| By negligently discarding plastic, especially plastic | | | | There is great environmental concern about the |
| water bottles, fishing gear and plastic bags, people | | | | effect of plastic trash on all marine mammals. |
| are unknowingly causing the deaths of millions of | | | | These elegant creatures are already under threat |
| mammals, fish, birds and reptiles every year. | | | | for a variety of other reasons: e.g. seal and whale |
| We defile the face of the earth with plastic | | | | populations have been decimated by unregulated |
| refuse. Since the invention of plastic earlier this | | | | hunting. A recent study concluded that in excess |
| century, it has become a popular material used in | | | | of 100,000 marine mammals die needlessly each |
| a wide variety of unique and innovative | | | | year from the deadly effects of plastic pollution. |
| applications. Plastic is used to make, or wrap | | | | World-wide over 100 bird species are known to |
| around, many of the items we buy or use. The | | | | ingest plastic particles. This includes 36 species |
| problem comes when we no longer want these | | | | found off the coast of South Africa. A recent |
| items and how we dispose of them, particularly | | | | study of blue petrel hatchlings at South Africa's |
| the throwaway plastic material used in wrapping | | | | remote Marion Island showed that 90% of the |
| or packaging. Plastic is handy, lightweight and easily | | | | chicks examined had plastic in their digestive |
| discarded. Too easily discarded. | | | | systems, apparently fed to them accidentally by |
| Plastics are not themselves the problem. They | | | | their parents. South African seabirds are among |
| are useful materials which can be produced with | | | | the worst affected in the world. Plastics remain in |
| relatively little damage to the environment. The | | | | the bird?s stomachs, impeding digestion and |
| problem is the excessive use of plastics in | | | | causing starvation. |
| one-time applications together with careless | | | | Scientific studies are not conclusive about how |
| disposal. | | | | much plastic birds and fish are consuming, |
| Take a look around you. Plastic bags can readily | | | | however scientist agree that plastic in seafood is |
| be seen hanging from the branches of trees, | | | | likely to be harmful for people. Plastic is compared |
| flying about on windy days, settled amongst | | | | with better understood toxic materials such as |
| grasses and floating on streams. They clog up | | | | mercury. Plastic acts like a sponge when in |
| drains causing water and sewage to overflow and | | | | contact with poisons such as PCBs, concentrating |
| become the breeding grounds of germs and | | | | them at levels that are millions of time more than |
| bacteria that spread disease. | | | | in seawater. |
| Plastics are utilized because they are easy and | | | | The ingredients in plastic have been linked to |
| inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable. | | | | cancer and reproductive abnormalities. Bisphenol |
| Unfortunately these same useful qualities make | | | | A, found in plastic water bottles, has been shown |
| plastic an overwhelming pollution problem. Inferior | | | | to produce cancer in lab rats, to disrupt hormone |
| quality and low cost means plastic is readily | | | | levels and is associated with diabetes and obesity. |
| discarded. Plastics take around 300 years to | | | | Scientists also voice concerns that the massive |
| photo degrade. Plastics long life assures it survival | | | | swirls of floating plastic could contribute to global |
| in the environment for extended periods where it | | | | warming by creating a dense shade canopy that |
| can do great harm. Because plastic does not | | | | makes it difficult for plankton to grow. |
| easily decompose and requires high energy | | | | "When you defile the pleasant streams and the |
| ultra-violet light to break down, the volume of | | | | wild bird's abiding place, you massacre a million |
| plastic waste in the world?s oceans is steadily | | | | dreams and cast your spittle in God's face." ~ |
| increasing. | | | | John Drinkwater |
| Plastic is now found in virtually all the oceans and | | | | Let?s look at a few different ways where |
| rivers of the world, even the most remote and | | | | ?Together We Can Make A Difference?. |
| once pristine. | | | | The crisis of plastic pollution demands urgent |
| American oceanographer Charles Moore says the | | | | study and action. Businesses should be |
| amount of plastic pollution in the worlds oceans is | | | | encouraged to reduce the amount of plastic used |
| so extensive it?s beyond cleaning up. A toxic | | | | in packaging and to re-cycle. |
| plastic ?graveyard? double the size of Texas | | | | Plastic wrapping and bags should be required to |
| swirls in the waters of the Pacific between San | | | | carry a warning label advising of the dangers of |
| Francisco and Hawaii. There his crew found that | | | | plastic pollution and shoppers should be |
| the water contained over 40 parts of plastic for | | | | encouraged to use eco-friendly shopping bags of |
| every part plankton, with a fivefold increase in | | | | organic, natural materials or recycled plastic fibers. |
| the amount of plastic between 1997 and 2007. | | | | Tell this to our law makers. The situation only |
| Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are | | | | continues to worsen. We must act now! |
| used worldwide. That is an unconscionable amount | | | | When a tax levy was imposed on plastic bags in |
| of waste, so much that more than one million | | | | Ireland, usage dropped by 90 percent. Several |
| bags are used every minute and their impact on | | | | other countries have already banned the use of |
| the planet is devastating. Plastic bags are only part | | | | plastic bags with significant impact. America must |
| of the problem. America alone, yearly produces in | | | | follow their example. Support re-cycling programs |
| excess of 800,000 tons of plastic bottle pollution. | | | | and promote environmental awareness in your |
| World-wide our precious planet is defaced and | | | | local community. Be pro-active in asking |
| poisoned with more than 100 million tons of plastic | | | | governments to make changes and consumers to |
| pollution annually. | | | | re-think their attitudes. Purchase products requiring |
| According to the California Costal Commission, | | | | less plastic packaging and inform store |
| over 80% of refuse within waterways, most of it | | | | management why you are doing so. We can |
| being plastic, originates on land rather than coming | | | | speak with a loud voice when we speak with our |
| from boats. | | | | ?dollars?. |
| Plastic affects marine wildlife in deadly ways: | | | | Choose to drink tap or carbon filtered water from |
| entangling creatures and by being consumed. | | | | a glass lined reusable container. If you do |
| Turtles are particularly devastated by plastic | | | | purchase plastic bottled, dispose to the container |
| pollution. All seven of the world's turtle species are | | | | properly. Recycle. |
| already endangered or threatened for a multitude | | | | With the increase in environmental awareness, it |
| of reasons. Turtles become entangled in plastic | | | | has become obvious that there is more that we |
| fishing nets, and many sea turtles have been | | | | can do to create a sustainable society. If |
| found dead with plastic garbage bags in their | | | | everyone of us would take a few tiny steps, |
| stomachs. Studies indicate turtles mistake these | | | | make a few different choices and consciously |
| floating semi-transparent bags for jellyfish and eat | | | | consider our impact on the planet, there might be |
| them. The turtles die an inhumane death from | | | | a way to restore the world to its original beauty |
| choking or from being unable to eat. A dead turtle | | | | and resources. |
| found off the coast Hawaii was found to have | | | | Join us in protecting the diversity and quality of |
| more than 1000 pieces of plastic in its stomach | | | | our environment. We can all contribute to a |
| including part of a comb, a toy truck wheel and | | | | healthier, greener world. |
| lank of nylon rope. | | | | |