A Message from the Alliance for the Great Lakes
Posted July 3rd, 2018 on Niagara At Large
(A Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper –
Maybe there are groups on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes that can join the call to purge plastics from our Great Lakes too.
We once had activist groups in Ontario like Pollution Probe, the Canadian wing of the now-defunct Great Lakes United and Niagara’s own Operation Clean dedicated to Great Lakes issues, but no more.
At least we have the U.S.-based Alliance for the Great advocating for these precious water bodies. There is information in this message by the Alliance that Canadians in Ontario should embrace too.)
The Great Lakes are one of the best places to spend the 4th of July. Chances are, plastic pollution on the beach, or in the water, isn’t a part of your perfect holiday. It’s an eyesore, it’s bad for wildlife, and it gets in our drinking water.
Tens of thousands of people around the Great Lakes are taking on the fight against plastic pollution. Last year, Adopt-a-Beach volunteers removed over 18 tons of plastic trash from beaches.
And this July 1st marked the final phase of the federal ban on microbeads, the tiny plastic pieces formerly found in toothpaste and face wash. Millions of these microbeads were found polluting our lakes, and people like you spoke out to stop this type of pollution.
Small actions make a huge difference. We’ve put together tips to help you have a plastic-free 4th of July:
- Choose reusables — from water bottles to tote bags to cutlery
- Skip the balloons, and the straws
- Opt for paper over plastic
- Recycle what you can
- Clean it up! July 5th is big day for Adopt-a-Beach — join a cleanup near you!
Make every day plastic-free. Take the Plastic-Free Great Lakes Pledge to help the Great Lakes and reduce plastic pollution.
Sincerely, Nate Drag
Water Project Manager
For more information on the Alliance for the Great Lakes and its advocacy work for these vital shared bodies of water for Americans and Canadians, click on – https://greatlakes.org/ .
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