A STUDY FOUND THAT ONE IN EIGHT DISCARDED DRINK BOTTLES CONTAINED A DEAD ANIMAL
THE PROBLEM
When packing for a ride, going for a walk or planning a picnic, it’s quick and convenient to grab snacks and drinks packaged in single-use plastic. Unfortunately, many of those energy-bar wrappers, gel sachets and energy-drink bottles end up discarded on the trails – and sadly, there’s nothing quick or convenient about the lifecycle of plastic packaging
It can take 1,000 years for plastic to decompose, and we all know about the terrible issues this is causing in our oceans. Fewer people realise that up to 23 times more plastic pollution escapes into terrestrial (land-based) ecosystems than marine ones, making it just as harmful above water. Even in Switzerland, one of the cleanest countries in the world, scientists have found microplastic particles in 90 per cent of soil studied in nature reserves.
Evidence shows that plastic packaging is a real risk to wildlife, too. A study by Keep Britain Tidy found that one-in-eight discarded drink bottles in Norfolk contained a dead animal. And then there’s the visual impact – it doesn’t get much uglier that the sight of litter in a beauty spot, especially a remote one. Without any action, single-use plastic pollution could mean a widespread destruction of forest ecosystems and our wildlife food chain.
THE SOLUTION
As an individual, reducing single-use pollution can seem like a mammoth task. A lot of people don’t feel they can contribute meaningfully. The great news is that it’s not too late to make a difference, and it can start with small steps. “Just do what you can, when you can”, is what Forestry England and TFT are asking – an approach they’ve dubbed Do It Ourselves, or DIO. This could start with asking yourself whether you have room in your pack for a single piece of litter on your next ride. Working in partnership, the organisations hope to encourage everyone to do their bit, to reduce the impact of single-use plastic one step at a time and to protect the nation’s forests for future generations.
Want to get involved? Don’t hang around, start right now, following our tips on the left. You can also join in with World Cleanup Day (www.world cleanupday.org), which is set to take place across 180 countries and involve 50 million volunteers. Forestry England and TFT will be organising an Autumn Trail Clean too, along with other projects for everyone to get involved with. You could even organise your own trail clean (details at www.trash freetrails.org/dio-toolkit). Remember, even the smallest action can have a huge impact, so let’s get out there and Do It Ourselves!