Plastics in the ocean

Today is a big day.  The United Nations at their summit in Nairobi are discussing the growing problem of plastic islands in our oceans.  At last, and whilst I am struggling to write a press release for Britannia moving from Gweek to Devon tomorrow, I am also listening to discussions about plastic on the radio.  As always with issues of waste/recycling/reuse etc, there are so many different arguments that is hard, as a layman, to know what to do.  Instinctively, though, I think that we have to reduce our consumption and our waste, and if we do not produce anything that cannot safely be disposed of without doing harm to the environment, then we won't go far wrong.  

Gareth 6 years old on Canna looking at Britannia 1985

Plastic pollution is not a new issue, though.   I saw at first hand the problem of plastics polluting the seas when we lived on the Isle of Canna, nearly forty years ago.   As well as being a real eyesore on these beautiful Hebridean beaches, plastic rubbish caught up in the seaweed on the tideline had a much bigger impact.  The islanders had traditionally farmed Canna the natural way.  Being 25 miles from mainland Scotland, they had to be self sufficient and were inter-dependant.  When we lived there in 1984, there were only 18 adults - our family increased the population to 22 adults and 2 children!

  Canna is a small island, 6 miles long and about three quarters of a mile at its widest point.  It was essentially a farm, grazing highland cattle and sheep and growing their own crops to feed the stock.   For years and years, the farmers had hauled the dried seaweed from the beaches to spread on the land as fertiliser, but sadly, that practice had ended as the seaweed was so contaminated with rubbish that did not degrade, that they could no longer spread it on the land and there were not enough people to beach clean or separate the rubbish from the seaweed - they did not have the time.  And anyway, what could they do with it?  No bin men came to Canna! So the result was that artificial fertilisers had to be bought in and shipped from the mainland,  and that continues to this day.  Sad isn't it?   But I am delighted that at last the issue is being spoken about, and people are looking for remedies.  It's not too late to change our ways, and this is just the beginning, so today is a good day.