Ocean Conservancy has taken an initiative to influence people to take up the “Pledge to Quit the Plastic Cutlery” and reduce plastic waste.
Plastic waste has become a huge concern for people. Every day or the other we get to see different initiatives, as well as campaigns, are introduced to reduce single-use plastic, for making the world a better place to live in. Environmentalists and society are taking up waste management processes very seriously. Businesses and industries are adopting and implementing new factors for recycling and waste management.
They are omitting the use of plastic products. Rather they are initiating and influencing people to bring their grocery bags, use reusable water bottles or make use of paper products. On the other hand, Ocean Conservancy associated with the initiative of restricting plastic waste. They have been seeking help to “Pledge to Quit the Cutlery”.
What did the Ocean Conservancy discover?
The single-use of plastic cutlery did go to the recycle bin but as the plastic bits are too small to be seen, it becomes contaminated with the other wastes.
Plastic cutlery is a huge threat to ocean species. Littering the ocean and the shore with such waste has been taken in the form of food by the wildlife.
Not only this, the bits of the plastic pieces have filled the gills of the fishes, clogging and contaminating their bodies.
Nearly 60% of sea birds, 100% of sea turtles and more than 25% of the fish sampled products from the market have got plastic pieces and bits in them.
Plastic has been found in remote areas all across the ocean, in the North Pole, throughout the water column, and in the ocean. Weathered and old plastic pieces are found which must have drifted in the deep sea for years. Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup is delving into a different methodology for cleaning the beaches and the seashore before it contaminates the ocean and its water bodies. In 2018, Ocean Conservancy campaigners omitted nearly 2 million single-use plastic cutlery products from all waterways globally.
Reducing or rather restricting the use of such plastic products is the solution to the rising problem. Rather it is better to use and carry reusable cutlery. Not only this, Ocean Conservancy is influencing the restaurants or other food hubs to offer reusable products or just go for finger foods to create a change.