Let's We Protect Antarctica’s Ocean..!

Dear friend,

We're calling on you to tell 25 key decision makers the time to protect Antarctica's ocean is now!

The map of Antarctica above shows you the 25 countries, including the EU, who collectively hold the fate of the Southern Ocean in their hands. These countries are meeting in less than 20 days to decide the fate of the last pristine ocean wilderness left on Earth.

Will you help us send a strong message to these leaders?

If your answer is yes then follow these steps:

1. Head to our new interactive map here or click on the map above.
2. Click on any of the 'critical to success' countries and email their decision maker to urge them to show leadership and protect the Southern Ocean next month.
3. Share this url http://antarcticocean.org/our-impact with your friends and family asking them to take action as well.

Last year, the body that manages Antarctica’s marine environment, CCAMLR, failed to reach agreement to protect two key areas -- the Ross Sea and East Antarctica’s coastal region. The upcoming meeting in Germany faces the same challenges so we need public support in the call for them to take action.

As all CCAMLR decisions require consensus of the 25 Members, it is critical to send a clear message to these leaders that we are relying on them to show collective vision in order to protect these waters for future generations.

As the CCAMLR meeting in Germany approaches, we will be calling on your support again to spread the word and take action about this momentous decision.

Thanks for your support  
The AOA Team

SHARE OUR ACTION
 

Why Protect Antarctica’s Ocean?:

Antarctica’s ocean is home to thousands of species, many of these species can be found nowhere else in the world. All of these species rely on the Southern Ocean to survive. This is one of our fun infographics introducing some of these wonderful creatures. Click on the infographic and it will expand to a larger page. Scroll down to enjoy the facts about Antarctica’s species.

No Plastic Bags, Please...!!

The growth of a country's economy has also resulted in the growth of the purchasing power of people. This economic growth also implies that the public would be "set aside" some money to shop, which will also impact on the growth of the production of waste, especially waste of plastic bags.

For example, the current Indonesian people get plastic bags is easy and "free" while shopping in stores. The use of plastic bags in Indonesia reached approximately 100 billion annually which consumes 12 million barrels of oil as a base for the manufacture of plastics. With the use of plastic bags in such large amounts that means the average Indonesian people use plastic bags about 2 bags per day.

Keep in mind, that plastic bags are made from High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is a polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum as well as Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE). Requires 1.75 kg of petroleum to make 1 kg of HDPE. In 2007 the volume of HDPE production reached 30 tons. With the strict regulations for reducing the use of plastic bags will be able to reduce our dependence on petroleum.

For example, China government according to the NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission of China) managed to save 4.8 million tonnes of oil equivalent to 6.8 million tons of coal due to the prohibition of the use of plastic bags in the country. The ban also resulted in decreased consumption of 800,000 tonnes of plastic so that the Chinese people today many who use bags made of fabric that can be recycled.

In urban areas such as Bandung according to Chief of Bandung Environmental Management Board, Ahmad Rekotomo ("PR", 03/04/2012), plastic waste has reached 150 tons/day. In one day of waste generated by city residents reached 1,500 tons was comprised of 20% inorganic waste of whom 10% were included plastic waste and other 10% non-plastic waste.

Rekotomo also said, will make a breakthrough by campaigning for one day without plastic bags in a month. Draft regulations on the prohibition of the use of plastic bags are not environmentally friendly is still under discussion at the time. According to the Representative Council of Bandung, the draft regional regulations limiting the use of environmentally unfriendly plastic bags will be difficult to be implemented by the public because the material is still a general and minimal control elements. (PRLM, 7/23/2012)

It has been proven by many scientific studies, that plastics are hazardous materials that threaten the environment. Like when a plastic bag in the trash will take about 1,000 years to decompose. Furthermore, waste of plastic bags produced by the people of Indonesia (for example) can reach about 4,000 tons/day which can certainly be a problem for the environment because of the quantity and level of danger that interfere with living beings. In fact, plastic bags can cause the death of 100,000 marine animals every year from ingesting plastic debris in the North Pacific Ocean. United Nations Environment Programme estimates that there are about 46,000 pieces of floating plastic waste per 1 square mile in the ocean.

Plastics are made of PVC when burned will emit substances Bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate or DEHA that would interfere with fertility in both men and women. In fact, the plastic bag containing the black dye, when exposed to the heat can be decomposed and degraded to form radicals or substances known as free radicals trigger the growth of cancer cells and other diseases such as hepatitis and nervous system disorders.

The use of plastic bags that the environment and health friendly such as the use of plastic bags made from biodegradeable (naturally) is easily biodegradable is still an obstacle because the price is more expensive 20-100% of the price of conventional plastic bags so that the manufacturer refuses to switch from plastic bags.

Many ways have been done by the international community to reject the use of environmentally unfriendly plastic bags, such as the campaign "Bring Your Own Bag" which was held in Singapore in April 2007 and has successfully saved 100,000 plastic bags on the first day and also 200,000 non-plastic bags were sold which can be used many times. According to a leading supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice and Cold Storage, they cut the number of plastic bags by 60 percent.

In Hong Kong, "No Plastic Bag Day" campaign or a day without plastic bags since 2006, which was attended by 30 major retailers and NGOs voluntarily aimed at reducing the use of plastic bags. (China Daily News, 2006)

A number of other countries also began to "fight" the use of plastic bags such as China which has issued the Draft Law to overcome the problem of plastic bags. Reactions that have been prepared include banning the use of plastic bags in department stores. As with the Irish and Denmark who has implemented a plastic bag tax in 2002 and now has reduced the consumption of the use of plastic bags in the country reached 90 percent. Now all the plastic bags used in Ireland are biodegradeable.

The United States has banned the use of plastic bags and currently has 24 anti-plastic community. South Africa banned the use of plastic bags in 2003. Bangladesh banned the use of plastic bags since the year 2000, so did Kenya since 2007. Eritrea, Rwanda, and Somalia began in 2005. Tanzania banned the use of plastic bags in 2006. South Australia since 2009.

Let us stimulate concrete action to implement countermeasures use of plastic bags are not environmentally friendly. Most importantly start with ourselves at this time also for the sake of a better future with a clean and healthy environment. Are YOU willing, if Our next generation will living on top of plastic waste? *** [EKA | ARIE SATRIA NUGRAHA | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 08112012]

Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.

Protecting Antarctica's Marine Environment

On this occasion I invite readers to undertake concrete action together to protecting Antarctica's marine environment. The campaign was officially launched in February with a report calling for protection of 3.6 million km2 of Antarctica's Ross Sea and a video with actor and UN Biodiversity Ambassador Edward Norton and oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle. But that was only the beginning. We have also launched our campaign in the European Union and Korea and released our latest report calling for over 40% of the Southern Ocean to be protected.

We need as many people as possible to support Antarctic marine protection and to send that message to the body that regulates these waters, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).

Antarctic waters make up almost 10% of the world's seas and are some of the most pristine left on earth. They are home to almost 10,000 unique and diverse species including penguins, Weddell seals, albatross and Antarctic toothfish. The Antarctic Ocean Alliance will campaign over the next two years to save as much of this wonderful environment as possible, but many key decisions will be made in the coming months.

Please help us spread the word. Tell your friends, tell your family. Bug your colleagues, and the people you 'sort of know' - and even the ones you don't.

Tell everyone to: "Join the Watch" and (like you) help us ensure Antarctic's waters are protected as a legacy for future generations. *** [AOA | ECKHART]

Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.