Sustainable communities: How to build your own eco-conscious bubble

Béibhínn O'Sullivan 10th Nov 2021

How plastic harms:

Cutting down on plastic is the most effective way to kick start your sustainable life! Plastic is made from non-sustainable fossil fuels that take millions of years to biodegrade and in that time cause harm to every level of the food chain.

Plastic impacts our community and threatens the lives of our wildlife every day. We see plastic piling up in our streets and we often face issues of plastics clogging up our waste management systems leading to blockages that can be very expensive to resolve. Irish wildlife faces difficulties with plastics as well as many seabirds, seals and foxes become entangled in plastic netting, discarded washing lines and plastic tarp. These entanglements can become injuries very quickly as the thin plastic lines can become like razors causing massive damage to our wildlife. Plastic consumption is on the rise in our wildlife as well, due to the fact those tiny microplastics find their way into the food chain and can build up and now even humans are being impacted, with a recent study showing that one in four fish we eat now contain microplastics!

At work try to start some workplace schemes that will reduce plastic consumption. Such as easily accessible recycling units, Tupperware drives and litter picking excursions. You could team up with other local businesses to support any cafés and restaurants looking to drive down their plastic consumption by using biodegradable food containers and cutlery!

In your community engage with tree planting and beach cleans drives, link up with some local groups such as ‘The Men’s Shed’ initiatives that can be found all over Ireland who are looking to reduce litter in their local communities.

Get involved politically by bringing the issue of plastic waste to your local council and TDs. Show them that the public care about their environment and that less plastic consumption leads to cleaner streets and cleaner seas. Be active in waste reform and protect our precious ecosystem!