Rach Young @rachyoung-aub - Tumblr Blog

But where does all this plastic go? We ship some of it overseas to be recycled. Quite a bit ends up in

“Ten Ways To “Rise Above Plastic.”

Choose to reuse when it comes to shopping bags and bottled water. Cloth bags and metal or glass reusable bottles are available locally at great prices.

Refuse single-serving packaging, excess packaging, straws and other “disposable” plastics. Carry reusable utensils in your purse, backpack or car to use at bbq’s, potlucks or take-out restaurants.

Reduce everyday plastics such as sandwich bags and juice cartons by replacing them with a reusable lunch bag/box that includes a thermos.

Bring your to-go mug with you to the coffee shop, smoothie shop or restaurants that let you use them, which is a great way to reduce lids, plastic cups and/or plastic-lined cups.

Go digital! No need for plastic cds, dvds and jewel cases when you can buy your music and videos online.

Seek out alternatives to the plastic items that you rely on.

Recycle. If you must use plastic, try to choose #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE), which are the most commonly recycled plastics. Avoid plastic bags and polystyrene foam as both typically have very low recycling rates.

Volunteer at a beach cleanup. Surfrider Foundation Chapters often hold cleanups monthly or more frequently.

Support plastic bag bans, polystyrene foam bans and bottle recycling bills.

Spread the word. Talk to your family and friends about why it is important to reduce plastic in our lives and the nasty impacts of plastic pollution.”

#plastic pollution

To save our oceans, we have to put research in the hands of the public.

#fmp

A study was carried out over the space of three years, where two beaches were compared- large beach debris was removed from one beach but left on another. The beach with the debris removed saw a 200% increase in turtle nesting rates, and the other with no increase at all. In short, removal of ocean plastics can lead to an increase in turtle nesting rates

#fmp

This article is published in collaboration with The Conversation. Plastic pollution in the ocean frequently appears as seabird guts filled with cigarette lighters and bottle caps, marine...

Plastic should be considered “toxic” if it gets into the natural environment because of its ability to attract poisonous chemicals “like a magnet”, according to an international campaign group. In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into the environmental impact of microplastics, the Plastic Oceans Foundation warned that tiny pieces of plastic laden with chemicals were finding their way through the gut into the flesh of seafood and, from there, into the human food chain.

#ocean #fmp

The UK's Environment Minister promises action to cut pollution from facial scrubs and body washes.

There are over 12.3 million pounds of trash running down the coast of our beaches and waterways —enough to fill the United States Capital Rotunda two-and-a-half times, a new study on plastic pollution around the world revealed. The major new study of the world’s oceans, which was published in the journal PLOS ONE by Marcus Eriksen of […]

“The plastic debris was separated into four 4 classes:

Small microplastics (0.33-1.00 millimeter in diameter).

Large microplastics (1.01-4.75 mm).

Mesoplastics (4.76-200 mm),

Macroplastics, the majority of which were derelict fishing buoys, (greater than 200 mm).”

#fmp

Mushrooms that are being trialled to eat plastic. Evolutionary

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National Geographic explorer and grantee Gregg Treinish wants everyone to know about the hidden toxic cost of synthetic fabrics. Tiny, invisible microplastics are entering our waterways straight from our washing machines. About 2,000 synthetic particles are released from washing a single polyester fleece jacket. All clothing items—including cotton and wool—shed micro-fibers when washed, but the natural fibers biodegrade. Synthetic particles don't degrade and can absorb toxins while traveling through the waterways. If they're eaten by small organisms, such as fish, they can bioaccumulate and end up on our dinner plates. Read more about how you can minimize microplastics' impact on the environmentMore from Gregg TreinishClick here to read more about microplastics in the ocean

This short video explains where else microplastics can be found, lesser known than with toothpastes and beauty scrubs- even more research

#fmp

This novel 3-D animation dives into how our consumption of plastics has affected marine species deaths and increased human health risks, and it explores possible long-term solutions.

This animation is really well put together and explains in simple, understandable and relatable terms the problems with plastics as well as the solutions that humans can take on board. The method of storytelling and clever animation makes this a real success and I would like to take some of this into my project and final pieces. I like the way the message is clear and informative and tells a narrative- everything makes sense in this order.

#fmp #ocean plastic

This map shows the results of nurdle hunting so far, click on the nurdles to find out more. Please share your Great Nurdle Hunt findings here:&nb...

