National Wildlife Federation’s Post

Ever heard of nurdles? They're these tiny plastic bits that play a big role in making everyday items like water bottles. But guess what? Each year, trillions of these little guys make their way into our oceans and soils—adding up to a staggering 230,000 tons! (🐳 x 2300)    🔄 Untangling the Plastic Puzzle: Breaking the Cycle 🔄   Our love for plastic products releases harmful toxins into the environment. Without rules to stop it, this becomes a harmful cycle—more plastic use leads to more damage. A 2022 study on microplastics in the Great Lakes discovered that the average person consumes up to a credit card's worth of plastic (5g) per week. And it's not just us; wildlife suffers too.   🦠 The Quiet Threat to Wildlife: Nurdles in Disguise 🪱   A study published in the journal Environmental Pollution found that nurdles can reduce soil nutrient levels by up to 40%. This is because nurdles can break down and release chemicals that bind to nutrients, making them unavailable to plants.   🌐 Solutions: Join the Movement for Change 🌱   In early November, I led this project of Nurdle Hunt for Toronto's office as a part of Mantu's #WeCareTogether initiative, to raise awareness about nurdles and their impact on the lake. This Nurdle Hunt aimed to educate volunteers on the harm caused by these tiny plastics. Huge thanks to the efforts of 10 volunteers for the day Gaspard Sautory Brian Seagrave Victor Genestier Lauren Elliffe-Smith Dalloba Keita Calum McClenaghan Louise Bamber Hsin-Yun (Iris) Yang, PhD Jyoti S., an impressive 6,300 pieces of litter were collected from Sunnyside Beach.    Thank you to all the team members of A Greener Future for collaborating on this amazing initiative.    Let's continue the momentum for a cleaner, nurdle-free environment!      🌏💙 #NurdleAwareness #BreakThePlasticCycle #SustainableLiving

Microplastics are tiny. But they’re a HUGE problem! These tiny fragments of plastic that end up in our water, rivers, and ocean have serious impacts for the health of our planet, our economies, and our own wellbeing. As this article by the Tasmanian Times shows, microplastics comprise a quarter of all urban pollution in Australia. Considering that these tiny microplastics can be ingested by wildlife, and pervasively pollute both land and water — they compound the threats that many endangered wildlife in cities already experience. 🐋 🐠 🐦 It’s vital that we urgently address the plastic crisis, so that we can save biodiversity, create climate resilience and protect our health and economies. At CVA, we’re passionate about empowering people to take action for nature. We also believe in the power of community action to create positive change. ✨ That’s why we advocate for the elimination of plastic waste. It’s also why we host beach clean-ups and restoration events across Australia, and why we have developed the #SeaToSource Plastic Waste Challenge. We hope you’ll join us in taking part in this family-friendly challenge, and enjoy learning more about how to start your plastic-free living journey. ↪ Download the CVA App to get started: https://lnkd.in/gQV6VQrK ↪ Read the article: https://lnkd.in/gjSyD2CV #ConservationVolunteers #CVA #CleanOcean #OceanLove #MarineLife #WorldOceanDay #OceanConservation #BeachCleanUp #BeachCleanUps

Imagine you ate lunch and then just felt weak and lethargic and hungry all day. That would be very confusing, and irritating which is exactly what stray animals must be going through everyday! Hungry animals usually smell food in plastic containers and bags. However, their curiosity and desire for food often cause them to get their heads, feet or wings trapped in the plastic. “The really sad thing about this is that they’re eating plastic thinking it’s food,” says Matthew Savoca, a marine biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration This phenomenon is especially problematic because of how widespread it is. People often dump a lot of plastic near or in patches of unprotected wild land, which means that the probability of wild animals encountering plastic increases exponentially. Thus, the animals will be in imminent danger of either being trapped in, inconvenienced by or accidentally consuming this toxic material. Plastic affects our wildlife and forests greatly. Our job as informed citizens of this planet is to do our bit to ensure the safety of rapidly declining and highly endangered flora and fauna. It’s not too late to make a difference. The overall reduction in consumption and the reuse of plastic will result in less plastic circulating through trash piles that can reach the soil and forests. We sincerely thank Tatva:Eco Club and TERI School of Advanced Studies for coming together for this cause and making a difference to leave a green world.🪴 #plasticpollution #forestconservation #forest #strayanimals #litterfree #cleanup #earthday

