Saskatoon’s Response to Plastics Menace

 

Saskatoon’s Response to Plastics Menace

“Earth Day 2024: Planet vs. Plastics – A Call to Action for Environmental Protection“

Article: Earth Day, observed annually on April 22, is a global initiative rallying individuals to demonstrate their support for environmental protection. This year’s theme, “Planet vs. Plastics,” emphasizes the urgent need to address the detrimental impact of plastics and microplastics on our planet’s health.

Planet vs. Plastics: Saskatoon Stands Strong for Earth Day 2024

Plastics, ubiquitous in our daily lives, pose a severe threat to environmental well-being. Here are 10 ways plastics and microplastics are harming our ecosystems:

1. Ocean Pollution: Plastics end up through our wetlands, and rivers in oceans, posing a direct threat to marine life through ingestion and entanglement.
2. Microplastic Contamination: Microplastics, small particles resulting from plastic breakdown, infiltrate ecosystems and threaten aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
3. Wildlife Disruption: Plastic pollution disrupts wildlife habitats, affecting animals’ natural behaviors and migration patterns.
4. Toxic Chemical Release: Plastics release harmful chemicals, contributing to soil and water contamination, impacting plant and animal life.
5. Air Pollution: Burning or degrading plastics release toxic fumes, contributing to air pollution and respiratory issues.
6. Landfill Overload: Improper plastic disposal leads to overflowing landfills, causing soil degradation and leaching harmful substances.
7. Chemical Runoff: Rainwater transports plastic additives into water bodies, causing chemical pollution with detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems.
8. Microplastics in Food Chain: Microplastics enter the food chain, posing potential health risks to humans who consume contaminated seafood.
9. Invasive Species Transport: Floating plastics serve as vectors, transporting invasive species across water bodies and disrupting ecosystems.
10. Climate Impact: The production and disposal of plastics contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change.

From Documenting Nature to Combatting Plastics: Saskatoon’s Earth Day

Recognizing the urgency of environmental protection, the City of Saskatoon, Meewasin and the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas advocate for environmental guardianship, and biodiversity inventories in order to undertake proactive greenspace management. Understanding the local biodiversity is paramount, and citizen science emerges as a powerful tool. It is a time to discover and inventory species of concern, and to track invasive species for early detection and rapid response, and to determine species range changes, i.e. expansion and contractions.

And…. While you’re capturing the diverse life forms for the Saskatoon City Nature Challenge CNC YXE 2024 by using the free iNaturalist app on your smart phone, do a little extra by picking up any plastic or litter that doesn’t belong in nature.

City Nature Challenge free iNaturalist App

The iNaturalist app, a free smartphone application, facilitates biodiversity documentation and empowers individuals to contribute to environmental protection efforts.

Eco-Warriors Unite: Saskatoon’s Earth Day 2024 – No More Plastic Pollution

Participating in the City Nature Challenge on iNaturalist is a tangible way to take action:

• April 26 – April 29, 2024: Capture images of diverse wildlife, documenting the richness of our surroundings.
• April 30 – May 5, 2024: Identify the discovered species, aiding in creating an inventory of biodiversity.
• What is it? a YouTube Video

Results unveiled on May 6, 2024, will foster a shared experience of discovery and renewal. Remember, we can only protect what we know. Let’s unite to safeguard our planet for future generations, turning the tide in the battle of “Planet vs. Plastics.” Hey, when you are out documenting biodiversity, pick up some plastic or trash that just doesn’t belong in nature. It’s a double win-win!

With thanks to our sponsors and supporters SaskPower, SaskTel, Saskatoon Nature Society, Wild About Saskatoon, Varsity View Community Association, Rosewood Varsity View Community Association, Nutana Varsity View Community Association, Montgomery Place Varsity View Community Association. City Nature Challenge Saskatoon CNC YXE 2024 led by Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas.

City of Bridges, City of Change: Saskatoon Takes On Plastics for Earth Day

Individuals do not exist in isolation, but in relationship and that individual existents are unique (and irreplaceable in the future) by virtue of the special set of relationships in which only they are (and can remain) embedded. The world is therefore seen in organismic terms rather than mechanical ones, in terms of interacting processes and fields rather than isolated things, and socially, in terms of an extended ecological community rather than in terms of essentially separate, competing individuals.

Alan Dregson

 

🌎🌱🌟 Join us for Earth Day 2024 in Saskatoon as we take a stand against plastic pollution! 🌍♻️ This year, it's all about "Planet vs. Plastics" and we're ready to make a difference. 🚯 On April 22, let's clean up Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area and George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 🌳🗑️ Be part of the Clean Green Community Scene! 💚 Together, we'll combat ocean pollution, protect wildlife, and reduce our plastic footprint. 🐢🐬 Let's keep our planet thriving for generations to come! 🌿🌈 Don't forget to join the City Nature Challenge on iNaturalist from April 26 to May 5. 📸🐦 Let's document our biodiversity while saying no to plastics! 📲👣 #EarthDay2024 #PlanetvsPlastics #CleanGreenCommunity #SaskatoonStrong #CityNatureChallenge #NoMorePlasticPollution 🌟🌎