Nigel Pugh (he/him/they)<p>The <a href="https://toot.wales/tags/pollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>pollution</span></a> of the planet by <a href="https://toot.wales/tags/microplastics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>microplastics</span></a> is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesise.</p><p>The analysis estimates that between 4% and 14% of the world’s staple crops of wheat, rice and maize is being lost due to the pervasive particles.</p><p>Microplastic pollution could increase the number at risk of starvation by another 400 million in the next two decades.</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/microplastics-hinder-plant-photosynthesis-study-finds-threatening-millions-with-starvation" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theguardian.com/environment/20</span><span class="invisible">25/mar/10/microplastics-hinder-plant-photosynthesis-study-finds-threatening-millions-with-starvation</span></a></p><p><a href="https://toot.wales/tags/food" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>food</span></a> <a href="https://toot.wales/tags/plastics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>plastics</span></a> <a href="https://toot.wales/tags/nature" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>nature</span></a> <a href="https://toot.wales/tags/fossilfuels" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>fossilfuels</span></a></p>