Have you ever thought about what happens to plastic bags one you are finished using them? According to “The World Counts” – a website dedicated to awareness towards change for a more sustainable society –, most plastic bags end up in the ocean; however, most supermarkets still use them.
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The worldwide organization “Center for Biological Diversity” states that between 12,000 to 24,000 tons of plastic are thrown into the ocean each year, causing intestinal injuries to sea animals and many times their death. But it is not just the ocean that is affected, plastic pollution also contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer, the permanent contamination of natural resources, and the extinction of millions of species.
The ozone layer protects all living things from harmful ultraviolet rays from the Sun; without it there would be many more cases of skin cancer and many other related health problems. This layer also plays a part in the system that regulates the planet’s climate, so its deterioration has caused changes in the weather patterns around the World: more extreme floods, droughts and wildfires in the summer, as well as distress on ecosystems and agriculture given that these patterns affect water supplies. This phenomenon is just one of many issues that influence global warming, which is currently one of the most serious threats to humanity.
Simultaneously, plastics are polluting our most essential natural resource: water. Clean water is essential to our health, but plastic polluted water contains toxins that can cause cancer. Air is also being polluted by plastics. How? When plastic bags that are part of our garbage finally decompose, they release greenhouse gases. However, nowadays most plastic waste is burnt which also releases extremely toxic pollutant into our air. The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NTEPA) – an Australian independent environmental authority – maintains that natural resources are being wasted on making plastic bags that are used for only 3 minutes, and later end up in our rivers or oceans contaminating the water.
Ocean animals are dying because of plastic waste, hundreds of species are killed by plastic ingestion, suffocation, or entanglement. According to a report by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), if the trend of increasing plastic waste continues, oceans will contain more plastic than fish by the year 2050. An alarming fact that not everyone has taken very seriously.
[2019], 2019. 29 Plastic Pollution Facts You Must Know. [online] eco-pliant. Available at: <https://ecopliant.com/29-plastic-pollution-facts/> [Accessed 27 May 2020].
Plastic products are a part of modern life that when properly produced and discarded can improve our lives. On the other hand, disposable or single use plastics are different story. They may be convenient, but it is evident that their indiscriminate use is harming the environment and in turn is hurting us. They might be initially cheaper, but the additional price is a future without fresh water and clean air, with reduced biodiversity, and a much harsher climate.
If you don’t want this to happen, stop and think: What can I do? In the end, everyone is negatively impacted by this foe disguised as a friend.
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The World Counts. 2020. Number Of Plastic Bags Produced. [online]
Available at: <https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/waste/plastic-bags-used-per-year> [Accessed 3 April 2020].
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Wearden, G. 2016, January 19. More Plastic Than Fish In The Sea By 2050, Says Ellen Macarthur. [online] The Guardian.
Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/19/more-plastic-than-fish-in-the-sea-by-2050-warns-ellen-macarthur> [Accessed 3 April 2020].
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Lapresa, J., 2018. 2050: Más Plásticos Que Peces En Los Océanos. [online] EL PAÍS.
Available at: <https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/05/31/planeta_futuro/1527757818_465356.html> [Accessed 3 April 2020].
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Biologicaldiversity.org. n.d. Ocean Plastics Pollution. [online] Available at: <https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/ocean_plastics/> [Accessed 7 May 2020].
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UN News. 2017. FEATURE: UN’S Mission To Keep Plastics Out Of Oceans And Marine Life. [online]
Available at: <https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/04/556132-feature-uns-mission-keep-plastics-out-oceans-and-marine-life> [Accessed 27 May 2020].
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Parker, L., 2019, June 7. The World's Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained. [online] National Geographic.
Available at: <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastic-pollution/> [Accessed 27 May 2020].