BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

-

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

BEAT Plastic Pollution”, the theme for World Environment Day (WED) 2018, is a call to action for all of us to come together to combat one of the great environmental challenges of our time. 

As countries plan their events for this year’s WED, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) hopes people do not have to wait till June 5 to act.
“This year’s WED provides an opportunity for each of us to embrace the many ways that we can help to combat plastic pollution around the world”.

In Solomon Islands, Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has said that there are small ways to demonstrate participation, commitment and contribution towards tackling the problem of plastic rubbish, environmental and marine waste and pollution. Sogavare made these remarks during a beach cleanup last month to commemorate Commonwealth day.

Meanwhile Friends of the City (FTC) a new Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) established to discuss issues surrounding the city says education is the key to tackle plastic pollution.
“Correct disposal of rubbish starts from the home thus our children must be educated at an early age on how to dispose rubbish correctly”. 


While plastic has many valuable uses, studies show that we have become over reliant on single-use or disposable plastic – with severe environmental consequences. UNEP reports that around the world, 1 million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute. 

 “500 billion disposable plastic bags are used worldwide every year. In total, 50 per cent of the plastic we use is single use”.

Nearly one third of the plastic packaging we use escapes collection systems, which means that it ends up clogging our city streets and polluting our natural environment. Every year, up to 13 million tons of plastic leak into our oceans, where it smothers coral reefs and threatens vulnerable marine wildlife. The plastic that ends up in the oceans can circle the Earth four times in a single year, and it can persist for up to 1,000 years before it fully disintegrates.

 The issue of plastic waste is a serious one and should not be taken lightly. Recently Premier Maepioh of Western province had been commended for his government’s initiative to ban plastic in the Western Solomon Islands. 


Now the country’s Prime Minister is considering the ban of plastics after the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) where tackling plastic waste is an outcome of the meeting.

The government of UK announced £61 million to tackle plastic waste, including matching public donations through UK Aid Match up to £5 million.


UNEP on the other hand says if you can’t reuse it, refuse it

ENDS///

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AUSTRALIA: A STEADFAST PARTNER AND FRIEND TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY DR LACHLAN STRAHN, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SOLOMON ISLANDS Australia and Solomon Islands enjoy a close bond – indeed, we are Pacific family. The Blue Pacific is our shared home, our common region. The Coral Sea links us forever and continental drift is in fact pushing us closer together. But our deep friendship is based on much more than shared geography. We are bound together by our common values as democratic countries committed to peace, a rich spiritual life and a shared determination to give every individual, man, woman, girl and boy, the opportunity to reach their full potential. Family stick together, through the good times and the tough times. Australia partnered with Solomon Islands during some of the country’s darkest moments, including through RAMSI to help restore stability and law and order. And Solomon Islands has been there for Australia, with people across the country reaching into their hearts to raise funds for the communities ravaged by devastating bushfir...
Read more

VANUATU BIGGEST IMPORTER OF CANNED TUNA FROM SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY GEORGINA KEKEA VANUATU is the biggest importer of canned tuna from Solomon Islands. National Fisheries Development (NFD) Limited Managing Director, Frank Wickham shared this information in a recent radio talkback show to mark World Tuna Day. Wickham says the biggest export destination for SolTuna’s canned tuna is Vanuatu. “Followed by Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the market is now open in New Zealand. There is a big move now to promote and market in New Zealand and Australia. We have containers going to Kiribati, Tuvalu with a few to Tonga and Marshall Islands. The biggest of them all is Vanuatu”, Wickham said. He says domestically the consumption of tuna is growing annually making Solomon  Islands one of the biggest canned tuna consumption per capita in the world. “Two years ago it was like more than 800,000 cartons a year. which means for every woman, man and child in the country, they consume one carton a year. So if you look at 48 tin cans in one carton, it is almost one ...
Read more

HOW A TINY PROVINCE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS REACHES OUT TO AUSTRALIA

-
Image
THE small island province of Temotu in the far eastern part of Solomon Islands is one of the nation’s most prone natural hazard areas. The tsunami in 2013 swamped through 20 villages With an estimated population of less than 25,000, Temotu often has its bouts of natural disasters. In 2015, tropical cyclone Pam left devastating effects on the tiny province where people were affected from damages to their fruit trees, food gardens and agricultural crops. People near the coast were evacuated. Then again in 2017, TC Donna in its wake and formation also impacted badly on the people of Temotu. Not to mention it was only seven years ago a tsunami claimed lives of more than 10 people, swamped more than 20 villages forcing the government to declare a state of emergency over the Santa Cruz Islands. Remains of household in Venga village after 2013 tsunami (Photo supplied) Their most recent bout of disaster was in January 2019 where bad weather caused people to face food shortag...
Read more