This week the results of an investigation by oceanographers and other marine researchers into the effects of plastic waste in our oceans were published in the  journal “Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences”.

The investigation revealed that nine out of ten species of seabird across the planet now have some sort of plastic rubbish lodged in their stomachs. Whilst the plastic doesn’t usually kill the birds outright it can have an effect on reproduction and when death does occur it is usually slow and painful.

To illustrate how bad the problem has become (and how bad it’s going to get, unless  checked) the journal revealed that, 50 years ago, in 1960, it was discovered that plastic was present in the stomachs of 5% of seabirds examined worldwide.

By 2010, that figure had increased to 80% and by 2050 it is estimated that 99% of seabird species and 95% of individual seabirds will have swallowed plastic of some sort or other, whether plastic bags, bottles or other  waste thoughtlessly discarded by human beings.

It’s not just seabirds either, since whales, dolphins, turtles and countless other species are and will continue to be similarly afflicted.

I know this blog has touched on this subject more than once over the last couple of years but, frankly, it is a subject that needs to be repeated and emphasised time and time again. When are we, and more particularly our politicians, going to realise what we are doing to our beautiful planet and when, finally, are we going to do something about it?