We are all aware of the climate changes that have been happening lately, affecting everything and everyone on Earth.
We are also aware that something needs to be done asap. Actually, we had to do something about this years ago to prevent today’s scenario.
Did you know?
In this whole situation, who suffers the most is nature itself. The most polluted parts of the earth are the oceans and seas, which have frightening data regarding pollution. Climate changes on Earth are most evident in oceans. Did you know plastic waste is 80% of all marine pollution? Did you know 8-10 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year? This number is for each year, not so far…Frightening right? Did you also hear that it takes 500-1000 years for plastic to degrade? What’s worse, and according to to the research, it may never decompose totally, yet it stays in the form of microplastics floating around our seas, creating patches of plastics.
Fish and other ocean species eat these microplastics particles that enter their bodies and later enter the human food chain consuming these fish and other sea species. Particles of microplastics have been found in human blood analysis. So, the worst is already happening. According to the research, by 2050, plastic will most likely outnumber all fish in the oceans and seas.
What we can do
What we can do is act immediately, starting with ourselves, and changing the way we have lived so far, one by one. We must pay attention to what we eat, buy and use in any way. We must minimise the use of plastics ultimately. Food chains are starting to minimise and some exclude the use of plastic bags. Instead, we need to use reusable bags made of natural materials, cloths that everyone can make, if not buy.
When going on vacation, especially on sailing vacations, we must pay attention to what we bring and where we dispose of the garbage. When chartering a yacht, we must ensure that no waste will end up in the sea during our sailing week but in the places intended for that.
Things we use and buy for our holiday on a yacht are usually plastic and one-time used products, as this is much easier, right? But we must think differently and start using reusable things. We have to swap plastic plates, bottles, cups, cutlery and other reusable materials, like glass, metal or similar. When buying groceries or other products, pay attention to the package and avoid buying products in plastic containers. Use biodegradable cleaning products that don’t harm nature. Each marina has disposable containers for waste, so when in the marina during your sailing week, please empty your trash in the disposable containers.
Some will say, what is the point?” This won’t help globally and at once, but if we all start from ourselves and think that this should have been done and considered years and years ago, we will understand we are now far behind. But we still need to believe we got a chance to make things right and that we will succeed. What we must do is to change the way we live, think, and act. We must teach and remind others to do the same as well, as this is for the well-being of mankind.
