According to Plastic Pollution Coalition, by 2050, our oceans will contain more plastic than fish by weight¹ - and that's a scary thought. The problem of plastic pollution is rife, but there are ways to tackle the issue by becoming more environmentally-conscious. To celebrate World Ocean Day on 8th June, we're sharing all of the ways in which you can make a difference to our world’s oceans.
1. Save Our Oceans In Style
Want to know a simple way you can help save our oceans? Start shopping more sustainably when it comes to fashion. A lot of clothes - especially ones from the fast fashion industry - contain plastic in the forms of polyester, acrylic and nylon, and these shed tiny microfibers when washed. These microfibers make their way into the ocean via the sewage system, and can take up to hundreds of years to degrade, wreaking havoc with sea-life and coral reefs. To reduce this, you can instead opt to buy clothing made of biodegradable fibres.
The ocean itself is also full of potential material that can be made into clothing. Take ocean fishnets and nylon waste, for example: innovative fashion brand Wolford buy ECONYL® yarn (regenerated nylon) from Aquafil Group which is then made into stylish net tights and socks. These eco-friendly garments are available in three fitting colours: poison green, black and ocean blue. By collecting the nylon from discarded fishing nets and separating it from other ingredients to generate new yarns, this brand is being eco-friendly, while also making offering a fashion-forward solution to the issue. In fact, Wolford HQ is based in a water reservation park which just shows how committed they are to looking after our environment. How's that for dedication?
2. Be Savvy With Packaging
It’s pretty much becoming impossible to get through one day without plastic making an appearance. Now, most food items and clothing come packaged in plastic bags, which is undeniably detrimental to our environment. Moving away from single-use plastic is a small step that will make a big difference to this cause - and yes, that means waving goodbye to plastic straws and cutlery!
When heading out to your weekly food shop, there's a few things you can do to be savvy with packaging. Firstly, pack a reusable shopping bag to carry all of your goods so you don't have to use new plastic bags. Secondly, instead of opting for packaged fruits and vegetables, pick the loose ones to reduce your plastic consumption. Thirdly, opt for multi-pack items so you're not picking items individually wrapped in plastic. See, super easy.
3. Buy A Reusable Water Bottle
As mentioned, we're shifting away from single-use plastic by opting to invest in their reusable counterparts. Disposable plastic water bottles don't ever fully disintegrate even if they're recycled: when they biodegrade, they break down into smaller pieces which become microscopic but still remain unseen to the naked eye, meaning plastic is still rife in our oceans. Plus, did you know that plastic water bottles contain BPA (an industrial chemical used in plastic) which can have implications on your health? That's why a reusable water bottle is the first on our list of eco-friendly investment pieces, as they benefit the environment and can come BPA-free. With so many slick ones on the market, you're practically spoilt for choice on what to buy.
4. Clean Up The Beaches
Do your bit and help clean up our beaches by picking up litter and plastic bags while you stroll down the coast. Instead of seeing this as a mundane task, see it as a fun activity that will help you hit your daily steps target as well as benefit the environment. Double win.
Buying from a fashion brand like Wolford will also help you in your task to clean up the beaches and help the biggest environment system, without you having to actually to pick up any trash.
5. Wear Waterproof Sunscreen
Did you know that sunscreen is detrimental to our oceans? Chemicals from sunscreens are harmful to fish, ocean wildlife and coral reefs. When you swim with sunscreen on, certain chemicals like oxybenzone can leak into the ocean water. While it's obviously really important to apply sunscreen, there are ways you can do it in an eco-friendly manner. How? By using a reef-safe sunscreen free (so one that is free of oxybenzone). You can also put the SPF in your outfit, by covering up exposed areas of skin with by wearing hats, kaftans and sunglasses.
Do your bit to help save our oceans and shop sustainable fashion at Wolford.
¹https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/