Prince Charles Is Urging People To Care About Overfishing And Plastic Pollution

By Amanda Froelich Truth Theory

Don’t be fooled — Prince Charles may live a life of luxury, but he’s aware we need this planet more than it needs us. To advocate for sustainable, environmental change, he recently gave a speech on the importance of addressing overfishing and plastic pollution at the “Our Oceans” conference in Malta.

“We may be able to turn the tide,” said Prince Charles, saying “decisive” action is needed to stop the “elephant in the room.” “How will future generations ever forgive us,” the prince added.

As OneGreenPlanet reports, overfishing is one of the biggest threats to our planet. Experts estimate that close to 80 percent of the world’s fish stocks have been fully exploited or are in decline, and 90 percent of the ocean’s predatory fish have been wiped out. Who’s to blame? Humans. If nothing is done, the oceans may be emptied of fish by the year 2050. The drastic depletions are already affecting the ocean’s delicate food chains and ecosystems.

Prince Charles also highlighted the huge problem of dumping plastic at sea. He said all plastics must be “recovered, recycled and re-used,” rather than “created, used and thrown away.” He stated that the “sense of urgency” is still lacking — and that this is a problem. “I wonder if the oceans fragility is yet totally truly grasped,” said Prince Charles, pointing out 8 million tonnes of plastic make their way into the sea every year.

Humans already throw away enough plastic each year to circle the globe four times. And, 80 percent of the plastic that is tossed into landfills makes its way to the oceans. In convergences, such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, plastic slowly breaks down into tinier pieces and, oftentimes, poisons — or kills — wildlife.

In the past 40 years alone, half of all marine life on the planet has been lost. If nothing changes, scientists predict there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050. These are staggering realizations we cannot afford to ignore.

Prince Charles went on to say that recent hurricanes are a “wake up call” for humanity. If ignored, he says, “we can no-longer consider ourselves part of a rational civilisation.”

Ready to “be the change” you want to see in the world? Follow Prince Charles’ advice and avoid using plastic. Reuse materials — such as grocery bags and jars — and recycle objects instead of tossing them into the trash. Reducing your consumption of fish and eating more plant-based options which are high in protein will also address the overfishing conundrum. Step by step, we can create a “greener” planet.

IMAGE CREDIT: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trawlers_overfishing_cod.jpg

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I am Luke Miller, content manager at Truth Theory and creator of Potential For Change. I like to blend psychology and spirituality to help you create more happiness in your life.Grab a copy of my free 33 Page Illustrated eBook- Psychology Meets Spirituality- Secrets To A Supercharged Life You Control Here