The Isle of Wight Green Party shares this latest challenge for Islanders. Ed
The Isle of Wight Green Party is backing the Marine Conservation Society’s Plastic Challenge, to raise awareness of plastic pollution in the sea.
Fish and other marine life are absorbing plastic waste that can last for many years, disintegrating into tiny pieces. Microbeads used in many toiletries, such as toothpaste, face-washes and body scrubs, and nanoplastics used in some cosmetics, are too small to be filtered out from waste water.
How long can you last without plastic?
The challenge, taking place in June, will encourage people to see how long they can last without using plastic such as bottles, cling-film and bags.
Many people are so used to everything they buy, even fruit and vegetables, being sealed in plastic, that they don’t realise how unnecessary this is. Supporters including Isle of Wight Green Party leader Vix Lowthion have already signed up to take part in the Plastic Challenge.
Get into the plastic-free Directory
Isle of Wight Green Party campaigner Maggie Nelmes said:
“The Plastic Challenge is the first step in raising public awareness of the sheer amount of unnecessary plastic we use in our daily lives. We want to hear from Island businesses who sell products that aren’t packaged in plastic, and from Islanders with tips on where to buy plastic-free products, or how to make them yourself.
“We are compiling a directory to help local people reduce the amount of throw-away plastic they use.”
More about the challenge
The Marine Conservation Society provides a Website for the exchange of tips on sourcing plastic-free products. Supporters of the challenge can download the MCS app to check if a product contains microbeads, or look for ‘polyethylene’ on a product’s list of ingredients.
The Society is also campaigning for a ban on the use of microbeads and nanoplastic in toiletries and cosmetics.
Article edit
10am 25th May – Author changed to Maggie Nelmes
