Since
studying a degree in Applied Marine Zoology at Cornwall College Newquay, Adele Morgan
has been striving to live a zero waste lifestyle. Adele decided to make
changes in her own life after realising that, like the vast majority of people,
she was contributing to an ongoing problem.
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| Adele Morgan |
Adele now
takes every opportunity to make a considered choice when it comes to her own
consumption and the things she purchases and uses. Adele shares her zero waste
experiences on a blog called Minimal Impact Kernow, which is well worth a visit for
details on how you can make small changes that collectively can have a
large-scale positive impact on the environment.
Adele is also
the newest member of the Your Shore Beach Rangers team, a collaborative project between
Cornwall College Newquay and Cornwall Wildlife Trust, which allows young people
to learn key work and life skills, meet like-minded
people, get active and make a positive impact on the marine environment.
We caught up
with Adele to gain an understanding of her motivations and insights relating to
a zero waste lifestyle:
Why Zero Waste?
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| Adele collects her monthly waste that cannot be recycled in a single jar |
Adele: Zero waste is a movement and a goal
to reduce the amount of trash you create. Living in Cornwall, I have witnessed
first-hand how anthropogenic waste has impacted our environment. I
have recorded marine life entangled in plastic and observed coastal locations
covered in litter.
Before I went
zero waste I bought and chucked out so much trash and didn't even
think about it. But that being said, I grew up around single use plastics and
other disposables, not actually taking into account where all of our trash goes
because it was the normal thing to do. I was highly addicted to buying 'stuff'
just because I wanted it and most of the time, it got used for very short
periods of time before breaking and ending up in landfill.
I have always
been a massive nature lover and studied a bachelors in Applied Marine
Zoology so I knew all about the plastics in our oceans and how they were
harming our marine and terrestrial life.
By taking
little steps in our own lives to reduce our impact we can make a massive
difference. By making a change, we are creating awareness for our environment
and awareness as to how much trash we create on a daily basis.
So what's wrong with plastic?
Adele: Plastic is a synthetic material that
is made to be durable, cheap and easy to produce. Because of this, plastic will
never breakdown in our environment and will last hundreds and thousands of
years. That means that every single item of plastic we use will remain on
the Earth forever.
Instead of
breaking down naturally like food waste and natural materials, plastic will
simple break into smaller and smaller pieces. Plastic in our oceans is a very
concerning topic. Micro plastics, identified as pieces less than 5mm are
floating on the ocean surface and are ingested by smaller marine species such
as plankton and fish.
Plastic is
coated and made from chemicals and toxins which are hydrophobic (doesn't like
water) and therefore will sit on the surface of the item and therefore also
become ingested it. In addition to being hydrophobic, these chemicals are also
lipophilic, so will store themselves in muscle and
fat affecting the anatomy and physiology of animals such as their
hormones, endocrine systems and reproduction organs. Larger mariner life such
as baleen whales that eat these plankton will then accumulate these toxins and
store them in their bodies. As mammals they unfortunately also gain
these toxins and as a result pass these onto their young, also known
as the toxic dump.
What will people get out of reading
your blog?
Adele: I use the blog to share information
and shed light on the common problems we face today regarding waste and plastic
pollution. I share my top tips as well as my own journey on how I'm producing
less waste in my life. I hope people enjoy reading the blog and I hope it
inspires them to reduce the amount of waste they create and possibly join the
zero waste movement.
What can people do to start their
journey towards a zero waste lifestyle?
Adele: Firstly, it’s important to know that
becoming zero waste doesn't happen overnight. It is
impossible to be completely waste free and it may take many years for you to
transition fully by slowly replacing items over time. A good place to start is my blog post
offering my own beginners guide to get you started! (HERE) There are
a number of easy swaps that you can make that will a big difference.
Here is
something simple to remember- In order to achieve an efficient zero waste life
style, I live by the 5 R's:
Reduce - The amount of disposable
products you use
Refuse - What you don't need
Reuse - What you already have
Recycle - Items you cannot reuse
Rot - Compost food scraps and natural materials
Overall, a
zero waste lifestyle is a journey where you will have successes but also fails
and you will learn from your mistakes every day. Despite this, the journey
is self-rewarding and every change has the potential of great impact on
the environment.
-You can read Adele’s blog Minimal
Impact Kernow HERE
-For more information on Your Shore
Beach Rangers visit HERE
-For more
information on the range of Zoology, Surf and Marine courses available at
Cornwall College Newquay visit www.cornwall.ac.uk or call 0330 123 2523.
