The mindful reduce, reuse, recycle phrase is well known in the UK and environmentally sensitive packaging is becoming increasingly more accessible; especially for independent businesses determined to promote minimizing single use waste.
However, for those of us who choose to supermarket shop and want to contribute to diminishing landfill, single use packaging is a problematic obstacle.
Plymouth’s MVV Energy from Waste facility might seem like an unlikely location to discuss plastic pollution in the marine environment, but it is very much an all-round sustainability advocate.
At their annual open day, the centre which incinerates Plymouth’s residual waste (also known as general waste), enlightened visitors this October about the fatal after effects of rash litter management.
Judy Harrington an environmental artist from Plymouth, choreographed a thought-provoking interactive performance – Drowning (in Plastic) – to share an urgent warning directly to the public about the very real catastrophe of plastic conglomeration at sea.
Inside the Devonport EfW ‘s center, encompassed with the sound of calling whales, Judy entered the lecture theatre dressed as a fish to greet her audience.
After circulating the room, she heightens the tension of the performance by entering a trap – a prominent wire cage positioned in front of the crowd. People are handed pieces of plastic at this point such as bottles and meat packaging to throw in to the cage; which eventually covers Judy who remains stationary on her knees.
In time, Judy emerges from beneath the mound and, through mime, attempts to eat the litter. Endangering herself she tries to escape, but the mass of plastic grows and the cage is opened flooding the stage.
In the final sequence, surrounded by rubbish, Judy acts out the poignant inevitable – the death of the animal – the result of entanglement and starvation.
The careful construction of the performance really allows Judy’s raw reenactment to be universally understood and her powerful message is clear – human waste is decimating the aquatic ecosystem one individual at a time.
It appears that until the tradition of mummifying foods and liquids in harmful packaging is in the past, understanding the consequences of inappropriate waste disposal is more importance than ever.
Yet, we must remember not to stop once there is comprehension. The beginnings of big remedial action can start with considered daily choices.
Intentional living is one of the best ways to influence change, but the sad reality is that conscientious efforts are often futile unless cash is in hand. Although, in many ways it is a convenience.
If you keep in mind that we vote for a global plastic clean up with every purchase, transparent communication that plastic is not in any way a necessity for human life is free of worry. There is no beach clean event to organize and no lengthy email to construct asking MPs’ to speak up more often about plastic pollution. We must merely browse the shops and internet at our leisure to find household commodities which are healthier for our earth.
A great start to reducing plastic waste is buying toiletry products contained in 100% recycled packaging or better still no plastic at all, such as bars of soap rapped in waxed paper.