Plastics impact the health of our oceans and wildlife. Plastic bag litter has a lethal effect on countless numbers of seabirds, turtles, whales and seals annually. Read our article, “Of Whales and Plastic.”

On behalf of our marine ecosystems and future generations, we commend Thrifty Foods for their leadership in eliminating plastic bags from distribution.

Did You Know?

Countless plastic bags end up in our ocean, causing harm to marine wildlife. Researchers calculate there is six times more plastic than plankton in the Pacific Ocean.

Many marine animals and birds mistakenly ingest plastic or become entangled and choke on plastic bags that are afloat. Surface-feeding species of birds, such as albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels and gulls are the most susceptible to eating plastic debris.

Even whales have been found washed ashore with stomachs full of plastic bags. It is estimated 100,000 marine mammals and one million marine birds die each year because of plastic litter in the world’s oceans.

You can help

Raincoast’s in-house scientists, collaborating graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors make us unique among conservation groups. We work with First Nations, academic institutions, government, and other NGOs to build support and inform decisions that protect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and the wildlife that depend on them. We conduct ethically applied, process-oriented, and hypothesis-driven research that has immediate and relevant utility for conservation deliberations and the collective body of scientific knowledge.

We investigate to understand coastal species and processes. We inform by bringing science to decision-makers and communities. We inspire action to protect wildlife and wildlife habitats.