25Hawaii,isolatedinthemiddleofthePacific,shouldbeaworldawayfromtheenvironmentalchallengesfacingtherestoftheplanet.Theparadiseislandsboaststunninglandscapesandperfectsurf.ButIhadtheshockofmylifewhenalocalconservationisttookmetoaremotebeachcoveredinhundredsoftonsofplasticrubbish.Diggingintothesand,Icouldseeendlesstinyflecksofplasticamongthegrains.Irealisedthesandybeachwasgraduallybecomingaplasticbeach...andIfeltachilldownmyspine.Plasticpollutionisacolossalproblemfacingouroceansandentiremarineenvironment.Plasticshoes,bottles,pellets,fibres,andtoothbrusheslitterseasandshoresaroundtheplanet.Inowfindithardtowalkalongbeachesanywherewithoutendlesslytutting,swearingandspendingagesfillingpocketsandsackswithwhateverIcancollectandremove.Iâveturnedbeachclean-upsinBritainandDenmarkintoacompetitionwithJake,myfive-year-oldson,andhehasbeendevelopinghisownchoiceviewsonthepeopleresponsible.âWhoonearthhasputthishere?!âhesays,mimickingmyexasperation.Thetruthis:weallhave.Theplasticrubbishfloodingintoourseasandwashingontoourbeachesistheproductofourplasticworld.Beachesandoceansarestuffedwithtrillionsofânurdlesââthe``````minutepelletsofrawmaterialformedandshapedtomaketheplasticproductsthatfillourlivesâalongwithtinyplasticfibresfromnylonclothes.Otherplastichasbeendumped,washedoverboardshipsorfloodedoutofstormdrains.Onmytravels,Iâveseenafewhopefulexamplesofcommunityaction.InBangladesh,plasticbagsarebanned,replacedwithnaturaljutebags.OnthesmallKenyanislandofKiwayu,acommunityprojectisturningplastictrashintocash.Local``````womencollectflip-flopswasheduponbeachesandtransformthemintocolourfulsouvenirs.Buttheproblemissomuchbigger.Theworldisaddictedtoplastic,andcompaniescanâtseemtostopstuffingitintoproductsweconsume.Plasticâmicrobeadsâarenowaddedtomanycosmetics,soapsandeventoothpastesfortheirabrasivequalities.Theyâresotiny,theywashthroughfilteringsystemsandoutintothesea.Plasticdoesnâtbiodegrade,itjustbreaksdownintosmallerandsmaller
100 MILLIONTONSOFPLASTICISSLOSHINGAROUNDTHEOCEANS,POLLUTINGTHEFOODCHAINparticles,creatinganimpossibleclean-upproblem.Thequantitiesaregobsmacking:atleast 100 milliontonsofplasticissloshingaroundoceans,pollutingthefoodchainandleachingchemicalsintothewater.InsomeareasofthePacific,therearesixtimesmoreplasticbitsthanplankton.Tinyplasticfragmentslooklikefood,andareeatenbysmallfish,whichinturnaregobbledbylargerfish,whichareeatenbyus.Astonishingnumbersofseaturtles,whalesandothermarinemammals,andmorethanamillionseabirds,dieeachyearafteringestingmarinedebris
- mostofitplasticâorafterbecomingentangledinplasticnets. Mostoftheplasticinouroceansisoutofsightandoutofmind.Upto70%isthoughttosinktotheseabed.Theonlyanswerisforustogetangry,banmicrobeads,usealternativestoplastic,andstopdumpingwasteinourseas.Weoweittoourchildren.nToreadmoreofSimonâscolumns,visitfamilytraveller.com/authors``````SimonReeveisoneofBritishTVâsmostadventuroustravellers.Simonhastravelledextensivelyinmorethan120 countriesandpresentedmultipleaward-winningBBCTVseries,includingAustralia,SacredRivers,TropicofCancer,IndianOceanandCaribbean.HislatestseriesisGreece.simonreeve.co.uk
ThereâsonlysomuchplasticouroceanscantakeâanditâstimeforustogetangryaboutitSIMON REEVEPOINTOFVIEW
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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