​Scientists and researchers have been shocked by what they’ve found. Whales, dolphins, fish and birds have died resultant from extensive plastic in their guts.
One whale was found with over 400lbs of ingested plastic and Shearwater birds have been found with as much as 15% of their living body weight being swallowed plastic. All the chicks examined had plastic in their stomachs – having been fed to them by their parents - causing their death.
The plastic problem is already at frightening levels. Plastic is at the bottom of the sea – it’s mixed in the sea water - and floating on the surface. And once in the ocean, it stays in the ocean. It breaks down – but only very slowly. But even the tiny pieces – the microplastics – are still plastic, waiting to enter the food chain.
Scientists say over 60% of whale and dolphin species are affected by plastic. Sea turtles choke on it and even Plankton – the base of the ocean food chain – eat it. And so do WE!
It’s in our water, our food, even our salt, honey and beer. Doubtless, it’s in many other food products we consume too – but we’re currently unaware!
Whilst most of the plastic is produced in developed nations, much of it is shipped to places where it’s not treated – not processed - not recycled - due to lack of funds, technology and sometimes even space – as in the case of small island communities.
The health impact on sea-based wildlife has already been mentioned. For people in those small island communities – consuming local seafood – there’re harmful impacts here too. And again - as already mentioned – the effects on food supplies aren’t limited to coastal communities – since plastic is being evidenced in the human food chain across the planet - and many miles inland from the nearest ocean.
Scientists have also found links between the food we all eat and increasing rates of chronic diseases. They’ve found a link to oestrogen-driven breast cancer – even among young women - and a link to endocrinal disruption, being a feature of many chronic health problems. Even Type 2 diabetes and obesity are linked to plastic pollution in the oceans – with the discovery of connections between these conditions and inflammatory responses caused by toxins in the gut.
The situation is not going to be any different any time soon.
The current estimate is that one garbage truck of plastic is dumped in the sea every single minute. That adds up to a staggering 17.6 billion pounds dumped in our oceans every year! And that volume is set to increase – massively!
Companies producing one-use plastic waste are, though, small in number. The number of food and drink producers responsible for buying it is also fairly small. Coca-Cola perhaps being the largest buyer of one-use plastic drink bottles. But the reality is - one-use plastic production is set to increase exponentially - and the producers eye their upward future profit curves with satisfaction. Particularly, including one of the largest producers, DOW Inc.
The future production graph suggests - FOUR times more plastic will be produced between now and the middle of this century than has been produced to date. What would our oceans look like in 2050 – if we didn’t start this CHANGE?
Governments say they’re working on a change – and are - in their inimitable way. But they’re battling with the petro-chemical states where their giant locally based corporations want to sell plastic containers to the producers of content sold in them. At plastic reduction conferences, petrol-chemical lobbyists often outnumber the green scientists three to one - making any agreement just impossible to reach. Governments won’t change this – for all kinds of reasons - but People CAN! We CAN - working together.
That said, if we the adult People aren’t bothered too much by these findings – these horrific statistics and insights – then our children most surely will be. If not now – then very soon. But are we OK leaving this problem to our children and grandchildren to solve? We'd say - probably not.
So, what are WE to do – what can WE do – that governments cannot? Well, it’s here WE step into our power. It’s here WE step into our new shoes and start the process of building a Grown-Up Intelligent Society.
This means that, together, we all set sail on a voyage of CHANGE. We leave behind us – in our wake - the direct involvement of those who form recognised governments. For governments – as we know – have not done for the People – being us adults and children – what we would all opt for, if we were asked. And we’ve never been asked!
It's here we behave like a Grown-Up Intelligent Society - that knows what it wants - and will work out, if necessary, how to get it. In the UK alone we have over 65 million thinking people – many ready and very willing to set their minds to help solve the problem. Some of them – like young 6yr old Teddy who saw the problem and acted, mobilising his local community to act also – are very ready! So, are you?
In a word – we’re visualising as our goal the re-establishment of pristine oceans like all of life once enjoyed. It means bringing an end to the current unbridled practice of freely allowing ocean pollution to happen - by plastic!
Let’s turn the page – and sticking with nautical terminology - change course and tack to make way using a different direction of wind. Let’s begin to discover what we - each of us - can point up to, as a new direction to achieve...
CHANGE!
We've looked here at the PROBLEM.
Let's now look at...​
