PLASTIC LITTER -A GLOBAL CRISIS

 

PLASTIC LITTER -A GLOBAL CRISIS

I had made a New Year’s  resolution this year to make a concerted effort to reduce my reliance on plastic. 

I thought,  I was fairly knowledgeable about a the scourge of plastic pollution on our environment , but as I commenced  my laser- focus on everything plastic, I soon came to the realization -   

* that my knowledge was very limited

* that the over- the - top needless packaging by most manufacturers, the single, and mostly needless use  such as plastic drinking straws, plastic utensils, plastic plates, plastic cups,  plastic bottles, plastic shopping bags, plastic promotion toys, plastic candy wrappings etc.  are contributing to the vast amounts of non- biodegradable, plastic pollution contaminating the air we breathe, the water we drink, and  the soil that gives us sustenance. 

 

“ A 2017 study  found that 79% of all the plastic humans have produced has ended up either in landfills or in nature. In 2010 alone, up to 12 million metric tons were dumped into the world’s oceans, the study found.”

 

Like  David Suzuki has pointed out we are the air, we are the water, and we  are the  soil. Medical experts have no idea what the  impact of the alarming accumulation of microscopic plastic particles will have on our bodies  as they pass through our bloodstreams to our organs. 

I was shocked to discover that in an analysis of 259 bottles of water 93% contained minute plastic particles. Nestles Pure Water, in spite of its  name,  contained  an astounding 10, 000 plastic particles in one litre bottle! 

 

It goes without saying that since this is a global health disaster, each and everyone of us needs to seriously reduce plastic litter and write or phone and/ or demonstrate to make sure governments take bold and immediate actions and enact much needed laws to force manufacturers and consumers to drastic reduce the amount of plastic litter that takes 500-1, 000 years to decompose! 

 

It leaves a huge hollow in my heart knowing that over one million marine animals die agonizing deaths from ingesting plastic litter found everywhere in our oceans- IT MAKES ME WONDER WHY PETA IS NOT SCREAMING FROM THE ROOFTOPS TO SOUND THE ALARM ABOUT THIS HORRIBLE FATE FOR OVER A MILLION ANIMALS EVERY SINGLE  YEAR!

 

What have I done  personally so far-  

 

*** I never buy any drink in plastic bottles- I am urging everyone to boycott Coca Cola, Pepsi , and Nestles until they  start using  non- plastic containers, make healthful drinks, and contribute to the  removal of plastics from rivers and oceans  - specialized  boats can be purchased 

*** I signed all petitions from Avaaz, 350.org , Green Peace, Environmental Defence and Eco-Justice  to be emailed to governments and specific organizations 

*** I emailed Jonathan Wilkinson, the Canadian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change 

Fontaine Building 12th floor
200 Sacré-Coeur Blvd
Gatineau QC  K1A 0H3

Telephone: 819-938-3860
Toll-free: 1-800-668-6767
Email: ec.enviroinfo.ec@canada.ca

 

***I make a concerted effort to bring my own cloth bags when shopping  - never buy reusable plastic bags as all you are doing is creating more plastic - always decline a plastic bag for small items that can be easily carried

*** rather than buying plastic containers,  I search for non- plastic containers, many can be found at Dollar Stores - little laundry bags are great for storing all kinds of stuff instead of zip lock bags

***I now use baskets made from cloth, woven paper, or wood  rather than plastic    

* use brown envelopes whenever possible instead of zip lock bags   

***store all my food items in mason jars - no need to use saran wrap and for larger portions I use glass bowls with lids

*** use a tea towel for storing ripe avocados in the fridge

*** when buying plants look for compostable  pots rather than plastic - write  to supplier to inform them to return to using peat moss pots like they did  many years ago 

***I  buy hand soap rather than liquid soap plastic  bottles  

***I  don’t  buy shampoo or conditioner with pumps- waste of plastic  and shampoo and conditioner 

 

Bottom line , we all need to reduce the vast amounts of non- biodegradable plastic litter found in our air, water and soil before the damage to the environment and human health becomes irreversible.