The new year has set in and many of us have already made various resolutions for the year. Why not make your resolution a bit different from others? Why not do something that raise your worth greatly as a conscious individual in the society?
Well, this year you can make a resolution of stopping plastic use and thusmaking this planet a better place to live in.
What is plastic pollution?
Release of toxins from plastic and plastic made products and the threat is poses to our environment is called plastic pollution. Usually, chlorinated plastic releases harmful chemicals that seep into the soil, water and air causing severe damage to the ecosystem of the world. Plants, animals and humans are subjected to the deadly effects of plastic pollution various ways.
Why plastic is harmful to the environment?
What is the main cause of plastic pollution?
The main cause of increasing plastic pollution is our neglecting attitude and lack of environmental awareness.
An estimated amount of 80% marine litters are due to garbage accumulated in the landfills. The garbage is mainly formed by household wastes that are abandoned in nature and are not or poorly recycled.
A large part of marine pollution (a estimated amount of 90% plastic wastes) is caused by discarded fishing gear such as nets and traps. They enter the oceans through storm water runoff or flow into rivers or streams or directly discharged into coastal waterways.
Why plastic a problem to environment?
Plastic is gradually pervading the forests, waterways causing serious threat to wild animals, wildlife habitat, humans, plants and environment on the whole. Plastic often play a significant role as pollutants and can be categorised as macro, meso and micro debris based on their sizes.
How can we prevent plastic pollution?
The only way to prevent plastic pollution is by reducing use of plastic and plastic products. Here a few tips you can follow:
- Avoid using plastics for single use e.g. use of straws for drinking fluids.
- While going for shopping, take a cloth bag instead of asking for plastic bag.
- Think about recycling chewing gum. They are made of plastic.
- Avoid buying packaged products as the packaging is mostly made of plastic cartons or boxes. Instead go for buying bulk food.
- Use glass or steel containers instead of Tupperware ones as the latter is found to release harmful chemicals into the food inside.
- While hanging your washed clothes use wooden pegs instead of plastic pegs. Such small sensible act will have major impact on our planet.
- While doing your makeup avoid using cosmetics with micro plasticcontents. Instead of using plastic brush, go for a biodegradable one.
- While dumping your daily wastes, put the plastic items into a recycling container.
- In case you have to buy a plastic product viz. plastic bottle or container, make sure you are reusing it instead of throwing away. That will help reducing plastic litter in the environment.
- Make your neighbours aware of plastic pollution and inspire them use biodegradable products instead of plastic.
Safe use of plastic
Plastic is a stubborn waste which causes manifold damage to the environment. As a result environmentalists are raising global awareness on prohibiting use of plastic and plastic products. If at all you have to use plastic , HDPE is the safest for that. It is relatively simple and economic for its recycling. It is hard and does not break down while exposed to sunlight or extreme heating or even freezing.