In December 2022, the United Nations General Assembly designated March 30th as the International Day of Zero Waste, emphasizing the need for sustainable production and consumption practices. Spearheaded by Türkiye and supported by 105 countries, this initiative underscores the urgency of bolstering waste management globally.

Zero-waste initiatives, celebrated today, play a crucial role in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By prioritizing waste reduction, reuse, and innovative design, these initiatives minimize pollution and resource depletion.

Achieving zero-waste societies requires collective action. Consumers can make a difference by altering consumption habits, while governments and industries must collaborate on policy and infrastructure improvements.

Throughout the day, various stakeholders are encouraged to engage in awareness-raising activities facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

On this International Day of Zero Waste, let us reaffirm our commitment to a sustainable future. Together, we can build a world where waste is minimized, resources are preserved, and our planet thrives.

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Human footprint in theabyss: 30 year records of deep-sea plastic debris,

Marine Policy,
Available online 6 April 2018, ISSN 0308-597X,

Abstract:

This study reports plastic debris pollution in the deep-sea based on the
information from a recently developed database. The Global Oceanographic
Data Center (GODAC) of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and
Technology (JAMSTEC) launched the Deep-sea Debris Database for public
use in March 2017. The database archives photographs and videos of
debris that have been collected since 1983 by deep-sea submersibles and
remotely operated vehicles. From the 5010 dives in the database, 3425
man-made debris items were counted. More than 33% of the debris was
macro-plastic, of which 89% was single-use products, and these ratios
increased to 52% and 92%, respectively, in areas deeper than 6000 m. The
deepest record was a plastic bag at 10898 m in the Mariana Trench.
Deep-sea organisms were observed in the 17% of plastic debris images,
which include entanglement of plastic bags on chemosynthetic cold seep
communities. Quantitative density analysis for the subset data in the
western North Pacific showed plastic density ranging from 17 to 335
items km−2 at depths of 1092–5977 m. The data show that, in addition to
resource exploitation and industrial development, the influence of
land-based human activities has reached the deepest parts of the ocean
in areas more than 1000 km from the mainland. Establishment of
international frameworks on monitoring of deep-sea plastic pollution as
an Essential Ocean Variable and a data sharing protocol are the keys to
delivering scientific outcomes that are useful for the effective
management of plastic pollution and the conservation of deep-sea
ecosystems.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17305195/pdfft?md5=df173a4568d58804d3fde4a93bc1dbdd&pid=1-s2.0-S0308597X17305195-main.pdf

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Bu3iIiWqkcdiQ-BdLP6InC8kIaMiRVdf
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.03.022.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17305195)

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Neben einigen Wohnmobilisten haben diesmal auch Weltreisende Segler teilgenommen. Durch Save your Hood konnten bei diesem Clean-up auch viele Griechen teilnehmen. Safe your Hood (Neighbourhood) ist eine Organisationsplattform von griechischen Mitgliedern die sich schnell und unkompliziert über Facebook verabreden um durchschnittlich 2 mal pro Woche im regionalen Umfeld einer Stadt einen Clean-up durchzuführen. Save your Hood hat bisher in knapp 1.000 Aktionen mit 9.500 Volontären 2,9 Millionen Säcke Müll und Plastikmüll in 138 griechischen Regionen gesammelt. Es lag somit nahe das Tina und Ralf von OEOO und Save your Hood am 21.03.21 eine gemeinsame Sache machten. Ein besonderer Tag denn es versammelte sich ein multinationales Team von 30 Umweltaktivisten und Umweltfreunden aus Griechenland, Deutschland, Österreich und Holland. In nur 2 Stunden haben sie 40 große Säcke Plastikmüll (95 % nur Kleinstteile) an einem 4 Kilometer langen Naturstrand gesammelt. Der Abtransport wird nach einer kurzen telefonischen Info durch die örtlichen Behörden organisiert.

Schaut euch das Video dazu an:

Eine wertvolle Erfahrung hieraus war, dass man nicht unbedingt einen kompletten Tag ansetzen muss. Wenn Cleanups regelmäßig mehrmals pro Woche in jeder regionalen Einheit durchgeführt werden dann ist nicht nur der dauerhafte Erfolg gewährleistet sondern auch die anhaltenden Motivation der Aktivisten am Ball zu bleiben. Die Teilnehmer von Save your Hood haben sich über die Unterstützung durch OEOO sehr gefreut und waren hochmotiviert darüber das ihr Engagement so sehr geschätzt wird. Ein großartiger Tag im Einsatz für unsere Ozeane und unsere Umwelt!

