The ocean supplies our oxygen, food, and regulates the climate for the entire planet. Every year on June 8th, the United Nations invites you to celebrate the beautiful blue water that connects us all on World Oceans Day. This year’s theme of “Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet” is focused on reducing the amount of plastic that makes up the majority of trash found in our oceans.
MICROPLASTICS
Since plastic does not biodegrade, there are millions of tons of it floating in the ocean. The sun breaks it down into smaller and smaller particles that remain suspended in the ocean in a process known as photodegredation.
These small pieces of floating plastic are harmful to the marine eco-system because it blocks sunlight from reaching the marine floor, which reduces the production of algae and plankton, a major source of food for marine life. Additionally, debris is mistaken as food by marine animals that die from ingesting plastic bags and plastic pellets.
Approximately 80 percent of debris that makes its way to the ocean comes from land-based activity. One of the ways to reduce our impact on the ocean is to reduce our use of plastics – single-use plastic bottles, Styrofoam cups, and plastic bags are just some examples.
A CRAFTY SOLUTION
There is one solution that can make a huge impact on the world. A non-profit called Trashy Bags in Accra, Ghana is creating upcycled plastic packaging from plastic sachets taken from the streets of the city and creating sturdy, re-useable products that are giving new purpose to something that can bring utility to your life instead of harming the environment.
The water and ice cream sachets that were used to create the upcycled plastic tote bag were collected from the streets where they had been irresponsibly discarded, reducing the 270 tons of new plastic that enter the environment every day in Ghana.
THE GLOBEIN IMPACT
Stuart Gold, Managing Director of Trashy Bags, says that 73 water sachets is used to create each tote bag. In total, the GlobeIn community with one order helped to remove 365,000 plastic sachets from the environment.
Employees of Trashy Bags collect plastic from the streets, wash and dry them, and sew them into beautiful and functional upcycled plastic totes, messenger bags, laptop cases, and more. The production of these upcycled plastic products brings employment to the people of Accra, teaches them the importance of disposing of rubbish responsibly, and the usefulness of re-using plastic.
Best of all, this sturdy tote zips up into its own pocket and reduces the number of new plastic bags that are used around the world. Keep it in your car or purse and use it for groceries, retail shopping, a beach or picnic outing, or even your packed lunch.
Celebrate World Oceans Day with a statement to the world – reduce your plastic usage, recycle it into something functional, and set the trend.
Post by Barbara Lee.
Barbara is a world traveler who is passionate about sustainable food systems, responsible consumerism, and holistic living. Her professional background and interests include writing, cooking, non-profit work, eco-conservation.
