An official of the Surfrider Foundation called plastic as a “modern invention” that is everywhere, it is consumed in 15 minutes and then thrown to remain in the environment for decades, hence the importance of changing the mentality of people to use reusable bags or bottles.
Looking back, we talk about the bronze age, iron, stone, and in 100 years it will be the plastics era. “In 2050 there will be more plastic than fish.”
Eliminate the use of plastic bags in grocery stores is the first step to help heal the oceans, since each person consumes about 360 bags per year and most of them end up in rivers, seas and beaches, has said US activist Stuart Coleman.
In an interview, Coleman, coordinator of the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of oceans, waves and beaches in the organization of the world, said the campaign aims to reduce the use of plastic bags.
“Reducing plastic bags is a first step, it is a great thing that you can start with one person, a family, a group of friends. Each of these people represents 360 plastic bags per year, “said Mr Coleman.
“Plastic is not naturally degrade, but shatters into parts and that makes the fish to be able to eat pieces of plastic, that means that when that animal is fishing, have a lot of toxins and chemicals that we will end up consuming” he said.
The plastic particles are so small sometimes and occupy large areas so that many species of fish mistake them for plankton.
Coleman said that to raise awareness we should remember that plastic bags or other objects of this material end up in the oceans and both the Government and NGOs, civil society and private enterprise must generate actions that support initiatives that are healthy for the environment.
Coleman addition to typical 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) should be added the “reject” any type of plastic and the “redesign” products not to continue to create objects of this material.
In 1997, oceanographer Charles Moore discovered the so-called “great garbage patch in the Pacific,” the first of its kind, which is composed mainly of plastic material and mud, is currently about 700,000 square kilometers and extends between the California coast, around Hawaii and reaches Japan.
