Some time ago I visited one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, the coast of Pembrokeshire in West Wales. I went there because of the problem of plastic pollution and the impact it is having on seabirds. Off the coast of Pembrokeshire are some wonderful small islands, nature reserves and home to thousands of nesting birds. One of these islands is Grassholm, home to thousands of spectacular Gannets.
These birds always come back year after year but the island is slowly changing colour. As you get closer it has a blue and orange tinge to it. The cause? Thousands and thousands of pieces of plastic netting and line, polypropylene and monofilament. Rather than using weed or other natural debris the Gannets are making their nests from our pollution. Unfortunately it is also causing entanglement and we suspect they are ingesting much of it. A clear indication of how our throw away lifestyles are having a devastating impact on the ocean environment and the animals that live in it.
