Business Fit Magazine Eline Pedersen

Environment
Are you
environmentally
fit?Claire Morley
The last few months have shown a flurry of activity
by governments and corporations, all keen to
prove they are environmentally responsible in a
world which is becoming increasingly overrun by
plastic.
David Attenborough and the final episode of the
Blue Planet II series proved to be a huge wakeup
call to many, suddenly realising how much
damage single-use plastic has been doing to
our planet. Calls for greater and better recycling
facilities have echoed around the globe, but is that
really the answer? The answer is a resounding NO!
It isn’t the solution that many believe it to be.
Much of the single-use plastic in our lives is not
recyclable and items like water bottles will be
around on our planet for hundreds of years,
breaking down into tiny particles, finding their
way into the sea, eaten by marine life and
before long consumed by us.
The amount of plastic produced in a year
is roughly the same as the entire weight of
humanity.
The number of bags used every year by
Americans tied together would reach around
the Earth’s equator 773 times
There is more microplastic in the ocean then
there are stars in the Milky Way
Over the last ten years, we have produced
more plastic than during the whole of the last
century
Plastic chemicals can be absorbed by the
body – 93% of Americans test positive for
BPA (a plastic chemical).
40% of plastic produced is packaging, used
once then discarded – 161 million tons a year
44% of seabirds are being documented with
plastic in or around their bodies.
Why not recycling?
Reducing the amount and types of plastic
we use, would be a better solution. Recycling
gives us a false sense of security. Believing in
the power of recycling can in fact increase the
consumption of plastic, through the conviction
that it will all be recycled. That’s not to say
recycling should be completely disregarded,
but ultimately, we need to investigate ways to
reduce relentless, unnecessary waste – plastic
or otherwise. We must alter how we live, to
consider how much we waste, rather than
what we waste.
How you can help as an
individual.
1. Stop using plastic bags – take your own
bags (or even make your own shopping bags
by recycling tee-shirts https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=Cin_wLIW9S8)
2. Change your Toothbrushes and razors –
buy bamboo toothbrushes and metal razors.
3. Try Shampoo soap – not only environmentally
friendly, but a great deal cheaper. What do you
think people used before shampoo came in
plastic bottles?
4. Buy loose fruit and vegetables – have a
supply of netting bags (or better still make
your own) and only purchase loose fruit
and vegetables. The bags are reusable and
washable.
5. Choose glass jars over plastic containers in
the supermarket.
6. Ditch tea-bags in favour of loose tea and
teapots. Tea bags contain plastic.
7. Carry a reusable straw for your iced coffee.
8. Take your own take-out cup to the coffee
shop and your own containers to the takeaway.
9. Spread the word - Encourage others to
ditch single use plastics.
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