Plastic micro beads in cosmetics

[Deleted User]

This is something I became aware of recently. Apparently some cosmetic products, such as shower gel, and even tootpaste contain tiny beads of plastic. Where do these beads end up? In the oceans. And being a man made, non-biodegradable product, and very small, they end up being eaten by sea creatures.
Obviously this could have an impact right up the food chain - to humans. I also saw a news report recently where some environmental conservationists were taking samples, and they were consistently finding plastic beads in the water.
Have a look at this

http://www.beatthemicrobead.org/en/
http://www.plasticfreeseas.org/microbeads.html

 

[zuben el genub]

The cheap fleece fabric sold all over at this time of year is made from recycled old plastic soda bottles. Also full of microbeads. Washing the clothes made from the fabrics also releases microbeads.

http://www.outsideonline.com/1998166/plastics

 

[Deleted User]

Thanks for that. You know it really annoys me that time after time, we favour the low cost options, with no regard for these environmental issues. Same with fuel - we continue to rape the Earth of fossil fuels, yet don't develop the more sustainable renewable energy resources. Well of course that won't happen until there's a real energy crisis and we *have* to do something about it. In the end it all boils down to money.
God I sound like a raving environmentalist, which I'm not really. I just want this planet to be habitable for future generations. Is that too much to ask?

 

[dynomot]

I just want this planet to be habitable for future generations. Is that too much to ask?

No, it is not too much of an ask for one person. For the entire human race? Sorry you have no chance. We, as a species are addicted to fossil fuels we will either screw our planet up making it a less hospitable place for us, at best, and totally screwed at worse. We will make the lives of future generations more difficult, or impossible. I doubt we'll run out of fossil fuels before we can prevent that.

Awful pessimism, but I can't see humanity changing its ways en masse.