It's the shimmer season and glitter is always a bit of a bug bear of ours here at 2 Minute. It's not easy to navigate away from it especially during this festive season that is upon us. So, we welcome the news that the EU has announced further plans to crack down on microplastics after its ban on glitter came into force. Did you know that glitter is a micro plastic? Even the biodegradable litter will still go on and harm wildlife until it fully biodegrades. The EU's proposal, that tackles tiny pellets used in nearly all plastic products, aims to cut plastic pellet pollution by 74% by the end of the decade. Overall, it would lead to a 7% reduction in Europe’s microplastic pollution, according to the European Commission. Across the UK it is estimated that as many as 53 billion pellets could enter our oceans every year. That’s 35 tankers full of nurdles being dumped into the sea, so it's great to hear that action is being taken to help reduce the amount of microplastics in our oceans and waterways. Tiny, durable pellets of plastic – also known as nurdles or nibs – are melted down and reformed into everyday products, from office chairs to water bottles. But they leak into the environment at every stage of the supply chain. Over time, they break down into microplastics that are eaten and drunk by people and animals. Global microplastic pollution is set to double by 2040 if no action is taken, according to a report from the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts. Siegfried Schmuck, who works on ocean conservation for Pew, said: “Industry best practice measures already exist but they have been voluntary for more than three decades with little uptake. “The EU Commission’s proposal means we now have the chance to hold industry accountable by making these mandatory – and effectively reduce the third-largest source of microplastic pollution in the EU.” #2minutesofpositivity #2minutelearning Source: The Guardian

Plastic dominates Australia's marine litter. Startling research reveals that over three-quarters of the litter collected from Australia's urban waterways and catchments consists of plastic. Food wrappers, polystyrene, bottle caps, and unidentifiable plastic fragments top the list, highlighting the urgent need for intervention. With around 80% of the world's oceanic plastic originating from rivers, creeks, and stormwater systems, the impact of plastic pollution on marine environments is deeply concerning. Extreme weather events exacerbate the situation, putting our precious ecosystems at even greater risk. Between 2020 and 2023, researchers collected a staggering 400,000 plastic pieces from major urban waterways and catchments across the nation. Alarmingly, 79% of the marine litter found was identified as plastic. Read more about this article - https://hubs.la/Q02hD5rP0 Help prevent water pollution with our at-source solutions learn more here - https://hubs.la/Q02hD0cM0 #PlasticPollution #MarineLitter #ProtectOurOceans #EnviroPod #TakeActionNow

After casting our vote in the 2024 South African elections, we wanted to continue the theme of making a positive change. As a Consilio LLC #GreenChampion, with our theme being #PlanetvsPlastics we headed out into the open ocean on our kayaks to do an #OceanCleanUp. This pic was within the first 5 minutes of our mission, we ended up removing far more. Here are some tips to keep our beaches and oceans clean and our marine life safe: ✅ Use reusable water bottles and containers instead of single-use plastic bottles and wrap. This will help prevent the plastic waste ending up on the beach and in the ocean. ✅ Pack a trash bag – this way you can gather your trash and ensure disposal into the local municipal bins provided on the beach or better yet, take it your local recycling centre. ✅ Portable ashtrays – if you smoke, invest in a portable ash tray. Cigarette butts are a major cause of water pollution, and they harm marine life. Dispose of them properly to keep our beaches clean and marine life safe. ✅ Avoid plastic – Say no to single use plastics like straws. These items can end up in the ocean and harm sea turtles and other marine creatures. Please properly dispose of plastic waste to protect our environment. ✅ If you are going for a walk on the beach, please take a trash bag with you and pick up any litter you may see. Even if you are not responsible for the trash, we are all responsible for keeping our beaches clean. It is a small act that goes a long way to protecting our beaches and marine life. Please remember when visiting the beach, mountains or any other beautiful nature reserve, leave nothing but footprints! #ProtectourOceans #KeepitClean #legaltech #eDiscovery #talent #CapeTown Happy Adventuring!

The UK government has announced a ban on the sale of wet wipes to combat plastic pollution, supported by Thames21, a partner in the InNoPlastic project. This organization has been pivotal in raising awareness and pushing for this ban by working with volunteers and engaging with the media. Wet wipes, unlike toilet paper, do not disintegrate and contribute to harmful accumulations in waterways, affecting wildlife. Research shows that fish are ingesting these plastics, which block their digestive systems, underscoring the urgent need for action. Chris Coode, CEO of Thames21, highlights the impact of collective efforts. Learn more by reading the news: https://lnkd.in/eMzX382n  #InNoPlastic2024 #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #EnvironmentalInnovation #healthyrivers #tacklingplasticpollution #riverthames #rivers #thames21 #riverrestoration

Take a look around - once you start to notice the amount of plastic in our streets, waterways, parks and beaches, you can't unseen it. The trouble is there is so much plastic in the environment, it is inevitable that some will be ingested by animals, including human ones. The science is still evolving about what that means for human health (signs are it is really not good), but it is crystal clear what it means for sea creatures. This ten-day-old toroa/northern royal albatross chick has died from ingesting soft plastic regurgitated by its parent, highlighting the threat plastic pollution poses to our vulnerable seabirds. “Department staff found plastic in almost all the toroa chick regurgitations checked last season. The most common plastics seen were bottlecaps, however items like a plastic syringe were also found.” “Plastic pollution is a significant threat facing our seabirds like toroa because they can mistake floating plastic for food and eat it. Algae can grow on the plastic making it smell like food and can encourage the birds to eat it. As well as being a risk for chicks, it can also kill adult birds because it sits in the stomach and they can’t digest it, causing dehydration or starvation.” #take3forthesea