The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest of the many garbage patches in our oceans. Located in the North Pacific Gyre, off the coast of California, it’s a floating mass of plastic three times the size of Britain — which is about 900 times the size of Singapore!
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest of the many garbage patches in our oceans. Located in the North Pacific Gyre, off the coast of California, it’s a floating mass of plastic three times the size of Britain — which is about 900 times the size of Singapore!
Plastic — bad for the environment and health, but we can hardly live without it. Over the last 10 years, we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century; and according to the American environmental news platform Eco Watch, there is enough thrown away each year to circle the globe four times!
Environmental impact
While a small portion is recycled, most plastic ends up in landfill and waterways and clogs our oceans. As it’s not biodegradable, it never actually disappears from the ecosystem, and just breaks down into tiny particles (over the course of 500 to 1,000 years) that continue to contaminate our soil and water. So here’s a scary fact: Almost every piece of plastic that has ever been made still exists in some shape or form!
Health hazard
It’s not just damaging to the planet, but it’s also bad for human health, as plastic chemicals can be absorbed by the body. These harmful compounds, such as BPA (Bisphenol A), can alter hormones and even cause cancer.
Minimise plastic usage
Being a cheap material and convenient to use, plastic is everywhere and almost impossible to avoid. But here’s what you can do:
1 Go for reusable coffee cups when taking away beverages.
2 Use cloth or paper bags when doing grocery shopping.
3 Use refillable metal drinking water bottles.
4 Buy glass food containers instead of plastic takeaway containers.
5 Use textile or washable food storage bags instead of ziplock bags and freezer bags.
6 Shop at your local market or farmers’ market, as it eliminates the use of plastic pre-packaging that you would find in supermarkets.
