Let’s just face it: we NEED plastic! We do. For lots of things like electronics, medical and keeping food fresh. But do we need single-use plastic? Do we need to buy bottled water or soda in a single serving?
Living on a small island in the Caribbean sea, it’s impossible to go to the beach and not see trash washed on shore. I’ve found packaging as far away as Guyana, South America.
At LTD Sailing School and Yacht Brokerage we decided to do a few things to make a difference.
When ever we visit a beach, we take a large garbage bag. Before we leave, we fill it with as much garbage as we can. Sometimes it is really heartbreaking to know you just can get it all.
We think of it as our “admission” to paradise.
What else do we do? Well, we give all our students re-usable bottles and supply 5 gallon containers of spring water on our trips. This eliminates a potential of 120 single use plasic water bottles during one of our week long live aboard courses. We also buy local soda in returnable glass bottles, It limits the selection but we feel it’s a small price to pay.
It doesn’t take much, really, to make a small difference in the world. It’s nice to walk around after working hard all day cleaning up the beach to see it so clean! I guess the message is not to give up or give in. Make a decision not to reach in and grab that single use plastic bottle. Even a alumunim can would be better than plastic! To eliminate the use of plastic – just dont buy it. Simple.