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The influence of exposure and physiology on microplastic ingestion by the freshwater fish Rutilus rutilus (roach) in
the River Thames, UK,

Environmental Pollution, Volume 236, May 2018, Pages 188-194, ISSN 0269-7491,

Abstract:
Microplastics are widespread throughout aquatic environments. However, there is currently insufficient understanding of the factors influencing ingestion of microplastics by organisms, especially higher predators
such as fish.

In this study we link ingestion of microplastics by the roach Rutilus rutilus, within the non-tidal part of the River Thames, toexposure and physiological factors.
Microplastics were found within the gut contents of roach from six out of seven sampling sites.
Of sampled fish, 33% contained at least one microplastic particle. The majority of particles were fibres (75%), with fragments and films also seen (22.7%and 2.3% respectively).
Polymers identified were polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester, in addition to a synthetic dye. The maximum number of ingested microplastic particles for individual fish was strongly correlated to exposure (based on distance from the source of the river).
Additionally, at a given exposure, the size of fish correlated with the actual quantity of microplastics in the gut. Larger
(mainly female) fish were more likely to ingest the maximum possible number of particles than smaller (mainly male) fish.
This study is the first to show microplastic ingestion within freshwater fish in the UK and provides valuable new evidence of the factors influencing ingestion that can be used to inform future studies on exposure and hazard of microplastics to fish.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117330713/pdfft?md5=28409989d93f6c1af344fb33104b1f93&pid=1-s2.0-S0269749117330713-main.pdf

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1R74szRwtHpOIiP41-NoeXXD8kLq6Wcej

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.044.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117330713)

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Morals, money or the master: The adoption of eco-friendly reusable bags, Marine Policy, 2018,

ISSN 0308-597X,

Abstract:

Plastic pollution is rampant in oceans across the globe. Our
project in Indonesia seeks to understand and measure the effectiveness
of non-monetary interventions that can help to reduce plastic bag
consumption. A natural field experiment with 60 local shops was set up
and three different persuasion strategies to measure shop owners’
likelihood to participate and sell them to customers were applied. In
all treatment conditions the reusable bags were offered to the shop
owners at a subsidized price along with explanations about the harm
plastic bags do to the environment. Additionally and according to their
randomly assigned treatment, they got either information activating a
pro-environmental social norm (arguing that distributing the reusable
bags helps support the wellbeing of their society); Indirect monetary
incentive (arguing that their business can save money by reducing the
amount of free plastic bags) or; authority endorsements (the head of the
village showing his support of the idea to distribute the reusable
bags). Our results support the conjecture that local leaders play an
important role in the Indonesian context.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AdwURlTkyJor4cYybkADC8rkqVhylkCp

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.01.029.(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17304852)

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Morals, money or the master: The adoption of eco-friendly reusable bags

Marine Policy, 2018, ISSN 0308-597X,

Abstract:

Plastic pollution is rampant in oceans across the globe. Our project in Indonesia seeks to understand and measure the effectiveness
of non-monetary interventions that can help to reduce plastic bag consumption. A natural field experiment with 60 local shops was set up
and three different persuasion strategies to measure shop owners’ likelihood to participate and sell them to customers were applied.

Inall treatment conditions the reusable bags were offered to the shop owners at a subsidized price along with explanations about the harm
plastic bags do to the environment. Additionally and according to their randomly assigned treatment, they got either information activating a
pro-environmental social norm (arguing that distributing the reusable bags helps support the wellbeing of their society);
Indirect monetaryincentive (arguing that their business can save money by reducing the amount of free plastic bags) or;
authority endorsements (the head of the village showing his support of the idea to distribute the reusable bags).

Our results support the conjecture that local leaders play an important role in the Indonesian context.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17304852

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How did that get there?
Plastic chunks on Arctic ice show how far pollution has spread

Discovery by UK scientists prompts fear that melting ice will allow more plastic to be released into the central Arctic Ocean – with huge effectson wildlife
A British-led expedition has discovered sizeable chunks of polystyrene lying on remote frozen ice floes in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.
The depressing find, only 1,000 miles from the north pole, is the first made in an area that was previously inaccessible to scientists because
of sea ice. It is one of the most northerly sightings of such detritus in the world’s oceans, which are increasingly polluted by plastics.

A team of scientists drawn from the UK, US, Norway and Hong Kong, headed by marine biologist Tim Gordon of Exeter University, said the discovery confirmed just how far plastic pollution has spread. It has prompted fears that plastic waste is flowing into the Arctic as the ice melts because of climate change. The thaw is simultaneously releasing plastic that has long been trapped in the ice.

