Boycott bags and save the whales!

Sorry to bring the tone down but I want to address a subject that I have been thinking a lot about lately, this is the subject of Plastic bags and how we can try and stop animals dying from our careless use of them.

I was told a story by a colleague at work and it has really got to me. A Sperm whale, was found dead and floating in the Ocean near to the greek Island of Mykonos. Scientists then gave the whale a post mortem and found that it had 100 plastic carrier bags in it's stomach amoungst other Debris which it had eventually ended up suffocating on. The Scientists that discovered this one whale have also found numerous other dead sea animals, especially those who eat Squid, and mistake these floating plastic bags as a tasty lunch.

It's so sad that we are disposing of these bags so carelessly that it is effecting and killing other species, especially those in the ocean, we shouldn't be dumping our rubbish in the sea! Plastic bags aren't the only problem, but since the sperm whale story I think its a good place to start.

There is a pretty disgusting image that I have found of the plastic bags in the stomach of the whale. I want people to see the image so it stays in your mind, but I also want to keep my blog looking pretty. So chickenly (not a word I know) you can see the image HERE.

So I bet you thought that we are pretty good as a nation on the whole plastic bag front, but actually our supermarkets are still issuing 4700 tons (that is A LOT) of plastic bags per month! Most of these bags are used once and then thrown away. I think the problem isn't recycling these bags because eventually they will wear out and will be thrown away in landfill, (most can take up to 1000 years to decompose!) I think we need to stop using them completely. Supermarkets need to start by charging a price for the bags that people will be very reluctant to pay, for example 50p or even £1. Then people will only use a bag if they are absolutely desperate. I have taken to carrying around a canvas bag with me so I don't need to get plastic bags from shops and supermarkets. But still I am forgetting to use it at times.

My mission: attempting to never use a plastic bag again! Although I might have to ween myself into it one step at a time. I know that one woman can't change the world, but if I can help reduce my own strain on the environment and maybe a few of my friends and families view on this, then I will be really proud.

It doesn't take much to carry a fabric bag folded up small in your handbag, or a couple in the boot of your car. But you can and you WILL make a difference.

Preach over. Glad I got that off my chest!

Visit 5gyres, make the promise and find out more about the problem. If you do it, your good deed is done for the day.

Thank you!! #boycottbags