Plastic Free Sea

Isla L said she first became interested in litter when she found out it was a problem and was damaging ecosystems.

Plastic is a great invention as it has a huge number of uses, but it can also be very dangerous for humans and animals. Phenomena like the North Pacific Garbage Patch illustrates the volume of waste we produce. More face masks, gloves and hand gel bottles have appeared during lockdown, which is a new litter problem.

She spoke to Michael Gove, the then Secretary of State for Defra, in 2019 about DRS, who said it was a great idea, but ideas need to be turned into action. The importance of the environment could also be taught in schools, including with school trips to parks and the coast for litter picks. It can be a very sociable and enjoyable activity, and she even ask for a litter-picker for Christmas. She was awarded a
green Blue Peter badge for a poem she wrote about litter.

' we should encourage more litter picking in people’s local areas to spread awareness as well as information campaigns, to highlight the size of the issue.'

Isla L said

Plastic Free Sea

You are throwing litter into the sea
Please stop you are upsetting me

In the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
There lies eighty thousand tons of litter to catch

Plastic bottles, cans and rope
For the animals there is no hope

Seals and crabs and fish with fins
They are all getting trapped in rubbish like tins

With all this plastic our animals are dying
We need to take action not just sit crying

We have to be prepared to make a change
To make a difference and rearrange

So next time you see some plastic
Put it in the bin and make our world fantastic

Isla L
Aged 9