? 10 rivers carry 90% of the plastic entering the oceans: two are in Africa - the Nile and the Niger - while the others are in Asia; including the Indus, Ganges,and Yangtze. The Yangtze carries 1.5 million tonnes of plastic into the sea per year. In contrast, the Thames puts 18 tonnes of plastic into the ocean. 80% of plastic in the ocean comes from land, (the other 20% from ships). the amount estimated to be on beaches globally is 2,000kg/km2. So we could skim the rivers before they get to the seas, or simply don't litter it!
STOP AT SOURCE?
LAWS AGAINST IT?
The prime minister has announced that the government hopes to “eliminate all avoidable plastic waste” within 25 years. Though this will be too late for many fish species. There have already been laws against single-use plastic bags; yet some call for a ban on plastic production altogether! This wouldn't rid the oceans of plastic, but lower the amount we put in. There has been a Law in the UK that people can buy bottles from supermarkets for a little extra, then get it back when the plastic bottle is returned to be recycled. This would help cut down on single use plastic- which contributes to half of the plastic pollution in the oceans.
LAWS AGAINST IT?
PUBLIC AWARENESS?
Not many people consider plastic to be such a massive problem- or know about it at all! Social media can help spread the word, or just telling people you know, then they do the same. Plastic can also be recycled a lot more; only 9% of plastic is recycled, so if everyone knew about it, the problem wouldn't nearly be as big. there are charities and websites that rely on donations to help them clean the ocean.The plastic you buy will probably outlive you- even a nappy last 5 times longer than its owner! River or beach cleans all help greatly, so when you find plastic near rivers or seas, pick it up and find a bin, you have probably saved 1 or more fish's life!
PUBLIC AWARENESS?
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Either by spreading the word about it, attending beach cleans or campaigning for change, YOU can help change the plastic problem. But it starts by putting your plastic in the right place, the BIN.