Is becoming a vegetarian a solution to plastic pollution?🥬

-

 Dear friends, I haven't written on this blog in a little while time, 5 years isn't that much right. But I must say I've missed it. Life has been unexpected recently, and finding the time and energy to sit down and write down my thoughts has been difficult. Nonetheless, I'm glad to be back and ready to share my most recent experiences and views. So, get a warm cup of tea and let's catch up.


So roughly 2 years ago I became a vegetarian. I was abstaining from meat for Lent and was only eating fish. A friend recommended I watch the documentary "Seaspiricy" because of my environmental interest. I sat down and started watching and I did not expect to CRY at the site of dead fish, dolphins, sharks and whales. From that moment I decided to become a vegetarian and 2 years later I still am. It has not been an easy journey but every time I am tempted I rewatch Seaspircy and cry all over again. 



Because this blog is about plastic pollution I wanted to research if being a vegetarian has any positive impacts on plastic pollution. 

Being a vegetarian may indirectly help reduce plastic pollution because a significant portion of plastic pollution in the oceans is caused by plastics used in the fishing industry, such as fishing nets, lines, and traps. However, the production, packaging, and transportation of vegetarian products can also contribute to plastic pollution. Therefore, reducing the overall consumption of single-use plastics and actively recycling them can have a more direct impact on reducing plastic pollution.


So being a vegetarian alone may not directly help with plastic pollution, but adopting sustainable consumption habits such as reducing the use of single-use plastics, recycling, and disposing of plastic responsibly can make a substantial difference in protecting our planet.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Great Pacfic Garbage Patch 🗑️

-
Image
By now, you have probably heard of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch . If not, it's simply a floating island made up of any plastic trash you can imagine such as soda bottles, plastic bags, disposable utensils and many other plastic trash. In complexity, it is also made up of very small pieces of plastic not just large ones.  Photo source: Lifescinceguru There are five oceanic "garbage patches" which are located in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. The largest of them all is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  While large pieces of plastic do accumulate in the gyre, rather than being an island of plastic, in reality, this is more like a plastic soup, consisting mostly of tiny bits of invisible microplastic. Researchers have found higher concentrations of floating plastic in the gyres than anywhere else in the ocean. Photo source: The Ocean Clean Up The 5 oceanic " garbage patches" The Great Pacific Garbage Patch spreads over 1.6 million squ
Read more

Is There Really An Island Made of Plastic? 🏝️

-
Image
According to the World Bank, Trinidad and Tobago generates the most trash per capita in the world. That means each one of us here in Trinidad and Tobago pollutes more than 14 times world average.  Also, in 2016 the Worldatlas published an article entitled Countries Generating The Most Trash  which provided a top ten list. Sadly we cam in FIRST place! It is very sad to see citizens not taking care of their home. Trinidad and Tobago are two lovely little islands situated in the Caribbean.  You would think if you visit Trinidad and Tobago you would witness clean beaches, friendly and joyous people, the warm sun, delicious food and beautiful scenery .  Photo source: Tara Donaldson Photo source: Anne Elliot All of these are true except one. Some of our beaches here are covered with plastic and styrofoam pollution.  Location: Sealots Trinidad and Tobago. Hundreds of plastic and styrofoam waste can be seen collecting around this bay are
Read more

Baby Turtles Stomaches Filled With Plastic 🐢

-
Image
According to a new study done by a group of Australian scientists baby sea turtles are vulnerable to the harmful effects of plastic pollution. They have realised that many different animals in the ocean are consuming plastics. There is no known overall effects of plastic on ocean animals. Some plastics can pass harmlessly through an animal's digestive system but it can eventually accumulate and become  toxic to the animal. In their research, they examined data from 1,000 dead turtles.  They found that baby turtles are the most susceptible to consuming plastics and styrofoam.  Turtles play vital roles in shaping the global ecosystem .                                    Photo source: Troy Mayne  https://bit.ly/2HrU4un                                         I have always loved turtles since I was little because of the movie Finding Nemo. Also when I was young I visited the Turtle Village Trust and was amazed by how they would lay their eggs. I've always found them in
Read more