A man walks to the market, buys a kilogram of vegetables and fruits. Shopkeeper offers his goods in plastic bags, separately. He goes to the chemist, gets his medicines in a plastic. He moves to the food store; buys biscuits and chocolates for his children, adding more plastics again. What if, he had carried his own reusable bag? The number of plastics would certainly be less, isn't it? This story is a reality indeed where I want to make a change- the change in minimizing the use of plastic products.
It was 19th century when plastic started ruling the world. Undoubtedly, it is portable, waterproof, lightweight and relatively inexpensive. From constructing to packaging in electrical appliances, acrylic furniture or even medicines, it is very popular. But the problem lies on the fact that it has been causing persistent pollution in the environment.
Although, being inseparable from our daily lives, plastic poses a great threat to environmental niches, from higher the mountains to deeper in the oceans. According to data, about 300 million tons of plastic is produced globally every year of which 10% is found to be recycled. Other 90% is disposed of in the environment. Nearly 10 million plastic bags are used on our planet every minute that makes up to 10% of the waste we generate. In the last decade, we produced more plastic than the whole last century of which 50% of the plastics were of single use. Manufacturing causes significant release of chemical toxins and decomposing is not successful as they do not degrade easily. It has affected both land and aquatic environment. It settles in bottoms of lakes, seas, and ocean invading aquatic life. Water sources have become garbage soup. Now, it’s a time for a solution. The solution is within us, that is change- the change in our habit; the habit of using plastic recklessly.
Walking a mile reveals too much plastic wastes. Once I felt pity for my Earth. I kept thinking on this. Then, an idea provoked my mind. It answered- Yes, you can! Develop a habit in you to reduce the plastic use. Start from yourself. If you could inspire only a few people around you, hundreds of plastic which would be thrown as waste could have been reused. Those few people can inspire other few people to form a chain of awareness. Then, from that day, I thought of bringing a change in me. I'll go shopping carrying a reusable bag. I'll go trekking with suitable alternatives. I'll never sip drinks with straws; carry a lunch box instead of wrapping in plastic bags.
Increasing plastic pollution at an alarming rate is becoming a question to the healthy environment. They go over hundreds of years to foul up the water sources including fishing gear, boat propellers, and of course beaches! Similarly, plastics on Himalayan region disgrace the beauty of mountains. Data shows the evidence of plastic in the body of dead animals either terrestrial like cow or aquatic like fish. If this continues, will we survive healthily? Now we have two choices- Either accept the deadly consequences of plastic pollution or relegate it.
It is not enough that we understand the depth of problem. Knowledge can't stop pollution but action can. I'm starting the action by using the lesser amount of plastic and I've got a belief I will convince my family. Later comes the rest. Using less means devaluing the production. Lesser the production, higher the focus on reduce, reuse, recycle and remove. Weaning off ourselves from using various plastic bags, carrying reusable water bottles and avoiding using plastic cups & cutlery, using plastics which cause less harm to environment might be effective. The theme "If you can't reuse it, you can refuse it" will come true when we prefer alternatives to plastics, such like jute bags over plastic bags. This is not something, I'll accomplish overnight. Rome was not built in a day. But definitely, I can have the initiative steps. Who knows, my small commencement could inspire hundreds of people around me?
Increasing plastic pollution around the globe is a nightmare. If not today, then none other days! So, let's be the change and make our Earth, a happy, healthy and safest planet to live in.
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