Totland Parish Council takes the problem of global and local plastic pollution in our seas and on our beaches very seriously.
We have teamed up with campaigning group Plastic Aware to organise a day (Saturday 2nd June between 11am – 3pm) in which people can get advice about how they can make changes to their own plastic use in order to ‘do their bit’ toward combating the serious issue of excessive plastic consumption, pollution and in particular, the use of single use plastics.
There will be several local campaigning groups coming along to promote this message – including Plastic Aware, Blue Seas Protection and Bird Aware Solent.
Fun activities for the kids
The other part of the day will be a series of fun activities for children to reinforce the message, all on an anti plastic theme.
There will be a pebble hunt on Totland Beach – with a prize draw. Local mosaic artist Helen Goodman will be creating, with children, a pop up beach mosaic.
The Art Ecology team will be there with fun activities for children on a beach wildlife theme.
Bird Aware Solent have devised some fun activities for children including decorating a clay seagull with beach ‘finds’ plus games and information about how birds are affected by plastic pollution.
Anti-plastic pledges
Local beach side restaurants and cafes are all behind our initiative and have all pledged to stop using plastic straws with several already committed to excluding other types of plastics – for example, takeaway containers, stirrers and takeaway coffee cups.
We hope to see loads of people on the day in the beautiful setting of Totland Bay, where families can additionally enjoy a lunch or snacks in our wonderful beachside eateries.
Curtailing plastic usage
On average it can take 500 – 1000 years for plastic to degrade. As a community we need to start seriously curtailing our plastic usage and thinking of ways to influence others in order to reduce plastic pollution.
Totland Parish Council are committed to encouraging our residents to actively engage with this serious environmental issue and to make some changes in how they as individuals use plastic as part of a global initiative to reduce it.
Report by Helen Wood on behalf of the Totland Parish Council. Ed
Image: usfwspacific under CC BY 2.0
