A plastic bag has an average “working life” of 15 minutes, yet can take up to 1000 years to decompose. Are you ready to get angry with us?
Isle takes a stance against plastics in a bid to save the oceans.
A plastic bag has an average “working life” of 15 minutes, yet can take up to 1000 years to decompose.
There are more microplastics in the ocean than there are stars in the milky way.
More than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans every year. That is the equivalent of 29 city blocks.
So why do Isle, a water consultancy company, suddenly care about all these plastic facts? In truth, we always have. From screenings of the film ‘Plastic Oceans’ in our office to banning single use plastic altogether, so many of our team have become warriors for the cause.
In July, we showcase this further where we become involved in an Innovation Festival. This is a week-long event which will host over a thousand people, both general public and water professionals alike. During the week there will be a series of ‘Innovation Sprints’ delving into specific problems. Unsurprisingly, we are leading the Sprint on the plastics challenge. This sprint is aimed at the younger generations who will grow up (or are already starting) to have the power to change the way our sickly World is headed.
These Sprints are very intense. Over a 5 day period problems are systematically scoped, solutions evaluated and advancements proposed, refined and tested. It is intense but, as evidenced from last years’ Festival, it delivers great results. The combination of technical brainpower, practical experience and sheer, unadulterated can-do attitude all focused on a target topic is a very powerful tool.
This issue requires a swathe of technical, operational, economic and behavioural solutions, all working in unison. We cannot leave this issue to The Suits. It is too big and too thorny to be resolved by them alone. It requires widespread engagement and the build-up of plastic in our environment is an issue we should all get angry about.