After the success of Plastic Free July, I decided that I will carry on from Plastic Free July and repost some updated previous posts on plastic from 2019…the reason being sometimes I feel we are going round in circles and promises are made and not kept…

This means I will name and shame but also praise those who are and have been as good as their word and made a difference…

As you know because I tell you every week I am really heartened by the initiatives which I am discovering that are happening from all around the world…Your comments are also a revelation when I hear from you guys what is going on in your neck of the woods all good stuff…How you are reducing the carbon footprints and coming up with ideas to cut waste and protect the environment.

I am now going to revisit this post from 2 years ago and just see what if anything has changed ..gone forward, stood still or just disappeared into the ether..a black hole…

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Microplastics…

Basically, microplastics are minuscule man-made plastic fragments or particles that are  5.0 mm to 100 nanometers in size. These tiny bits are filling oceans, seas, and waterways which in turn end up into the organisms who live in these waters …Now for the scary bit, we swim, we eat fish and shellfish hence they end up in our bodies.

Where do they originate from .…microfibers from clothing, microbeads, plastic pellets (also known as nurdles), Glitter…Now what child doesn’t play with glitter, have their faces painted with it… so many uses and it doesn’t stop with the kids…Partytime…Almost everyone I know loves a bit of glitter…

My personal solution …is that I have changed my washing detergent to a plant-based one so far no one has complained that their clothes don’t seem the same in fact my son said his polo shirts were softer and easier to iron which is a plus and he invented fussy!

Microbeads.

Microbeads, a type of microplastic, are small plastic particles that are less than 5 mm in diameter. They are used in a number of ways, including as cleansing or exfoliating agents in cosmetics, soaps or toothpaste. …Microbeads are just one type of microplastic that can be found in lakes and streams …

There is no getting away from the fact that they are in most everyday products we use and either throw away or wash down our waste systems…

This article will tell you where the microplastics come from and where they can end up…

https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=27095

My Findings…the above video and article are still relevant in terms of how we can “Be The Change“…However Covid has made some differences in some areas where the figures tell us we are back to 2006 levels BUT early on, there was hope that a silver lining of the COVID-19 quarantines would be a reduced impact on the environment while cars stayed off the road and planes were grounded.

The oceans tell a different story about the pandemic’s environmental footprint.

Last year, a new type of garbage—face masks—started washing ashore. The very same plastic products that helped keep people safe during the pandemic also caused a surge in plastic pollution.

A February 2021 study estimated that globally, the amount of plastic waste generated during the pandemic is 1.6 million metric tons per day. That includes 3.4 billion single-use face masks and shields—every single day.

I just don’t get why people think that carelessly tossing away a used facemask is ok…or any other rubbish to be precise…those of you who do are part of the 3.4 billion single facemasks and shields discarded every single day…How does fit with you and why don’t you care? Just asking ???

Glitter… I love anything sparkly and I WAS the first one to buy Lily glitter. Partytime we go for anything which glitters don’t we? Christmas all those sparkly decorations and the paper with glitter …I mean how much glitter do we find attached to our clothes… how much glitter do we sweep up ???

I really didn’t give it a thought when I saw media pictures and articles of sea life… I didn’t connect the dots…I truly didn’t…

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So pretty and so deadly…

I also found out that…

• Some research has also found that PET, the plastic most glitter is made from, can break down and release chemicals that can disrupt human and animal hormones.
• As a result, some scientists and campaigners are calling for a total ban on glitter.
• Festivals in the UK and some companies have already committed to banning glitter.

I was dreading having to tell Lily no more glitter and I won’t have to…

Never fear…

This UK company uses plant-based materials rather than plastic PROVEN through ISO14851 freshwater testing to biodegrade into harmless substances in the natural environment.

https://www.discoverbioglitter.com/

This video is very interesting …it picks apart the tests or lack of..a very clear speaking and conscientious young lady ..we do need more tests…she talks sense in a language that I understand…

I think if you read the article and then listen to her you will see how deep the deception actually goes…Who do we believe?

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Given that yesterday was ” International Day of the Worlds Indigenous People’s” I feel it needs a mention…

“Leaving no one behind indigenous [eoples and the call for a new social contract”

The treatment and going forward for indigenous and native people who have traditions and rely on certain herbs and roots to carry on those traditions or indeed rely on those to feed their families …It truly touched a nerve or a chord with me … and in future, I will be asking the questions and be mindful of what I buy and its origins.

But also going forward we must be more inclusive we can learn so very much about life, traditions, different foods…farming practises… our lives would be so must richer…I love learning about foraging for example which is very much practised here it opens up a whole new world of different foods and medicines if you are into natural medicines…It fascinates me…

I will leave you with the words of Dr Jane Goodhall…for International Day of the World’s Indigenous People’s.

I have enjoyed updating this post from over two years ago..it does highlight though that in many areas things haven’t moved on so much…

Thank you for reading this post which I believe will point the way to a few changes we can make to really make a difference as I know I am not doing enough and should be doing more and that seems to be backed up by much in this post what do you think?… Are you doing enough to Save the Planet ???

Just once I would love to pick something up off a supermarket shelf be it labelled healthy or just junk food and know with absolute certainty that it contained no harmful chemicals or preservatives and that the package was fully decomposable…I can but dream…

See you tomorrow for my culinary  A-Z  with the letter L.

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great week xx