Balloons and Soy Sauce Packets are Just a Drop in the Ocean When it Comes to Plastic Pollution
New South Wales plan to phase out more common plastic litter is a step in the right direction when it comes to helping animals and the environment. But stopping balloon releases and avoiding single-use plastic soy sauce containers is just a small step when it comes to helping animals in the ocean.
Humans produce nearly 300 million tons of plastic every single year, and 14 million tons of it is dumped into our oceans annually. With balloons, what goes up must come down. Whether they’re released intentionally at celebratory events or accidentally let go, balloons don’t decompose quickly, and their strings usually aren’t made of biodegradable material. Shorebirds can become entangled in balloon remnants—many birds have been found dead with bits of Mylar, latex, and string wrapped around their necks, beaks, and legs. And birds aren’t the only victims, as highlighted by the high-profile death of a whale calf in the US, who died after a helium ballon caused a stomach blockage.
Like plastic straws, tiny soy sauce fish and their ubiquitous red lids can easily fall into gutters and roll through storm grates or be picked up by the tide after being dropped on the beach. But even if every soy sauce fish that is given away with fast food was to fall into the ocean, they’d still only comprise a tiny per cent of the plastic that pollutes our seas. The bulk of ocean plastic comes from the fishing industry.
One report found that abandoned fishing gear was the most harmful form of marine debris for animals. In addition to the mass deaths caused by active fishing operations, discarded fishing equipment comprises 10 per cent of plastic and mutilates and kills millions of sea animals annually. If we want to make a significant difference, we need to stop eating sushi with fish meat, not just give up the plastic soy sauce fish.
Eating sea animals is never sustainable or ethical, so please leave them off your plate. With so many faux-seafood supermarket finds and recipes, you can let the fish swim free but hang on to the taste!
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