As part of the Great Nurdle Hunt, there is a map in which people can post how many they have found in any particular space of time in one area. This started out in Scotland but has been used all across the UK, and in Bournemouth.

#fmp #nurdles #microplastics

"From whales to wellies, syringes to cigarette butts and fishing lines to fridges – it's all been found around the Forth. But not many locals realise they are sharing their beach with nurdles." So says a group of concerned East Lothian residents living around the Firth of Forth on Scotland's east coast.

Scottish residents started up a campaign to bring awareness to the microplastic nurdles that are seen on beaches. These nurdles are a result of plastic manufacturers being careless with their disposing. Nurdles are used to make nearly all plastic products- they are what is melted down to form them.

“With support from a recently-formed local environmental NGO called Fidra, the group has launched The Great Nurdle Hunt, which aims to reduce industrial pellet pollution in the Firth of Forth by monitoring the accumulation of plastic pellets in the local marine environment and raising awareness of the problem in the community and the plastics industry. Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-05-scottish-residents-microplastic-pollution-beaches.html#jCp”

#fmp #microplastics #nurdles

April 17th - SAS Beach clean at Hengistbury Head

The second organised beach clean that I attended was at Hengistbury Head the following day, which I found very helpful. At the Bournemouth clean, one of the reps mentioned that I should find a lot more ‘expected’ rubbish- (bottles, jars, plastic wrappers and bigger things), which I did, but not as much as I found back on the Isle of Wight. This clean lasted roughly 1 and a half hours, and I was expecting to collect more than I did (perhaps I didn’t collect as much as I thought I would because there were plenty of people in front of me who collected the larger bits). After the clean itself, I spoke to the rep and asked if there were any figures or data that I would be able to use for my final piece. She gave me a SAS booklet which details the 2015 data, and also has passed my email address to Head Office. I am hoping to hear from them in a few days time, to ask them questions and detail what it is that I wanted to know.

I also managed to keep both bags of rubbish from the cleans this weekend- just incase I needed it, like with my other cleans!

#fmp

April 16th - Bournemouth SAS Spring beach clean

I attended an organised beach clean event on Bournemouth seafront this weekend, which lasted somewhere between 2 and 3 hours. This was much longer than the time I had left myself to collect rubbish back home and was different in the sense it was organised. As I arrived, we were supplied with thick gloves and bin liners and told just to work our way down the beach. Collectively, we only covered about 2 or 3 groynes worth of area, and luckily it was windy enough for there not to be too many people on the beach. I spoke to one of the reps and she mentioned that last year on this clean, roughly 1 tonne of rubbish was collected and on the dorset coast (Bournemouth beach, Sandbanks, Christchurch, Hengistbury head and a few others) there was 11 tonnes collectively. On this particular beach clean only 24.5kg was collected altogether (good and bad news). I noticed there was a lot of microplastic pellets on this beach also.

#fmp

The Seabin collects all floating rubbish, oils, plastics, fuels and detergents. 24/7/365.

* Breaking news *Seabin and Poralu Marine announce their partnership in the manufacturing of ‘Seabins’

We´ve signed a partnership with Poralu Marine, a french industrial global leader of aluminium facilities for marinas, for the development, manufacturing and worldwide distribution of Seabins with first unit expected to start operating by the end of 2016.

#fmp #seabin #ocean plastic

Almost two out of every three people think microbeads, used in things like face washes and shower gels, should be banned in the UK according to a poll.

Important and really great news!

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A team of Japanese scientists has found a species of bacteria that eats the type of plastic found in most disposable water bottles.

Good news for plastics, however perhaps not for ocean plastic...

“ The researchers report that a community of Ideonella sakaiensis working this way could break down a thin film of PET over the course of six weeks if the temperature were held at a steady 86 degrees Fahrenheit.Mincer said the study was impressive and did a good job showing that these organisms were eating the plastic pretty well.

However, he said it was not immediately clear whether or not it would help keep plastics out of the ocean, for example."When I think it through, I don't really know where it gets us," he said. "I don't see how microbes degrading plastics is any better than putting plastic bottles in a recycling bin so they can be melted down to make new ones."Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-03-newly-bacteria-plastic-bottles.html#jCp “

#fmp #sea plastics #ocean plastic

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Rach Young