This year, the focus is on fighting plastic pollution in our oceans
A message from Dr. Evan Adams, FNHA Chief Medical Officer
World Environment Day and World Oceans Day are on June 5 and 8 respectively, so it's the perfect time to talk about protecting our oceans from plastic pollution – one of the biggest environmental problems facing the world right now.
As an Indigenous public health physician who grew up in the beautiful Pacific Coastal First Nation of Tla'amin, I am passionate about protecting the health of our oceans and marine life and about helping other Indigenous people achieve optimal health. The two are inextricably interconnected: for Indigenous people, water is sacred – water is life. In fact, many of us in BC depend on a thriving marine environment for our food, our sustenance and our livelihoods. We feel a collective and individual responsibility to the Creator, to each other, and to all living creatures, to be good stewards of our precious resources. This is what our Elders have always taught us. We are mindful that our children – our future generations – will need somewhere to live, water to drink, and bountiful seafood to eat!
Why we need to fight plastic pollution
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, there is currently more than 150 million tons of plastic waste in our oceans, with about eight million tons entering yearly. And according to the World Economic Forum, plastics could outnumber fish by 2050 if we continue on the path we are on.
We've all seen images of how large pieces of plastic have injured or killed large sea creatures. In addition, many plastics are too small for us to see or for wastewater treatment facilities to catch; these come from products like toothpastes and face/body washes, and from the breakdown of larger plastics. Called microplastics, they can get into small fish, then into the larger creatures that eat them, potentially affecting their health and exposing us. While this potential exposure is concerning, as chemicals in plastics can damage the proteins and DNA in cells, the health impacts of microplastics are not yet well known and more research is needed. For now, eating fish is still considered very healthy, and the recommendation is to eat at least two servings each week.
Ways we can fight plastic pollution
I encourage you to visit the Vancouver Aquarium's OceanWise website to learn more and to take the pledge to "Be Plastic-Wise and Protect Ocean Life." I have, and I hope you will too!
Following are some simple things we can all do to cut down on our plastic use:
1. Recycle and reuse everything as much as possible.
2. Bring your own reusable paper or cloth bags when shopping.
3. Carry a refillable bottle and/or thermos to avoid using single-use bottles/cups.
4. Choose cardboard-packaged products as they are recycle-able/biodegradable.
5. Stop using plastic straws.
6. Use toiletries that are free of plastics like polypropylene and polyethylene.
7. Switch to a non-disposable razor.
8. Switch from disposable diapers to cloth.
9. Switch to tampons without plastic applicators, or try the non-disposable options.
10. Use lunch boxes, jars, or beeswax food wrap (see https://canada.abeego.com/).
11. Shop in bulk to cut down on packaging, and bring your own bags/containers.
12. Go "plogging," which is simply picking up plastic and other litter while jogging!
13. Do some "plishing" when fishing – reel in plastic and get it to a recycling centre.
14. Teach your children to be environmentally conscious by being a good example and by providing them with children-oriented, environmentally themed movies about what could happen if we don't protect our natural resources. These include Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Wall-E the Waste-Collecting Robot, Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest, and Avatar.
15. Get informed! Watch documentaries like "A Plastic Ocean," which focuses on the effects of plastic on marine wildlife, or "Minimalism," which focuses on dismantling the Western Ideal that consumerism brings you happiness. Also, see the links below.
Let's all do our part to protect our precious oceans!
Where to go for more information:
Visit the Vancouver Aquarium's Oceanwise website: http://pollutiontracker.org/contaminants/microplastics/
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2018/04/on-earth-day-government-of-canada-targets-plastic-was te-and-marine-litter-with-launch-of-online-consultation.html
