Our planet is being poisoned by plastic.  The Marine Conservation Society runs an annual campaign each June to encourage us all to take action to reduce the amount of plastic in the oceans and seas and on beaches.  Plastic is now everywhere in the marine environment, sometimes in microscopic particles we cannot easily see.  Tests have shown that plastic is now to be found in some fish, even in that reaching our dinner tables.  Birds that fish in the sea and mammals such as polar bears and seals are all eating food contaminated with plastic.

Plastic is now so all-pervasive that it is impossible to get it out of our lives completely.  But we can try to reduce the amount – and dispose of it carefully.  The campaign to eliminate plastic bags from supermarkets has been very successful.  We can build on that by further reducing the amount of plastic we use.

For more information see the Plastic Challenge website: http://www.mcsuk.org/plasticchallenge/

Here is Delia from Hampshire, posted on the website, talking about the plastic challenge she took last year:

Hello everyone! My name is Delia and I took the plastic challenge in June 2016. I have to say, it was very challenging to go plastic free and I have to admit that I didn`t manage to go through the whole month 100% plastic free. It didn`t help that I travelled a fair bit as airports are a bit of a nightmare when it comes to plastic! Everything is wrapped up! But all in all, I did talk to a lot of people about my challenge – including an interview panel for a new job (Sustainability Officer) which I`ve been offered shortly after! – yayy! I definitely believe that, if nothing else, this challenge is a massive eye opener. It makes you realise that this evil plastic has taken over our lives and it`s very hard to get rid of now. However, nothing is impossible and with time, patience and perseverance, we can win the fight over plastic! I will definitely keep on fighting and try to influence as many people around me as possible. Keep up the good work everyone! Together we are stronger!