Marine Plastics: is it too late to save our oceans?

On Tuesday 8th October, students from the Electus programme went to the ‘Marine Plastics: is it too late to save our oceans?’ lecture at the Royal Institution. It was fascinating to hear from leading scientists, David Jones (Environmentalist), Theodore Henry (Professor of Environmental Toxicology), Pennie Lindeque (Molecular Biologist) and Anna Ploszajski (Material Scientist), about the ways in which we can save our oceans from plastic pollution and the science behind the issue. It was shocking to discover that we consume more plastic through the dust that settles on our shellfish than in the eating of the shellfish itself! There was also an interesting discussion about the way in which we, as consumers, should demand products that last longer, or that have parts that can easily be replaced – such as batteries in phones.

The lecture definitely made students think about how we can reduce the amount of plastic we use in order to contribute to improving the environment and just how important plastic is in our society today.