Plastic Free July

Plastic free July

‘’There are over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the world’s oceans and every year one million birds and over 100,000 sea mammals die from eating and getting tangled in plastic waste.’’

Blue Planet 2

Take the challenge at Plastic free

July

As of May 2018, the current world population is 7.6 billion

The current estimate of fish in the sea is TWENTY BILLION fish, and by 2050 it is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in the sea.

This is a serious situation, so why do we use plastic and how can we change ways? Joining the challenge is quite simple...choose to refuse single-use plastic during July.

Plastic Free July aims to raise awareness of the problems with single-use disposable plastic and challenges people to do something about it.

You’ll be joining millions of people from 159 countries world-wide in making a difference. Join here - www.plasticfreejuly.org

Plastic straws – do we really need them?

The actual figure is debated, but recent claims estimate 8.5bn plastic straws are thrown away in the UK every year. So, can we really justify their use?

Taking up to 200 years to break down they cause havoc among our marine life. The key thing to remember is that plastic doesn’t decompose. It just breaks down into really small bits of plastic, known as microplastics. These tiny particles are then eaten by sea beasts and birds and enter the food chain, causing a direct impact on our own health, and that of our children.

With supermarkets giants like Sainsbury selling 25 paper straws at £2, you really do have other options. It is only a matter of knowing what to look for and where to find it.

David Attenborough – our generations true hero

BBC naturalist, Sir David Attenborough has brought the dire situation to the forefront of people’s hearts through his recent series, Blue Planet 2. Even the Queen has declared war on plastic.

The series was named the most watched show of 2017, with one episode attracting an official rating of 17m.

So, if nothing else, one simple thing that we as parents can do, is sit with our children and watch this eye-opening documentary.

You can purchase Blue Planet 2 Boxset from online retailers, or from YouTube from £10.99

BPA - it’s dirty little secret

Whilst we are talking about plastic let’s talk about BPA and the impact it is leaving on our children.

BPA, or Bisphenol A is a chemical often used in containers that store food and beverages. Some of the problems caused by BPA are:

• Structural damage to your brain

• Increased fat formation and risk of obesity

• Altered immune function

• Changes in gender-specific behaviour, and abnormal sexual behaviour

• Stimulation of prostate cancer cells

• Increased prostate size and decreased sperm production

A recent study done by the University of Exerter, has found that almost 90 per cent of teenagers have this genderbending chemical in their bodies, and only last year the European Chemicals Agency reclassified BPA as a substance of ‘very high concern’ because of its ‘probable serious effects’ on human health.

So, if the need to stop the use of single use plastic because of the drastic impact it is having on our environment it is not enough, we need to change our ways because of the drastic impact it is having on our children.

8 Families London Surrey Bordersfamiliesonline.co.uk