You might have seen the images of remote island beaches covered in plastic waste

[tobyjugg2]

Now see them here at home

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2017/jun/27/ocean-plastic-pollution-scotland-in-pictures

 

[Tawnyowl]

Interesting thread i will follow.

Some know the old owl spends much of my time patrolling local beaches.

When you see plastic on the beach or bobbing about in the water when not part of the natural environment it makes you sad.

As i collect things that have washed up on beaches i see many strange things.Plastic, shoes, never a pair makes you wonder what happened to the person wearing them.

 

Plastic containers, tracking them they had come from 500 miles away.I use them for storage.

Small minute pieces of plastic that has melted somehow before getting in the sea. All colours of the rainbow, all shapes and sizes attractive to fish.

Taking some off the beach to make a plastic design to show what trouble the ocean is in.Not got round to it as usual, yet.

 

Plastic bags never realised how deep in the ocean they go till a Whale died and its stomach and intestines were full of them.Hundreds and hundreds of them.

Deep down in the ocean, it is dark and the Whales must mistake them for prey.Squid perhaps things like that.

No use going on there are so many things turning up if it is plastic it is on the shoreline.

 

By 2050 there will be more plastic in the sea by weight than fish if it carries on.

Oh well i have photos as the thread goes on i will find them put the odd one here.

 

Groups that clean the beaches link here a never ending job as next tide throws up more.

What would it look like without these groups?Link

Soon find a beach if you live near the coast.

Love My Beach.Many links leading off.And what you can possibly avoid doing.

http://lovemybeach.org/what-can-i-do/

 

Eating plastic is no fun but many of us do without realising it.

From sea to plate: how plastic got into our fish

Eight million tonnes of waste plastic ends up in the sea each year.

Fish eat it - and then we do. How bad is it for us?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2017/jun/27/ocean-plastic-pollution-scotland-in-pictures

[Tawnyowl]

Sorry put wrong link on.

From sea to plate: how plastic got into our fish

Eight million tonnes of waste plastic ends up in the sea each year. Fish eat it - and then we do. How bad is it for us?

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/14/sea-to-plate-plastic-got-into-fish

[Tawnyowl]

Just noticed i had only put my region on so if you live near the coast nationwide links.

Regions and SAS Reps

Looking to get more involved in your region?

Well with over 125 Regional Reps across the UK there is sure to be something!

 

Please use the interactive map below to find out what is going on near you. Meet your nearest Regional Rep and locate your closest Beach Clean Box; get the details for upcoming beach cleans and fundraising events and learn how you can become part of the fight for Plastic Free Coastlines.

https://www.sas.org.uk/regions-reps/

 

And i know the volunteers do not seek any reward but you never know what things may lead to.

The Red Arrows flew along the beach locally recently to acknowledge their work on their way to a display.

 

Here is my local group you soon get the idea what is going on nationwide.

Things will hopefully build soon across the world, it has to. Only got one huge ocean,we need it.

And really once everyone is aware wherever they live small changes will make a big difference.

https://www.visitcleveleys.co.uk/community/about-local-groups/rossall-beach-group.php

[unclebulgaria67]

So why do the environment agency not pay say fisherman a fee to collect waste around UK shores. Given how difficult the fishing industry has been, an extra paid task of environmental protection of UK waters might be a good way of keeping our fishing industry alive financially and those doing this extra work have direct interest in cleaning up UK waters.

[Tawnyowl]

Any ideas about cleaning the sea of plastic or rubbish are good.

So much is in the sea now worldwide it would take decades i would think.

Suppose it comes down to money.

Just found this, seems fishermen are pretty active around the UK collecting rubbish.Videos continue after first one.

'Fishing for litter' project is launched to clean up the seas-2015 i will try to find the latest news.

