Live Simply November 2024
Less Plastic is Fantastic, Support the Global Plastics Treaty
Plastic is poisoning our health, harming communities and destroying our planet.
What is the Global Plastic Treaty and what will it do?
Governments will gather in Busan in South Korea this month for the final round of negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty, this is a vital opportunity to cut plastic pollution and put an end to single use plastic. A strong treaty would be an international, legally binding agreement that governments would use to make laws to reduce plastic production worldwide. It would hold plastic polluters accountable, and develop refill and reuse solutions to replace single-use plastics and our failed recycling systems.
The Problem with Plastic
Plastic is useful and convenient, but it’s also a massive pollution problem. The UK produces more plastic waste per person than any other country.
Single Use Plastic
More than 40% of plastic produced is thrown away after a single use!
Incineration
58% of the UK’s plastic waste is incinerated. Incineration of waste releases more carbon emissions and toxic fumes than burning oil and gas. Coal production ended in the UK in 2024, burning plastic waste is now the dirtiest form of power production in the country.
Plastics Harm Our Health and the Health of Animals
Plastic is not biodegradable, it simply breaks apart into smaller and smaller pieces, creating microplastics. These microplastics act as little sponges and absorb chemicals that affect our health and can cause alterations to our hormones and the hormones of other creatures too.
Plastics Harm Wildlife in our Oceans
Plastic gets covered in a layer of algae. Algae produce a chemical compound that clings to plastic debris and smells like food. Seabirds, fish and turtles are fooled into thinking the plastic debris is food by the smell. Turtles often eat plastic bags mistaking them for jelly fish.
Disposal of Plastic Waste causes Injustice
More than 50% of plastic waste is incinerated; plastic incinerators are most often in low income neighbourhoods, so the burden of the toxic pollution is on the poor.
More than 20 million people in poor countries are employed to collect, sort and sell 60% of all plastic recycled globally. Thanks to their work less plastic ends up burnt, or in food chains and waterways. Many work in terrible conditions for low wages. The poor bear the burden of our wasteful lives.
Some Good News:-
Single Use Vapes - The government plans to ban the sale of single-use vapes from 1 June 2025
Lost Fishing Nets in the Ocean –. Fish, sea turtles, dolphins, porpoises, birds, and sharks get caught up in lost fishing nets, causing a slow and painful death from exhaustion and suffocation. Biodegradable fishing nets are being developed.
Using less plastic isn’t easy, plastic products are everywhere and it’s difficult to avoid them, but we can all do as much as we can to end our throwaway culture.
What has our parish already done?
We have tried to use less plastic
Since starting our Live Simply Campaign three years ago we buy less plastic. We try to buy plastic free and recycled plastic products and we recycle plastics wherever we can. We have changed how we wash our clothes and drive our cars differently to reduce microplastics.
We have campaigned for change
We have increased our awareness of the issue, we have signed petitions, and we wrote to our MP asking him to support plastic reduction targets.
What more can we do?
We can fight for a strong Global Plastics Treaty.
If a strong treaty is agreed, it will mean less plastic production worldwide, more refill and reuse solutions to replace single use plastic and more effective recycling schemes. Governments, businesses, and pollution scientists would be responsible for monitoring and reporting on plastic throughout its life cycle, from production and consumption to waste management. It would support workers moving away plastics, and ensure that the worst polluters are held accountable. A strong global treaty would mean keeping oil and gas in the ground, big brands would switch to refill and reuse systems, and frontline communities would be supported.
Major oil and gas companies are doing everything they can to undermine the Global Plastics Treaty and ensure it doesn’t get in the way of their plans to significantly increase plastic production. We can’t let them win
Take Action – show your support for a Global Plastics Treaty by signing the petition
Here’s the link:-
Live in Solidarity with the Poor
CAFOD DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal
The situation in Gaza and Lebanon is Urgent
In Gaza, people are dying of hunger and disease, as well as injuries caused by the conflict. Food and clean water are desperately scarce. Ninety per cent of the population are displaced, and more than 42,000 people have been killed. There is no safe place for people in Gaza to go.
In Lebanon, over 1 million people have had to leave their homes due to the conflict. Shelters are overwhelmed, and hospitals are struggling to treat the thousands of people injured.
Conflict in the Middle East is devastating lives
Millions across the Middle East have fled their homes in search of safety. They urgently need shelter, food and basic supplies.CAFOD partners are helping these families right now as they arrive in safer areas. Your donations will help with:
· emergency healthcare, food packages, safe shelter, hygiene kits, mental health support, and cash to buy fuel, blankets and other essentials
Please give what you can – here’s the link
Please pray for peace in the Middle East
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