It had survived predatory birds, motor boat propellers, tiger sharks and tropical storms. Yet despite a 1 in 10,000 chance of surviving to adulthood, a sea turtle managed to travel thousands of miles back to the nesting grounds in which it was born. Driven by the instinct to reproduce, it buries its eggs in the sand and heads back to sea. The GPS tracking device placed on its shell had followed the animal throughout its life - one that would be tragically cut short as it subsequently became entangled by a fishing net.
Every year, thousands of sea turtles and other marine species become trapped by man-made hazards. Despite being a protected species, laws have not
always been able to protect against the greed of poachers, fish nets not equipped with turtle escape devices (illegal in the United States) and debris mistaken as food. According to Dr Kathy Townsend of the University of Queensland Australia, marine rubbish produced from plastic and other materials was the leading cause of sea turtle deaths in the period studied. In the case of one baby turtle, it only took a piece of plastic about half the size of a thumbnail to cause its mortality. For those lucky enough to beat the odds, they certainly don't need us reducing their chances.
Having survived the extinction of the dinosaurs, green sea turtles, leatherbacks and other turtle species have managed to overcome enormous environmental pressures. Before reaching sexual maturity, the average sea turtle will have lived at least 10 to 25 years. Most never make it to this point. Without a viable breeding population, sea turtles may become extinct within our lifetime.
What can we do? By reducing our dependency on non-biodegradable materials such as plastics and polystyrene (Styrofoam™), we can at
least give endangered species a fighting chance. Using paper bags instead of plastic whenever possible and recycling can help but
to truly make a difference, we have to stop this dependency on non-biodegradable materials completely. One way to accomplish this is by
using alternative materials that are biodegradable such as Corn Starch Utensils. These forks, spoons and knives are made from a renewable resource (corn starch), are biodegradable and do not over-burden our land-fills. If all the fast food chains, caterers, hospitals, schools, offices and homeowners hosting partying events relying on non-biodegradable utensils made this change, 40 billion plastic utensils in the United States alone could be potentially composted and not end up in our landfills each year - a cost we all ultimately pay for.
It is unfortunate that despite improved global communications, most people are still unaware of the term bioplastic. True bioplastics are a form of plastic made from organic (typically plant-based) materials that biodegrade and do not contaminate the land and sea. Both Compostable and Biodegradable Trash Bags are available as well as Biodegradable Peanuts (packaging material), Sugar Cane Plates, Bowls and more. As consumers, we have the power to not support establishments that are unwilling to consider innovative ways to stop this wastefulness. Sadly, it is not always so easy to live up to our ideals in a world that relies heavily on plastics and polystyrene-based products. Nevertheless, with good temperament, we may be able to persuade some establishments to make the shift to biodegradable alternatives and lobby for the support of new bills that mandate more environmentally-friendly practices. The future of our planet and the legacy we leave behind depends on the choices we make now. We can complain about litter in our neighborhoods and parks and say "someone should do something" or we can take an active stand before time runs out for many endangered species and ultimately, ourselves.
For more information on biodegradable utensils, biodegradable bags, packaging materials and other eco-friendly products, go to [http://www.officesalesusa.com/discount/corn-starch-utensils.php].
Styrofoam™ is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company
Every year, thousands of sea turtles and other marine species become trapped by man-made hazards. Despite being a protected species, laws have not
always been able to protect against the greed of poachers, fish nets not equipped with turtle escape devices (illegal in the United States) and debris mistaken as food. According to Dr Kathy Townsend of the University of Queensland Australia, marine rubbish produced from plastic and other materials was the leading cause of sea turtle deaths in the period studied. In the case of one baby turtle, it only took a piece of plastic about half the size of a thumbnail to cause its mortality. For those lucky enough to beat the odds, they certainly don't need us reducing their chances.
Having survived the extinction of the dinosaurs, green sea turtles, leatherbacks and other turtle species have managed to overcome enormous environmental pressures. Before reaching sexual maturity, the average sea turtle will have lived at least 10 to 25 years. Most never make it to this point. Without a viable breeding population, sea turtles may become extinct within our lifetime.
What can we do? By reducing our dependency on non-biodegradable materials such as plastics and polystyrene (Styrofoam™), we can at
least give endangered species a fighting chance. Using paper bags instead of plastic whenever possible and recycling can help but
to truly make a difference, we have to stop this dependency on non-biodegradable materials completely. One way to accomplish this is by
using alternative materials that are biodegradable such as Corn Starch Utensils. These forks, spoons and knives are made from a renewable resource (corn starch), are biodegradable and do not over-burden our land-fills. If all the fast food chains, caterers, hospitals, schools, offices and homeowners hosting partying events relying on non-biodegradable utensils made this change, 40 billion plastic utensils in the United States alone could be potentially composted and not end up in our landfills each year - a cost we all ultimately pay for.
It is unfortunate that despite improved global communications, most people are still unaware of the term bioplastic. True bioplastics are a form of plastic made from organic (typically plant-based) materials that biodegrade and do not contaminate the land and sea. Both Compostable and Biodegradable Trash Bags are available as well as Biodegradable Peanuts (packaging material), Sugar Cane Plates, Bowls and more. As consumers, we have the power to not support establishments that are unwilling to consider innovative ways to stop this wastefulness. Sadly, it is not always so easy to live up to our ideals in a world that relies heavily on plastics and polystyrene-based products. Nevertheless, with good temperament, we may be able to persuade some establishments to make the shift to biodegradable alternatives and lobby for the support of new bills that mandate more environmentally-friendly practices. The future of our planet and the legacy we leave behind depends on the choices we make now. We can complain about litter in our neighborhoods and parks and say "someone should do something" or we can take an active stand before time runs out for many endangered species and ultimately, ourselves.
For more information on biodegradable utensils, biodegradable bags, packaging materials and other eco-friendly products, go to [http://www.officesalesusa.com/discount/corn-starch-utensils.php].
Styrofoam™ is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company
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