There are now so many discarded plastic bags in our sea that they have
formed “The Pacific Garbage Patch”. This is a floating vortex of plastic and rubbish that has been estimated to be larger than the size of the United Kingdom. There is a similar floating plastic island in the Atlantic Ocean.

Plastic doesn’t decompose like a banana peel or any other organic material — it eventually photodegrades

over many decades. The sun’s rays cause the chemical chains in plastic (polyethylene to be exact) to crack. The plastic breaks into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic, until they are microscopic. In the oceans they are then swallowed by fish and end up in very concentrated form in large sea animals such as whales or dolphins. They also end up in us humans. The plastic is toxic and the problems are getting worse.

What’s that got to do with me? Well, to be sure — the turtle is not in your plastic bag. But we all need to stop using plastic bags. It’s hard to do when you feel it’s just you. But it won’t be just you. Because there is a plan to make Abbots Langley plastic-bag- free. We would like you to be part of it.

we need:someone to set up and manage a Facebook page

some donations to get us off to a good start

a rent-a-crowd for a launch demonstration

people to join the planning team.

Please make a start today. Remember to use your reusable bag next time you shop.