Volunteers in Cornwall highlight plastic litter polluting our seas
Volunteers in Cornwall highlight plastic litter polluting our seas at a huge event of over 200 people from across Cornwall. On Saturday, I and Cabinet member Joyce Duffin travelled to Whitsand Bay and helped carry more than 1km of plastic down the winding cliff path and across the beach.
Cllrs Duffin and James at Whitsand Bay highlighting the harm of plastics in our seas
Stretching line of plastics coming onto the beach from the top of the cliff
Andrew George, parliamentary candidate locally for the Liberal Democrats, could not make the event but sent this message to Delia Webb of the Friends of Portheras Cove:
“I have looked at the excellent work that you attached of the artwork and efforts of pupils at local schools. They should all be very proud indeed, it is an excellent effort.
The theme which you have been following is one which I too have echoed at a recent public meeting which I called on the environment, including that of marine pollution. I don’t know if you were able to attend, but I am sure you would have been enthralled to hear about some of the work which has been going on and with which I have been proud to be associated. I am also very proud of the achievements of both the schools and the Friends of Portheras Cove.
The point raised at the public meeting is that as well as the plastic which you can see, there is also the microscopic plastic which you cannot see and which has an imperceptible but devastating effect on marine fauna.
I must congratulate all involved in their excellent work and may I wish you all the very best of success for the event this Saturday. I am very sorry that I cannot join you there but I’d be grateful if you would convey my congratulations and best wishes to all involved.”
Some of Plastics with Delia and Paul Webb, on behalf of Friends of Portheras Cove and St Just Primary school. This was before we started to carry the chain down the cliff
Whilst the event was quite an amazing sight to see and it was good that people had come across Cornwall to highlight their concerns, the worry is the huge impact this litter is having on marine life. I cannot pretend I am qualified to know what the answer is but it did make me think very seriously about our love affair with plastic that it seems is impossible to deal with safely.
Here is an amazing film of the event:
https://vimeo.com/124756263