 

Fishermen sailing around the east coast of Britain are being encouraged to collect rubbish from the sea and bring it ashore, in a project to help the environment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-32950147/fishing-for-litter-project-is-launched-to-clean-up-the-seas

 

Mining for sea plastic - a new resource

 

11 April 2013-Bit dated i will when have a little more time find upto date articles.

Industry, the fishing communities, governments and NGOs can work together to tackle waterborne waste, particularly plastic.

https://www.foe.co.uk/news/mining_for_plastic_sea_39789

 

For those that like a good read.

It is estimated that a total of 15-51 trillion microplastic particles

have accumulated in the ocean, with between 80,000 and 219,000 tonnes of microplastics

entering the sea from Europe per year.

House of Commons

Environmental Audit Committee

Environmental impact of microplastics

https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvaud/179/179.pdf

 

Clearly a worldwide problem.

Rio’s water cleanup barely works and it’s crimping impoverished fishermen

https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-02-09/rio-s-water-cleanup-barely-works-and-it-s-crimping-impoverished-fishermen

 

Midway, a plastic island

 

OVER 5 TRILLION PIECES OF PLASTIC CURRENTLY LITTER THE OCEAN

Trash accumulates in 5 ocean garbage patches, the largest one being the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between Hawaii and California. If left to circulate, the plastic will impact our ecosystems, health and economies. Solving it requires a combination of closing the source, and cleaning up what has already accumulated in the ocean.

https://www.theoceancleanup.com/

 

THE OCEAN CLEANUP - The Beginning

[unclebulgaria67]

Question. Is it possible that container ships used to export rubbish to be sorted in cheap labour countries is somehow finding its way into the seas ? If the containers are not closed, then presumably in rough seas/windy conditions some of the rubbish ends up in the sea.

[Tawnyowl]

Interesting question unclebulgaria67 as always.And raises many thoughts.

I will research about these ships moving our plastic trash to far flung destinations.And return as soon as possible.

A little work to do unfortunately.

For now i will leave you with a video.Videos continue after the first one.

Have you ever wondered where the Oceans take our trash.

[citizenB]

Bring back glass

[Tawnyowl]

Bring back glass

 

Why not bring back glass CitizenB.

Plastics do so much damage.On my walks along the beaches i collect sea glass.

Now sea glass can be many things.Bottles of many sizes all colours of the rainbow. Even windsreens, toughened wired glass i have found.

When i collect it i think of the person perhaps a hundred years ago that threw it in the sea.Or more recently

Perhaps having a bottle of beer and just launched it in the sea.

But over a little time it gets broken down by storms, sand, tides and turns into beautiful shapes that do not do the damage that plastic does.

I have just been trying to find some pictures of sea glass but i have so many photos i cannot find them.This may explain a little.

See if you can spot something that may have been thrown in the sea by one our great grandfather perhaps.Once it was a bottle.

 

I use the Driftwood and fishing line and sea glass to make things. But have just realised i use plastic tealights.We all pollute a little.

You see the sea glass again in the article.

 

And many of us do not realise we are polluting myself included.

I mean who would if they knew would like the idea of a piece of plastic bobbing about in the sea and killing something perhaps decades later.

I will not put the picture of the Whale with all those bags in its stomach it may distress some but on the web.

So manufacturers have to do something to solve this huge problem surely.

Plastic takes centurys to disintigrate and causes so much harm to the environment on land and sea.

 

Must have pulled hundreds of yards of Nylon Rope of the Shoreline as well over the years and many other strange things.

I have the pictures but been writing so much today that will have to do for now.

Just hoping a movement is growing to turn the tide against this plastic menace.

I wish you all a good evening.

Tawnyowl.

[citizenB]

I guess for those who are so inclined, even glass would be a problem for them to recycle - I notice broken bottles in some areas of town and along the verges when walking the dogs. There are just some people who are just so bl$$dy lazy.

 

 

I do try not to purchase items that are covered in loads of plastic wrap, however sometimes it is unavoidable.

 

 

Love the garden ornament, TO