We all need to play our part in arresting the scourge of plastic pollution.

Photo – http://news.sky.com/story/plastic-planet-more-than-8-billion-tons-produced-since-1950s-scientists-say-10954508

Sometimes suffering insomnia has a positive side effect in that it gives one time to catch up on either watching television shows that one has recorded or surfing the net for interesting news stories / videos one has not had time to read or watch. One such documentary that is regularly broadcast on SKYNEWS and is also available on the internet is SKY OCEAN RESCUE that highlights the threat the world is facing with plastic pollution in our oceans.  On today’s newsletter we have published an article how turtles are being threatened by plastic pollution and earlier in the week the programme covered how fishermen off the Spanish coast are trying to deal with this scourge.

With the onset of the summer holidays when thousands of ‘Brits’ migrate to Spain’s sunny climes for their annual holidays a huge increase in the amount of plastic in being washed into the sea will increase substantially.  Last week the documentary covered how since the 1950’s, when plastic first started entering our lives, over 8 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced. To quote the SKY Ocean Rescue article ”putting this into context the amount of plastic created in 65 years is as heavy as 60 million blue wales or 138 million army tanks”. Do we suffer a similar problem when our holiday visitors descend on St Francis during our summer holidays?

So the question we all need to ask ourselves is what are we doing, if not to stop this scourge, or at least reduce the amount of plastic filling not only our oceans but also our landfills?

Recycling has to become a way of life and each and every one of us has to create a habit of not simply throwing our plastic into our garbage but of separating it and disposing of it so that it can be recycled. Our children and their children must be encouraged and taught to create this habit and possibly it should become a part of every school’s curriculum if it is not already part of what they are being taught.

We simply have to make an effort and it really is easy to create it as a habit for they say habits are either formed or broken but religiously paying attention to creating, or breaking a habit, for two weeks. So why don’t we all, for the next two weeks’ pay attention to every piece of plastic wrap, bottle or container that we would normally throw into the garbage by setting it aside, washing it and then placing it into a separate bin or bag? You will be astounded by just how much more plastic you will accumulate in a two week period and it will fill more garbage bags than your degradable waste.

We can already hear the cries that there is no recycling available in St Francis. Well the good news there is a facility behind the Second Hand shop in Assisi Drive, it just takes a little effort to put it into you boot and deliver it there on your way to doing your shopping. And once you have created the habit with plastic, start the habit with glass, tin and paper and electronics such as old batteries, cell phones and computer components. Sure it will take a little effort but once it becomes a habit maybe we can make a difference.

And from the lyrics of Cosby, Stills & Nash of way back – “Teach your children well” for they must inherit this planet that we have tried so hard to destroy!

Why not share your suggestions how you are “saving our planet” in the comments below.