The Problem with Plastic
Plastics are generally derived from oil - a non-renewable resource. It is useful in many industries. Over 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been made since mass production began in the 1950s. However, many plastic products are used once, or for a short period of time, before being thrown away. When not disposed of correctly it can cause serious environmental problems. The material is very slow to decompose (from 20 to 500 years). The ten most commonly found single-use plastic items represent 70% of all marine litter in the EU. Globally, it is estimated that between 5 to 13 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in the sea each year. Plastic pollution poses severe risks to our ocean ecosystems and harms birds and sea life. Plastics break down into tiny particles and enter the food chain, potentially affecting human health. Marine litter is hazardous and damages tourism, fisheries and shipping.
The Plastic Free July Global Movement
Plastic Free July is a worldwide campaign, led by the Plastic Free Foundation, which aims to reduce single-use plastic waste throughout our everyday lives and reduce plastic pollution. Please visit plasticfreejuly.org for more information on the global campaign.
Coffee Cups and Covid 19
Many coffee shops in dlr and nationwide have introduced ‘Contactless Coffee’ as a means to safely serve customers in their own reusable cup. The Conscious Cup Campaign have created a map of local coffee shops in dlr offering Contactless Coffee for reusable cups. Please visit ConsciousCup.ie for more information.