Beware Hidden Plastics Below!

The people cried “Ban the Bag!” and so we did…

The people said “War on waste” and so we tried selecting goods that aren’t packaged where we can…

The people said “Straws Suck!” and so we avoid them and carry around our stainless steel and bamboo alternatives…. and so it goes on.  You see all plastics that we can SEE can be easily avoided and replacements found but what about the sneaky plastics, those that we cant see, those not in plain sight, the ones we perhaps haven’t even thought of?

May I present to you five sneaky items that contain plastic that you may not have even thought about.

• NUMBER ONE – 374 trillion sticks per year of what was originally made of natural rubber is now chewed and spat out leaving 100,000 tonnes (that’s ten times the weight of the Eiffel Tower!) of petroleum base synthetic waste known as chewing gum  Not only is that piece of synthetic aka plastic going to stay around for 500+ years but it takes many of our natural resources to produce it for what about fifteen minutes of chewing pleasure!  And not to mention the costs associated with removing it from public footpaths… what don’t get me started…

The best alternative is to avoid it, but if you have the need to masticate and let’s face it, it has been proven that the excess saliva produced by chewing gum is actually good for your teeth, then chose an organic one made from the sap of the chicle tree.

• NUMBER 2 – Beware Tinker-bell and the tiny, shiny, shards of plastic she throws around so haphazardly.  Glitter is litter in the worst form as it is quite litter-ally (see what I did there), micro-plastics which get into or waterways and are digested by marine birds and fish which ultimately can be digested by we humans.  Glitter is not only found as the stuff you purchase to fill envelopes and decorate jars and ornaments with, but is on wrapping paper, in cosmetics and it’s larger counterparts, as sequins, adorn Liberace’s jumpsuits and all sorts of glamorous couture.  But for all you Unicorn loving fairies out there who just can’t live without it, take heart there are a number of companies out there making their glitter from biodegradable plant based cellulose from sustainably farmed eucalyptus trees. So sustainability can still be Fab-u-lous!

• NUMBER 3 – Remember the good old days when every thing that ailed you from illness to relationship issues could be cured over a pot of tea?  Nowadays convenience has taken over and loose leaf tea in bags has replaced the pot of tea.  Unfortunately your favourite cuppa in a bag is 80% paper and a thin sheet of polypropylene aka plastic that helps the bag to hold its shape and is used to heat seal the edges.  So, just for a month can I encourage you tea drinkers to go back to the pot or buy a stainless steel diffuser and see if you notice the difference.  Perhaps it will encourage you to relax while drinking rather than rushing and gulping and at the same time you might just solve the worries of the world and fix Aunt Mabel’s broken heart.

• NUMBER 4 – Nothing is as toasty in this cooler weather as warm winter woolies, but alas in this day and age wool is expensive and often gives way to a cheaper alternative, polar fleece.  Alarmingly studies have found that on average synthetic fleece jackets release up to 1.7gms of microfibres each wash, 30-40% of these fibres enter into the wastewater system and end up in the waterways. In a 2011 paper, research scientist Mark Brown from the University of NSW found that microfibres made up 80% of human made debris on the shorelines around the world.   If digested by fish, and then we eat the fish, we end up consuming our own plastic waste.  

Just recently a microfibre filter has been developed for the home that you attach to the hose on your washing machine.  About every tenth wash you clean out the filter, put the fibres in a paper bag and dispose of them in the trash. 

The alternative to worrying about this is that when you go shopping you focus on buying clothing that is a natural fibre that breaks down and can be composted, such as wool, silk, cotton, hemp and bamboo.  So I encourage you to shop around and find a sustainable alternative to plastic fleece.

• NUMBER 5 – This last one is guaranteed to leave a bad taste in your mouth.  With 12.7 million tonnes of plastic entering the oceans per year (one garbage truck per minute) it’s not surprising that a recent study of 21 different brands of sea salt found traces of plastic in each and every one. And they have been telling us for years that sea salt is good for us!

Salt has been used for years as a flavour enhancer however it’s side effects, apart from plastic pollution poisoning can be; bad for your heart, increased blood pressure and ? so it makes sense to avoid salt and use some herbaceous or spicy alternatives.

The five hidden plastics I have shared with you are just the tip of the very large, plastic, iceberg, and it can be overwhelming when you delve into the research to hear the statistics and recognise that the problem is much worse than we feared and certainly much worse that the average Jo even has a clue about.  But as we know knowledge is power and armed with this knowledge, I hope you feel more empowered to make changes that will impact the future of the Planet.

Gregg Treneish founder of Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, after reading the findings of the microfibre studies has declared that he is no longer eating anything that comes from the ocean because as he put it “I don’t don’t want to have eaten fish for fifty years and then go oh well oops!”  

Whilst this is a severe reaction perhaps finding alternatives for your family to avoid these five hidden plastics will be a sufficient change to impact yours and the lives of the ones you love and bring us a few steps closer to help to heal the Planet.

#lighterfootprints

Love

Julia x