Protect Birds by Being the Solution to Plastic Pollution

Last month we celebrated World Migratory Bird Day (May 11th). This years theme was Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution. We wanted to take the time to explore this topic a little more deeply. Plastic pollution poses risks to wildlife on a global scale, with heavily impacted species ranging from whales, fish, turtles, and birds. On the official World Migratory Bird Day website, they quote:

“One third of global plastic production is non-recyclable and at least eight million tonnes of plastic flows unabated into our oceans and water bodies each year,” Joyce Msuya, Acting Executive Director of UN Environment said. “It is ending up in the stomachs of birds, fish, whales, and in our soil and water. The world is choking on plastic and so too are our birds on which so much life on earth depends.” 

There are 3 major ways that plastic pollution affects birds: 

1) Entanglement in plastics and fishing gear 

2) Ingestion of plastic waste

3) Using plastic as nesting material which can injure and trap young birds 

Entanglement in plastics, specifically fishing gear is common in our area. Fishing gear such as lines and hooks are too often discarded at rivers and lakes where waterfowl quickly become entangled and unable to free themselves. The consequences can be dire. 

Trumpeter Swans were once extirpated from Ontario and due to conservation and re-introduction efforts have made a comeback but are still heavily monitored. Swans are often the victim of fishing gear entanglement and as they try to preen a hook out of their feathers, often their bill comes entangled too

Ingestion of plastic waste has become a serious issue. This is more prevalent for waterbirds but can affect all birds. Ingesting plastic can kill them, lead to severe injury or create a false sense of fullness which can lead to starvation or malnutrition. 
We can:  Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution! 

The simple solution: make sure to always pick up after yourself, especially when using fishing gear on our waterways, remembering that we are not the only ones that use the water and such a simple act can save an animal from a lot of hardship! 

Further, birds collect a wide range of materials to build their nests. As the volume of plastic pollution increases, so does the amount of plastic that ends up being used as nesting material. This creates hazards for fragile, newborn birds and can lead to extreme harm and fatality as they develop in the nest. 

The simple solution: to help ensure that fewer birds ingest plastic and end up using it as nesting material, the only solution is to use less plastic and therefore cease to contribute to the problem. We have already begun to see a shift in governments pushed by consumer desires to use less plastic. Efforts to phase out single-use plastics and make plastic products more recyclable are underway in a wide variety of cities and countries worldwide. 

Every single person can make an effort to reduce their use of single-use plastics, which ends up pushing governments and companies to follow consumer trends. So let's send the message: we want less plastic. 

Whenever I think of using a single-use plastic I think to myself, this will exist somewhere, forever.  Long after it has been useful for me it will find its way into our ecosystems and harm another being.  This small shift in mindset can be really helpful in reforming day-to-day habits. There are simple swaps we can make in our everyday life to use less plastic! 

Starter List for Using Less Plastic: 

1. Say no to straws! You can opt out of using a straw entirely or keep alternatives on hand such as metal or bamboo straws. WBU Barrie carries stainless steel straws and brushes and they can also be easily found at a variety of other retailers.

Stainless Steel Straw, Brush and Bag Available at WBU Barrie

2. Get a bamboo toothbrush - toothbrushes are actually one of the biggest plastic pollutants out there as we only use them for a short period of time before discarding them. Bamboo alternatives are biodegradable! 

3. Swap your household plastic wrap for beeswax wraps! WBU Barrie sells Abeego beeswax wraps and plastic wrap alternative. Beeswax keeps food fresh, masks bad odors, smells great and is easy to clean.

Abeego Beeswax Food Wrap Available at WBU Barrie

4. Ditch plastic water bottles - there are so many reliable and aesthetically pleasing reusable water bottles on the market that plastic bottles are completely unnecessary

5. Swap plastic grocery bags for reusable bags - this one is easy and we have seen a huge societal shift to the use of reusable bags. To go a step further you can order reusable produce bags as well to take the plastic out of your weekly grocery haul. 

WBU Barrie Re-usable Shopping Bag

By taking these 5 easy steps you will effectively be reducing your personal plastic footprint significantly. In turn, you will be helping many species of birds and other wildlife live a more plastic-free life alongside you. 

Warmly,

Heather