My Why

Hello, I’m Ann. I am an ordinary person, a person who believes that small actions from millions of individuals can change the world. I believe its the only thing that ever has.

As my partner and I watched news footage and programmes like Blue Planet in late 2015 and felt helpless and concerned for our planets future, we continued to go about our daily lives and continued to stand by and watch as the problem escalated.

The problem was so immense; how could we make a difference? So, we did nothing.https://www.youtube.com/embed/vkkHZO7cfFM?feature=oembed

After years of doing nothing, seeing the tide of plastic increasing and the news reports highlighting the connected issues between irresponsible recycling and the state of our oceans, in mid 2019 we decided we could no longer stand by and watch. We decided it was time for action.

From the moment the idea formed, and from the moment we realised that supporting marine conservation organisations and their amazing people was something we could do, we set to work.

Our backgrounds in finance and environmental services and our life experience told us that other people must be feeling the same and must want to help in some way.

So, what better way to help than provide an rPET product range designed to eliminate the need for single-use plastics, made from the raw material responsible for the problem?  At the same time, we can support conservation organisations with their passionate people and infrastructure capable of making a real difference.

People like you, people like us and the amazing people at marine conservation organisations – together, we can make a difference.

What you should know

Between 6.8 and 14.7 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year, according to figures published in the journal Science in 2017. Plastic can enter the oceans as large identifiable items or as micro-plastics.

What are micro-plastics, and how do they affect us?

Micro-plastics are very small pieces of plastic that pollute the environment. Micro-plastics are not a specific kind of plastic, but rather any type of plastic fragment that is less than 5 mm in length, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Micro-plastics in food: Micro-plastics are eaten by zooplankton (tiny sea organisms at the bottom of the food chain) which are eaten by all kinds of fish. Therefore, fish ingest small pieces of plastic due to their continuous uptake of water. Micro-plastics get into the next level of the food chain when other animals eat fish contaminated with micro-plastics. According to a new study, plastic micro-particles are getting into the flesh of fish eaten by humans.

Micro-plastics in weight: A report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in partnership with the World Economic Forum predicts that by 2050 plastic in the oceans will outweigh fish. The report projects the oceans will contain at least 937 million tonnes of plastic and 895 million tonnes of fish by 2050.  Something like “937 million tonnes is equivalent to 17,912 Titanics” or “according to this article, humans only weigh 287 million tonnes https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21945-humanity-weighs-in-at-287-million-tonnes/”.

Microp-plastics and the coral reefs: Coral reefs are formed by tiny animals that live in association with microscopic algae called zooxanthellae. These delicate relationships can be affected by many different factors.  Researchers found that the presence of micro-plastic significantly increased the odds of corals getting sick.

How does plastic harm marine life?  According to the United Nations, at least 850 species worldwide are affected by marine debris, and as much as 80 percent of that litter is plastic.  Fish, seabirds, sea turtles and other marine mammals can become entangled in or ingest plastic debris, causing suffocation, starvation, and drowning.

10 simple ways you can help

1. – Carry a reusable bottle. In the UK we use over 35 million plastic bottles every day!
2. – Say no to plastic straws. Why not buy a reusable straw?
3. – Avoid excessive food packaging. Buy un-packaged food from markets, or think about delivery services e.g. Wonky Veg
4. – Use refill stations for detergents. …
5. – Say no to disposable cutlery. …
6. – Get your milk delivered. …
7. – Avoid micro-beads. Micro-beads are commonly found in face scrubs
8. – Carry a reusable shopping bag.
9. – Spread the word about single-use plastic.
10. – Support Stem The Tide and marine conservation.