INDONESIA — Plastic waste is a major global problem and, second only to China, the world’s biggest source of the pollutant is Indonesia.
Responsible for a massive 54,000 kilometres of coastline, Indonesia’s government has vowed to do its part in reducing the plastic in the environment with a pledge to spend one billion dollars on the problem.
Each day more and more plastic finds its way into our oceans. As plastic does not decompose, much of it collects in the open ocean, driven by currents.
One such concentration is known as the Great Pacific Plastic Patch. Another of these floating patches is larger than France.
Scientists expect that within 30 years the entire mass of oceanic plastic will weigh more than all the fish in the world’s oceans. And today’s estimated 165 million tonnes of the stuff in our oceans is already getting into our food supply.
So, you know what to do: reduce, reuse and recycle. Take a reusable bag to the supermarket, refill that water bottle and avoid foods in excessive packaging. Do it for your future grandkids.