The island of South Georgia in the Atlantic Ocean
is over 800 miles from the nearest land, but plastic
is still being found there. Throughout the Pacific
Ocean, albatross chicks are being brought up
in nests made of plastic. And a recent BirdLife
expedition to the remote Mid-Atlantic Ridge
discovered seabirds with stomachs stuffed full of
this manmade polymer. Plastic litter gets washed
down drains, or blown off landfill sites – the only
solution is to use less of it.
11
Say no to one-use
plastics
One moment in nature can spark a lifelong
passion. Ask many bird lovers how they got
started, and they’ll be able to single out a special
encounter – no matter how small – that really
opened their eyes to birds. In today’s world,
children are becoming increasingly separated from
nature, and the health and happiness it provides.
Be the one to change this trend. Inspire the
young people in your life to become tomorrow’s
conservationists, who will carry our love for birds
into the next generation.
12
Take your
child birding
To find out more about Year of the Bird, and to read
exclusive articles from BirdLife, Audubon,
Nat Geo and Cornell, please visit www.birdyourworld.org
apr-jun 2018 • birdlife
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