Our Story
Scouts Northamptonshire Avoiding Plastic Pollution
Plastic Pollution is the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that adversely affect wildlife, wildlife habitats and humans. Right now there is estimated to be 150 million tonnes of plastic in the Oceans - everything from the plastic bottle to the plastic bag, our everyday items that end up in our oceans. If we do nothing to reduce this annual additional to our oceans, then by 2050 there will be more plastic items in the ocean than fish. The term “Plastic Soup” is being used to describe our oceans and its effects, which are not just on the ocean are disastrous.
Plastic is now entering every level of the ocean food chain.
Plastic as we know it has only really existed for the last 60-70 years, but in that time it has transformed everything from clothing, cooking and catering, to product design, engineering and retailing. One of the great advantages of many types of plastic is that they're designed to last - for a very long time. And nearly all the plastic ever created still exists in some form today. The greatest contribution to the plastic problem though are those items termed “Single Use” or unnecessary plastic, the plastic drinks bottle, the carrier bag or the Clingfilm protecting your fruit and veg.
But it’s not too late
Scouts Northamptonshire are launching a year long project in 2019/2020 to raise awareness and play our part in reducing this problem.
Lord Baden Powell said that scouts should leave the world a little better than we found it. However Marine life is facing "irreparable damage" from the millions of tonnes of plastic waste which ends up in the oceans each year.
Whilst the scale of the problem sounds vast, Scouts Northamptonshire has over 8000 active members, 6000 of which are young people, who collectively and within their wider family context stand to make an impact on the plastic waste of Northamptonshire by working together on this campaign for 2019/20. With 8,000 Members – if we influence, our work, our environments, our families, our homes, in our local Scout community – what will 8,000 become?… 16,000?, 32,000
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The Scout Association is committed to young people connecting and taking action on issues that affect our local communities and the wider world. The Community Impact staged activity badge is part of the scouting programme, alongside other environmental awareness activity badges such as Global issues and Conservation and through the senior awards where Community and sustainability are two of the key challenge areas.
Our Aim is to,
run a countywide Community Impact project during the financial year 2019/20 to raise awareness and help Scouts Northamptonshire take action in this problem. In raising awareness of plastic pollution/soup caused by the overuse of unnecessary plastic, we hope that Sections, Scout Groups and Districts will take action to reduce our impact on both the local and international communities.
Taking part in the project will involve a series of challenges and opportunities to Reduce, Recycle, Educate and Remove, single use plastics from our daily lives where possible, leading to groups earning their SNAPP Badge.
Sign ups will take place after our Launch day March 30th 2019.