This summer, let's preserve our oceans!
Summer is here, translucent waters and fine sandy beaches are ours!
Into the blue
Every year, 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans, so much so that we are now talking about a “7th continent”, floating on the surface of the water or lining the seabed. Spreading into the Mariana Trench, this waste threatens biodiversity. Moreover, specialists have established that at this rate, in 2050 there will be more plastic waste than fish in our oceans.
Mass tourism, the scourge of the oceans
Pollution mainly due to human behavior, knowing that 80% of plastic waste dumped into the oceans comes from terrestrial sources. Having become a tourist hub, the level of marine pollution in the Mediterranean basin increases, for example, by 40% each year. Reaching pollution records, the Mediterranean Sea is gradually transforming into a “plastic trap”, the effects of which are devastating for the local ecosystem.
The waste path
The pollution of the seas and oceans is partly explained by the fact that household waste is still too poorly collected or recycled, and sometimes even too often abandoned in nature. Swept away by the wind and rain, the rubbish – most of the time plastic – ends up in the sewers, then in the rivers. Carried away by the currents, they then end their journey in the seas and oceans. Conclusion, when a cigarette butt is thrown into the street, there is a good chance that it will find itself floating in the Atlantic Ocean some time later. And once in the oceans, it is very difficult, if not almost impossible, to clean up this waste. Remaining for a while on the surface of the water, the pieces of plastic end up fragmenting – under the effect of wind, waves and the sun – into microparticles invisible to the naked eye.
Plastic: less is more
Mainly used for packaging, this polymer-based material is difficult to recycle and especially a limited number of times. As a result, only 9% of plastic waste produced globally is recycled, the rest being incinerated, buried or thrown into nature. That is hundreds of years of environmental pollution for just a few minutes of use, because half of the time, the plastic used is single-use (cups, straws, disposable plastic bags, etc.).
Let's preserve our oceans!
To fight against marine pollution, it is up to us to act on dry land. As the Tara Ocean scientific foundation explains in a recent column, it is useless to want to “mop up the leak when the tap is not closed”. In other words, the solution to marine pollution comes above all from our ability to change our habits to reduce our plastic impact. To do this, here are some ideas for eco-friendly actions to adopt this summer (and all year round...) in order to reduce our impact on the environment and replace single-use plastic products.
1. Adopt reusable water bottles
Instead of buying plastic bottles, opt for a reusable stainless steel or glass bottle. And in case you have forgotten your bottle, choose drinks in glass containers, which you can then reuse or recycle, this material being much better recycled than plastic.
2. Refuse plastic straws
Omnipresent in restaurants and bars, plastic straws are a scourge for the environment. If you can't do without them, opt for alternatives like bamboo, stainless steel, glass or even paper straws.
3. Opt for tote bags that last
Another alternative to plastic bags is reusable shopping bags or tote bags.
4. Favor unpackaged consumer products
At the supermarket or elsewhere, try to reduce your consumption of plastic packaging as much as possible. For example, if possible, prefer unpackaged fruits and vegetables.
5. Walking around with your own cup
During your travels, remember to bring your ceramic or stainless steel cup to replace takeaway cups, often with a plastic lid...
6. Collect all your waste
On the beach or elsewhere, make sure to collect all your waste (plastics, cigarette butts, chewing gum).
