Today, 22 April, we join with others around the world to celebrate Earth Day. This year’s theme is Planet vs Plastics.
Sometimes when we look around our island, it seems like the plastics are winning. The amount of plastic I see littering our streets and going into our landfill is disheartening and shameful. We must do better.
Even more saddening is the pollution of our beautiful ocean due to plastics. How many of us remember the heartbreaking image of the green sea turtle eating a piece of plastic wrap right here in Cayman at Spotts Public Beach almost a year ago?
According to UNESCO, the majority of plastic pollution in the ocean is caused by littering. We buy or use disposable plastic items (food wrappings, plastic bags, razors, bottles, etc.) and do not dispose of them properly, which causes them to end up in the waterways and eventually in the ocean.
Some other sobering facts from the UNESCO Ocean Literacy Portal:
- Plastic waste makes up 80% of all marine pollution and around 8 to 10 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year.
- Research states that, by 2050, plastic will likely outweigh all fish in the sea.
- In the last ten years, we have produced more plastic products than in the previous century.
- The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has stated that basically 100% of all plastics that human beings have ever created are still in existence.
- Plastic generally takes between 500 to 1000 years to degrade. Even then, it becomes microplastics, without fully degrading.
- Currently, there are about 50 to 75 trillion pieces of plastic and microplastics in the ocean.
During my time as Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, Cabinet approved the issuance of drafting instructions for a prohibition order to legally restrict the importation of eight types of single-use plastics into the Cayman Islands: small plastic grocery check-out bags, plastic individual-use straws, plastic stir sticks, polystyrene cups, plastic chopsticks, plastic helium-filled balloons and related balloon sticks, sky lanterns and polystyrene clamshell food containers.
Disappointingly, while this only needs approval by Cabinet and thus it is easily accomplished, it does not appear to be supported by this Government.
While the private sector has been leading the way on this initiative until now, it is important that Government takes action in line with those taken by many other Caribbean countries over the past several years which reflects the recognition of the role and a responsibility it has to regulate against single-use plastics and promote sustainable alternatives.
However, as citizens of our Country we have to do our part as well to accept the challenge and set a good example. We also have a moral obligation to this and future generations who will suffer for our poor choices. Here are just a few simple ways we as individuals can do our small part to stop plastic pollution.
- Swap plastic bags for reusable ones, made of cloth or fibre.
- Reduce the use of disposable plastic cups, plates, cutlery and bottles.
- Buy food and cleaning products in bulk to avoid useless plastic wrappings.
- Choose metal or glass food containers and storage options instead of plastic ones.
I leave you with two powerful quotes that speak to the importance of being good stewards of this earth that God has entrusted to humans.
“Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.” – Stewart Udall
“Only when the last tree is cut down, the last fish eaten, and the last stream poisoned, you will realise that you cannot eat money.” – Cree Indian Proverb
I look forward to seeing everyone in our Newlands community out on Saturday morning for our Earth Day clean-up as we do our part.