DECLARING WAR ON PLASTIC

Sir David Attenborough, Prime Minister Teresa May, the Queen, Frans Timmermans, these are just a few of the names who have publicly declared war on plastic.

Words by Amber Blake

In January of this year a multitude of islands, countries and nations made a declaration of war on plastic. UK Prime Minister Teresa May gave an environmental focused speech in which she pledged to eradicate the use of "avoidable plastics" over the next 25 years, along with the vicepresident of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, who said that the EU is waging war against plastic waste as part of an urgent plan to clean up Europe’s act and ensure that every piece of packaging on the continent is reusable or recyclable by 2030.

The Queen has also declared war on plastic and has banned the use of plastic straws and bottles across the royal estates, it is said that the Queen became personally interested in the problem with plastics after working with Sir David Attenborough on a conservation documentary dealing with wildlife in the Commonwealth.

Here in local news, islanders are being urged to join the war and drastically reduce the amount of plastic we use in line with global efforts to change and ultimately eliminate our reliance on the everyday material. Local retailers, cafés and restaurants are joining the fight – Dunnel's will no longer stock water in plastic bottles, Plemont Beach Café are removing plastic bottles of water and cartons of juice with plastic straws from their menu and AR Vitel Family Butcher in St John are considering offering a discount if their customers bring their own reusable containers as opposed to wrapping the produce in plastic.

The war on plastic is of a global scale and here in Jersey we have been blind to the magnitude of the problem. The nations Grandfather, Sir David Attenborough appeared to educate the country with his latest TV series, Blue Planet II, where he brought much-needed exposure to the enormous threat that plastic pollution is having on our oceans and marine life. The series has got the ball rolling and finally opened the nations eyes to the devastating problem we are facing. According to a recent study conducted by Plymouth University plastic pollution affects at least 700 marine species, while some estimates suggest that at least 100 million marine animals are killed each year from plastic pollution.

It will take global efforts on a mammoth scale to remove the plastics polluting our oceans, but we can all do our bit to help.

Around80percentofmarinerubbishoriginates on land, it is either swept in from the coastline or carried to rivers from the streets during heavy rain via storm drains and sewer overflows. The best thing we can do to protect our waters is keep as much plastic as possible out of the waste stream in the first place.

More and more I find myself making conscience choices to remove plastic from my day to day life. For example, when shopping I have stopped buying pre-prepared fruit which is always heavily packaged and started buying fresh produce to prepare myself. Reducing the demand on these types of products will ultimately reduce the supply. There are many small ways you can have a big impact.

Stop using disposable plastics: 90% of the plastic items in our daily lives are used once and then chucked: plastic bags, product packaging, disposable cutlery, straws, coffee-cup lids etc. Look at of how often you rely on these products and replace them with reusable versions. It only takes a few times of bringing your own bags to the store, or travel mug to your regular coffee shop before it becomes a habit.

Stop buying water: Every year close to 20 billion plastic bottles are thrown away. Carry a reusable bottle in your bag, and you’ll never be caught having to resort to a Highland Spring or Evian again. If you’re nervous about the quality of tap water, there are bottles available with a built-in filter.

Purchase items second-hand: New toys and electronic gadgets come with all kinds of plastic packaging. Search charity shops, car boot sales, or online postings for items that are just as good.

Recycle: It seems obvious, but we’re not doing a great job of it. Less than 14% of plastic packaging is recycled. Confused about what should be put in the bin? Check out the bottom of the container.

Buy in bulk: Single-serving yogurt, fruit and those little packets of nuts - consider the productto-packaging ratio and select the larger amount instead of buying several smaller ones over time.

Pick up litter: On the beach, in the woods, if you come across litter – pick it up!

To find out more about how you can make a difference, get in touch with Eco Active Jersey which is run by the States of Jersey to promote and raise awareness of sustainable environmental practices in schools, businesses and homes – they organise regular beach clean-up days where you can join like-minded people and clear the rubbish from our beautiful beaches, or you could organise your own with friends and family. 