Unfortunately, it’s not at all unusual to see the occasional piece of litter washed ashore on a Cape Cod beach.

That’s why I’m all ears when I hear about any event that encourages the three R’s of waste management: reducing, reusing, and recycling.

National Zero Waste Week, September 7th – 13th, is just that kind of event.

MyZeroWaste.com, a website based in the UK, started National Zero Waste Week last year.

As explained at the website:

“If you feel it’s worth the effort to reduce your household weekly waste, if you understand the implications of landfill space running out, if it concerns you that your plastic waste will be sitting in the earth somewhere long after you have departed, if you have had enough of plastic carrier bags littering our environment, if you’re worried about the increased threat of incinerators polluting our air, or if there is something you feel you could be doing to reduce your waste, but haven’t yet done, now is your chance.”

Below you’ll find a very informative video from the BBC that helps illustrate the worldwide dilemma posed by waste plastic.

In addition, all this week you can find tips for reducing your household waste at MyZeroWaste.com (Today’s hints focus on plastic.)

And, if you would like to read more about marine litter, in particular, I recommend the report, Marine Litter: A Global Challenge, released earlier this summer by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Ocean Conservancy.