Instead of single-use plastics, choose products that can be reused and are made from sustainable materials.

Avoid plastic packaging. Use products that have little to no plastic packaging, refill reusable containers, and purchase in bulk. Swap out goods made of plastic for sustainable, low-waste options.

If you can’t avoid plastic entirely, make sure it is properly recycled. Do not release balloons into the air. They come down eventually where animals mistake them for food or become entangled.

Butt out! Cigarette butts contain toxins and are made of a type of plastic that is a major source of microfibres. If you smoke, collect and recycle your butts.

Get involved! By collecting and sharing the data about what was collected and where it was, you provide evidence of the sources of plastic pollution. This helps support education and regulatory efforts to increase responsibility for reducing the sources of plastics found on beaches. Learn more via Surfrider Canada and the Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup.

Support plastic bans. The fastest and most far-reaching way to reduce plastic pollution is to support bans, especially bans on single-use plastics. Help businesses, organizations, and politicians reduce single-use plastics and other sources of plastic pollution by letting them know your concerns directly.

Share your positive actions and what you learn with others to help motivate additional positive change. Vote for policies and governments that reduce plastic pollution.

Plastics with a loop (e.g. six-pack rings and packing bands) have an increased risk of entangling animals. Support bans on these items and sustainable alternatives. If there are plastics with a loop, cut them before proper disposal.

Report ghost gear – fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost or discarded- via the Ghost Gear Reporting App.

Considerable plastic pollution comes from the fishing industry. If you buy fish, support small-scale, traceable, local fisheries. Knowing who caught your fish enhances accountability for sustainable fishing. Use sustainability labels or ratings from Ocean Wise, Seafood Watch, or other independent seafood certification organizations to help.

Research conducted by MERS and DFO found that ~50% of Humpbacks off BC’s coast have scarring from entanglement. Learn more.

Support the use of alternative fishing practices and innovations that reduce the risk of entanglement, e.g. the use of ropeless gear and managing the time and location of fisheries to decrease the overlap with marine mammals.

Report ASAP. For marine mammals in BC, call the DFO Reporting Line 1-800-465-4336 or VHF Channel 16. For entangled terrestrial animals, contact the BC Conservation Officer Service 1-877-952-7277.

Maintain regulated distance. Take video/photos, to document the entanglement. Do NOT attempt to remove the entanglement. Learn more at this link.

Choose durable clothing and home goods made of natural fibres like hemp, linen, cotton, wool, and bamboo.

If items made of synthetic fabrics can’t be avoided (e.g. rain gear), choose options that do not create new sources of plastic. Pick options made of recycled plastics or purchase second hand. Extra care needs to be taken in washing these items (see below).

Laundry instructions to reduce the shedding of microfibres:

• Wash clothes only when necessary and use short wash cycles
• Wash in cold water
• Reduce friction by washing full loads of clothing; using washing liquid instead of powder; and washing clothing with a rough surface (like jeans) separately from soft clothing (like fleece)
• Avoid high spin and delicate cycles
• Air dry
• Buy a microfibre filter or trap for your machine (e.g. Cora Ball; Filtrol 160; Guppy Friend; Lint LUV-R; Planetcare).

Support systemic change, such as mandatory filters on new washing machines, independent labeling of textiles on their microfibre release, and holding cigarette manufacturers responsible for their products’ waste (includes microfibres).

Share your positive actions and what you learn with others to motivate additional positive change.