Plastic doesn’t break down it breaks up – and remains in the environment forever.
In the centre of the Pacific ocean’s spiral current system is an area of trillions of tiny plastic pieces not immediately visible to the naked eye but ingested by fish and seabirds.
PLASTIC PACKAGING
Avoid buying anything wrapped in plastic, and recycle as much as you can. There are various schemes now, for crisp packets, pet food and baby food pouches, even the strips that pills come bubble-packed in.
Use zero waste refill shops, such as our own wonderful Post Office, Southville Deli and Zero Green.
PLASTIC IN CLOTHING
The problem: Plastic microfibres are tiny pieces from all synthetic garments that are released every time we wash them – estimated 700,000 per washing machine load. www.storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-microfibers/ – an easy to watch 2 minute video that eloquently explains the problem.
One small but easy solution: Clothing firm Patagonia are taking this seriously (see www.patagonia.com/blog/2017/02/an-update-on-microfiber-pollution/) and have invested in a German-made ‘Guppy Friend’ mesh bag to put synthetics in inside the washing machine. In tests 99% of microfibres did’t get through the bag, so are left inside and you pick them out by hand and dispose of them.
www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/pft/2017/3/2/15-ways-to-stop-microfiber-pollution-now – further ideas on what we can all do.
