Nailed Launches ‘Plastic Free’ February

Few people would have imagined the dramatic, devastating impact that the BBC’s wildlife documentary Blue Planet 2 would have on its viewers when it aired just a few short months ago.

Those expecting to see nature in its most glorious, highly defined beauty were presented with a very different story, a story in which we witnessed, in close-up, the incredible volume of plastic debris threatening not just our oceans but all life on earth. Sir David Attenborough put it bluntly when he said: “The Future of all life now depends on us.”

 

Every year eight million tons of plastic are dumped in the ocean, and it is estimated 5.25 trillion plastic particles weighing 268,000 tones are currently floating in the sea. This material drifts on ocean currents making the issue an international one that requires big businesses, individuals and governments to work together to solve it.

Even well kept Belper is not immune to the epidemic of single use plastic, you only have to look as far as the weir or the roadside of the A6 to see the damage it can do.

At Nailed we have championed the reduction of plastic use on several occasions and have decided that throughout the month we will be running a series of special features under the heading ‘Plastic Free February.’ We’ll be breaking down myths, offering tips and tricks, highlighting some of the difficulties faced by those using less plastic, talking to experts and championing people who have made a difference with their campaigns.

Changes is vital and possible.

In the news recently there have been some encouraging steps forward as the UK aims for water refill points in every major city throughout the country by 2021, the EU aims to make all packaging reusable by or recyclable by 2030, China has banned the import of plastic waste and big chains like Wagamama’s have finally decided to ditch the plastic straws this year. On a personal note I will be trying to improve my recycling, cutting down on the amount of disposable coffee cups I use (7 million are used a day in the UK, a large percentage of which I have to take ownership of) and investigating alternatives to tetra packaging.

Want to get involved? Have you seen some good, bad or ugly uses of plastic whilst you have been out and about? Then email your suggestion here or contact us through Twitter or Facebook.

Together we can make a difference.