WE NEED a plastic revolution Between five million and 13 million tonnes of plastic leak into the world’s oceans each year – to be ingested by sea birds, fish and other organisms.

This moves into the human food chain - with Ghent University in Belgium finding that seafood lovers eat up to 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic a year.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that by 2050, if action is not taken, the weight of plastic in the oceans will be greater than the weight of fish.

We need a plastic revolution to reverse the massive increase in plastic – particularly the huge growth in the use of plastic bottles.

The number of bottles produced globally is expected to rise to over half a trillion annually by the end of this decade.

We are slowly developing positive actions to respond to this catastrophe.

Some towns and cities are returning to public water fountains where people can fill their own water bottles, the Refill Campaign started in Bristol in 2015 has spread to Dorset, Devon and Bath, there is rising concern about the amount of plastic packaging in built into food and other purchases.

There is energy in Stroud to get involved.

Transition Stroud – ‘Inspiring Action for our Sustainable Future’ recently ran a workshop on ‘Live Without Plastic’ which 50 people attended.

That meeting expressed a determination that Stroud needs to contribute to positive action.

Accordingly we will be holding a public meeting to decide what actions we can/must take.

If you are interested in attending that meeting or would like more information then please e mail erikjohnw@gmail.com.

Please come - all welcome.

Erik Wilkinson

One of nine voluntary directors Transition Stroud