Join a virtuous circle that saves ecosystems - and money
Your ocean needs you. It is easy to make a difference. Join the Plastic Chain of action - see video below.
The New Zealand Government will invest up to $40 million for projects that turn plastic waste into usable materials. see announcement:
Ask retailers for non-plastic packaging alternatives, eg starch-based meat trays that biodegrade quickly.
Take your rubbish home with you from the beach, and don’t throw it overboard.
Ask for reusable shopping bags or bring your own. New Zealanders used on average 250 single-use shopping bags each last year. Where do your plastic bags go to die? See which councils are helping solve the problem - and which are just making it worse:
Buy bottled products that don’t have a tamper-proof ring around the base of the cap. These detach after opening and can kill seabirds if they slip over their bills in the sea or on the beach.
Avoid products that contain micro-beads. The smallest are often found in cosmetics or even toothpaste. Larger ones are used to make plastic products. Whatever the size, fish and birds mistake them for food – and choke on them. New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other countries have banned microbeads.
Avoid most plant feeding pellets, as the nutrients are impregnated into plastic, which disintegrates into the soil and water table.
Monitor international developments and demand New Zealand take action - or, better still, lead the way. See our News page.
Maui's Ark founder Stephen Harris explains the Plastic Chain. Video filmed by Caleb Corlett