The scientists, who were on the explorer Pen Hadow’s Arctic Mission attempt to sail to the north pole, were surprised to discover the blocks
of polystyrene many hundreds of miles from land in areas that were, until recently, covered by ice all year round. They found two large
pieces on the edge of ice floes between 77° and 80° north, in the middle of the international waters of the central Arctic Ocean.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/24/arctic-plastic-pollution-polystyrene-wildlife-threat

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Fiona Harvey
Monday 25 September 2017 15.00 BST

David Attenborough vividly remembers, nearly 80 years on, his first
encounter with one of the worst scourges of the planet. He was a
schoolboy. “I remember my headmaster, who was also my science master,
saying: ‘Boys, we’ve entered a new era! We’ve entered, we’ll be proud to
say, the plastic era. And what is so wonderful about this is we’ve used
all our scientific ingenuity to make sure that it’s virtually
indestructible. It doesn’t decay, you know, it’s wonderful.’”

Attenborough lets the last word hang in the air, eyebrows and hands
raised. Then the hands fall. “Now we dump thousands of tonnes of it,
every year, into the sea, and it has catastrophic effects.”

Pieces of plastic in the ocean will soon outnumber fish. They have, in
the past few years, been recognised as one of the most pressing problems
we face. Fish eat the plastic debris, mistaking it for food, and can
choke or starve to death. The long-term effects are not yet understood,
but we do know that plastic microparticles are now found in drinking
water across the world, as well as throughout our oceans.

Plastics are the latest in a long line of concerns for the 91-year-old
naturalist. They are a key theme of his latest work for television, the
new series of The Blue Planet, which he will return to writing after our
interview. Premiering at the BFI Imax in London this Wednesday – with
Prince William as a special guest – the series will focus not only on
the marvels of ocean life, but the threats to it, of which plastic is
one of the worst. It will also deal with what people can do to help.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/sep/25/david-attenborough-on-the-scourge-of-the-oceans-i-remember-being-told-plastic-doesnt-decay-its-wonderful

The post David Attenborough on the scourge of the oceans: ‘I remember being told plastic doesn’t decay, it’s wonderful’ appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Marine litter pollutes Arctic beaches and affects wild life,
Marine Pollution Bulletin,

Available online 28 September 2017, ISSN 0025-326X

Abstract:

Recent data indicate accumulation areas of marine litter in Arctic waters and significant increases over time. Beaches on remote Arctic
islands may be sinks for marine litter and reflect pollution levels ofthe surrounding waters particularly well.
We provide the first quantitative data from surveys carried out by citizen scientists on six beaches of Svalbard.

Litter quantities recorded by cruise touristsvaried from 9–524 g m− 2 and were similar to those from denselypopulated areas.
Plastics accounted for > 80% of the overall litter, most of which originated from fisheries. Photographs provided by
citizens show deleterious effects of beach litter on Arctic wildlife, which is already under strong pressure from global climate change. Our
study highlights the potential of citizen scientists to provide scientifically valuable data on the pollution of sensitive remote
ecosystems.
The results stress once more that current legislative frameworks are insufficient to tackle the pollution of Arctic ecosystems.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17307919/pdfft?md5=97f6ec46875219bde58053e8afcad52a&pid=1-s2.0-S0025326X17307919-main.pdf

The post Marine litter pollutes Arctic beaches and affects wild life appeared first on One Earth - One Ocean e. V..

Abstract:
Recent data indicate accumulation areas of marine litter in Arctic
waters and significant increases over time. Beaches on remote Arctic
islands may be sinks for marine litter and reflect pollution levels of
the surrounding waters particularly well. We provide the first
quantitative data from surveys carried out by citizen scientists on six
beaches of Svalbard. Litter quantities recorded by cruise tourists
varied from 9–524 g m− 2 and were similar to those from densely
populated areas. Plastics accounted for > 80% of the overall litter,
most of which originated from fisheries. Photographs provided by
citizens show deleterious effects of beach litter on Arctic wildlife,
which is already under strong pressure from global climate change. Our
study highlights the potential of citizen scientists to provide
scientifically valuable data on the pollution of sensitive remote
ecosystems. The results stress once more that current legislative
frameworks are insufficient to tackle the pollution of Arctic
ecosystems.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17307919/pdfft?md5=97f6ec46875219bde58053e8afcad52a&pid=1-s2.0-S0025326X17307919-main.pdf

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.055.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17307919)

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