(Zie onderstaande Nederlandse tekst)

The international theme of Earth Day 2018 is Ending Plastic Pollution. When we think of plastic, we most likely think of the insane amounts of plastic trash that end up in the world’s oceans, damaging marine life and ecosystems, littering beaches and waterways. Plastics also get into our food chain and are associated with hormone disruption in the human body.

With China’s recent decision to no longer recycle the world’s plastics, this crushing problem is now in our thoughts more than ever, as each nation must decide what to do with all of that plastic.

By 2050, it is estimated that there will be more plastic in the

world’s oceans than fish. Every human being on earth depends on

the oceans. We have the responsibility to protect the oceans and

their inhabitants so they remain for future generations.

~Earth Day Network

Given the international theme of Earth Day 2018, we are pleased to announce that the Plastic Soup Foundation will also participate in Earth Day The Hague. Founded in 2011, The Dutch Plastic Soup Foundation has a theme of “No Plastic Waste in our Waters.”

In our oceans and seas there is an ever increasing amount of plastic trash. This comes from trash that is thrown on the streets, leftover fish nets that are not cleaned up, but also through washing synthetic clothing or through brushing your teeth. All these different types of plastic form  what is known as “plastic soup” in our seas and oceans.

Plastic Soup Foundation wants to do something about it!

Here is a partial list of their campaigns against plastic waste:

Beat the Microbead

My Little Plastic Footprint App

Ocean Clean Wash

Here are the three tenets of the Plastic Soup Foundation:

Be aware: The Plastic Soup Foundation constantly draws attention to plastic soup through campaigns, news articles and social media.

Get educated: Anyone who wants to find out more about plastic soup is in the right place when they come to us. For instance in 2016 Plastic Soup Foundation developed educational programs for primary schools and secondary schools. In addition we work together with experts, politicians, organizations, universities and companies which have similar missions or visions.

Find solutions: The Plastic Soup Foundation stimulates all possible (innovative) solutions which help tackle the causes of plastic soup at source. Measures which prevent plastic entering the environment, water and eventually ending up in the sea have the greatest impact in our opinion. This includes reducing the amount of single-use consumer plastics, the development of a Plastic Footprint for companies as well as smart devices which collect plastic in waterways.

Please visit the Plastic Soup Foundation website to learn more. And of course, you can visit their stand at Earth Day The Hague 2018 on Saturday, April 21st, from 10.00 am-3:00pm, Christus Triumfatorkerk, Juliana van Stolberglaan 154.

NEDERLANDS

Het internationale thema van de Dag van de Aarde 2018 is “Plastic Vervuiling Stoppen”. Wanneer wij aan plastic denken, denken wij vooral aan de enorme hoeveelheid plastic afval dat terechtkomt in oceanen, het zeeleven en ecosystemen beschadigt en stranden vervuilt. Plastic komt ook terecht in onze voedselketen en dit wordt geassocieerd met hormoon schommelingen in het menselijk lichaam.

Door de recente beslissing van China om te stoppen met het recyclen van plastic, is dit verwoestende probleem nu nog belangrijker voor ons, omdat elk land moet besluiten wat er met al dat plastic gaat gebeuren.

Naar schatting zal er in 2050 meer plastic in de oceanen zijn dan vissen. Elk mens op aarde is afhankelijk van oceanen.  Het is onze verantwoordelijkheid om de oceanen en het zeeleven te beschermen, zodat deze behouden blijven voor toekomstige generaties.

~Dag van de Aarde Netwerk

In onze oceanen en zeeën drijft steeds meer plastic afval. Dit komt van afval wat we op straat weggooien, visnetten die achterblijven, maar ook door het wassen van synthetische kleding of door je tanden te poetsen. Al deze verschillende soorten plastic vormen samen in de zeeën en oceanen de plastic soep.