Plastic beaches: change of tide or change of behaviour?
Shivonne M. Peters looks at plastics on two Tobago beaches. The key to managing waste on our beaches will have to be based on science and observation: where is it coming from? Shivonne is Managing Director of Seven Environmental, a consulting company focused on the marine sector; and a PhD candidate in Marine Sciences at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Email her at sevenenvironmental@hotmail.com Although convenient, readily available and an everyday part of our lives, plastics pose significant dangers to marine organisms such as turtles and seabirds through ingestion and entanglement. There is also the impact on us, which can extend far beyond riverine flooding and changes to the aesthetics of our favourite outdoor recreational spots. With an economy heavily dependent on tourism, Tobago’s coastal and marine environment should be distinguishably pristine. Sadly, this is not always the case. Furthermore, it may be easy for us to focus on the plastics that we see - water ...