Plastic - Make a Meal of It!

By Hannah Chater, Legends Report Writer

From bottles, clothing and food packaging, plastics are used for a number of things, but these little terrors are now finding their way into oceans, soil, the air and yes, EVEN CRAWLING ONTO OUR DINNER PLATES!

Known by scientists as micro-plastics, it has been proven that we may be consuming up to 52,000 pieces a year, but how?

Disaster Diets!

Ever thought about what those super easy and convenient microwave meals (or should we say micro-plastic meals) are doing to our bodies? Does that lush green piece of broccoli look appealing or do you enjoy that delicious piece of fish, then think again!

With our lives becoming more and more busy, we are becoming increasingly reliant on microwave meals. In 2020, research suggested that up to 5.3 million people in the UK ate at least one microwave meal per week, but what is it really doing to our bodies? Researchers have also found that by blasting those microwave meals such as a delicious lasagne, the plastic chemicals from the container become absorbed.

Something Smells Fishy!

As thousands flock to the coast each year, many enjoy the delicacy of the famous fish and chips, but what may appear to be a mouth watering piece of cod could secretly inhabit these pesky plastic particles, but how does this happen?

From washing our clothes to dumping items, these plastic rascals gradually find their way into our beautiful oceans. Once floating into this large global pond these are nibbled and digested by marine life. According to actor, Kevin Bacon, “We are being choked to death by the amount of plastic that we throw away. It’s killing our oceans. It’s entering into our bodies in the fish we eat.”

These plastics do not only end up in our own stomach but also in the food chain that belongs to the creatures of the deep, as well as polluting their liquid oxygen.

It's In The Air!

Like floating diamonds, the air we breathe is extremely precious but although we cannot see this, these plastic particles are blowing in the wind, sweeping the waxy skins of apples as they hang from the trees and harvested vegetables that are being prepared for our salad bowls, but are they as healthy as we think?

Have you ever looked on as children produce food using play doh, thinking about how realistic they look, well this is essentially what we are eating. As plastic particles float through the air, these land on crops and then we absorb these chemicals through digestion.

Are There Any Impacts On Our Health From These Plastic Parasites?

According to the research conducted by scientists at Kings College London in 2017, it has been identified that the toxins caused by these micro plastics can over time lead to problems with our immune systems. It is thought that along with eating, plastics can be absorbed into our organs and blood stream through drinking liquids from plastic bottles, with 90000 particles absorbed annually in comparison to only 4000 particles by those who drink tap water. How can you help your health I hear you say?

What Can We Do?

Reuse, reuse, reuse! Available from many stores from Amazon to Asda, flasks that are safe, reusable and most of all labelled BPA free (made from materials that do not leak into our food and drink) can be found. Through adding to our kitchenware, not only are we reducing the number of plastic bottles produced and supporting the fight against environmental damage but we are also caring for the health of fellow human beings and animals which we share this wonderful spherical planet with.

“It is one world. And it’s in our care. For the first time in the history of humanity, for the first time in 500 million years, one species has the future in the palm of its hands.”

― Sir David Attenborough.

Get Out Your Cooking Fingers And Sevelop Those Talents!

Get out those pots and pans and cook like Gino. Chefs like Gino D'Acampo, Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay all have their own unique style of cooking which is sure to take your fancy and meet your busy life schedule, so why not give it a go and find a recipe to try? Cooking from scratch can avoid those pesky plastic particles from melting into your food, plus fresh is sure to taste better, so think fresh is best!

Plastic To Fantastic!

So, now next time you eye up those microwave meals or bottles of water in your local supermarket, think again and think about those creatures that you are helping and that plastic free gut you are creating. Be the boss of your own health and remember to fill up your new fashionable flask from the tap and enjoy the taste (not forgetting the complements) of your new found cooking skills. It is stated by Scientist, Professor and engineer Sir P.S Jagadeesh Kumar that,

“Plastic is the most destructive weapon than a nuclear bomb or an atom bomb, its impact shall remain for centuries on the future generation”

, so help make a world that we can be proud of, which can be preserved for many years to come.