The Problem
Plastic is a valuable material and it has revolutionised medical care, and made many other facets of modern life possible. But the very features of plastic that makes it so convenient and cheap, also makes it so pervasive, resulting in plastic marine litter being one of the most serious threats faced by humanity. With predictions that plastic in the oceans will outnumber fish by 2050, significant changes in the way we use and dispose of plastics must happen now. It is a generational problem since many types of plastics take hundreds of years to degrade.
The majority of single-use plastics are thrown away within a few minutes of use, and plastic packaging accounts for nearly half of all plastic waste globally. When plastics enter aquatic ecosystems, there can be devastating consequences such as killing seabirds and mammals when ingested, and breaking up into microplastics which release toxins. When these enter food chains they are ingested by plankton and filter feeders, and are biomagnified up the food chains killing sea life and causing human health problems.
It is essential that the users of single use plastics fully understand the problems, and are willing to change their behaviours and become part of the solution.
The Solution
The Single-Use Plastic Free Schools program aims to eliminate single-use plastics in the school setting. By role modelling sustainable practices and providing alternatives, teachers and students will influence their local and global communities.
You’re not in this alone. We can help! Just get in touch with the Single-Use Plastic Free Schools campaign manager Margaret McCullough and she’ll walk you through the process.