Did you all know that the world’s first totally synthetic plastic was “Bakelite”, first invented by Dr. Leo Baekeland, way back in 1907, and this was the world’s first synthetic plastic which didn’t soften or melt, even when heated! We all are well aware of the fact that single-use or disposable plastics are convenient to use, and have almost revolutionized our life today from packaging to electronics due to their versatility, affordability and tenacity. But do you know and realize that this ubiquity of disposable plastic items have in fact, created such an environmental crisis across the globe?
Around 450 million tonnes of plastics are produced each year, globally, and this figure may double by 2050, as per the reports from the National Geographic Society! Also, most of these plastic items cannot be recycled and reused, and hence, about 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters our water bodies or gets accumulated on land, as landfill, heavily polluting our land, water and air, as well as affecting the lives of all living organisms, including human beings. So, minimizing plastic waste by drastically reducing its usage, or rather saying No to Plastics is the first necessary step to be taken to save our Planet!
- The Disastrous Impact of Plastics on the Environment
- By polluting our Waterbodies & Destroying Wildlife Habitats: A major portion of plastic waste gets dumped in the seas and oceans, resulting in Marine Pollution, worldwide. For example, Great Pacific Garbage Patch almost creates floating islands of plastic debris in the ocean currents! This results in accumulation of heaps of plastic waste which mainly includes disposable plastic bottles, cans, bags, etc. found on even the remotest and deepest ocean trenches according to the National Geographic Society!
Well, that’s not all. When these large and small pieces of plastic are further broken down into tiny fragments called the “Microplastics” by the sun’s heat or sea and ocean waves, they enter the ecosystems (land, air and water) invading the food chain. Therefore, these microplastics have been found in sea animals or indirectly in seafood consumed by humans, resulting in deadly diseases like cancers, cardiovascular disorders, infertility, etc. Thus, the solution lies in using sustainable products and sustainable drinking water solutions to ensure a heathy and hygienic lifestyle of each one of us on this planet.
- Land and Air Pollution: Well, the menace caused by this huge plastic debris randomly thrown here and there is not just confined to the water bodies, but have engulfed our land and air too! Disposable plastic containers thrown after use form heaps of plastic waste on land, dumped as “landfills” that leach poisonous chemicals into the soil, affecting the crops as well as the groundwater quality. Moreover, the practice of burning plastic waste, in some parts of the world, results in toxic fumes, which certainly contribute to the massive air pollution, deteriorating the air quality leading to severe respiratory diseases like asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer, etc. Therefore, implementing proper and efficient waste management techniques, along with water and waste retrofit solutions is need of the hour to save all living organisms, including the plants inhabiting the Earth!
- Resulting in Frequent Climate Change leading to Floods & Droughts
The excessive usage of single-use plastics and its production has resulted in erratic climatic changes. Plastics are generally composed of fossil fuels, and their manufacture as well as disposal release huge quantities of greenhouse gases increasing the carbon footprint of the atmosphere. According to a recent study by Our World in Data, the plastic industry is estimated to contribute about 13% of the global carbon budget by 2050, if this trend of plastic production and consumption continues.
Therefore, to reduce both the carbon and water footprint of the environment, sustainable manufacturing companies like WAE, an expert in Water and its Reuse have designed and manufactured completely hygienic and sustainable drinking water machines offering totally sustainable drinking water solutions for its esteemed clients.
What should be the Call to Action and the Future Ahead?
The crisis that our planet is facing today due to the huge accumulation of plastic waste is indeed a complicated issue that requires urgent action from all the sectors of the society as well as strict Government plans and policies that need to be honestly adhered to by all of us. The reason being the long-term environmental impact of this increasing plastic waste menace, both on land and water is severe! Also, proper water purification systems should be used to treat and purify the water for drinking, cooking and other potable purposes.
However, there are effective solutions to this major challenge as well, by changing people’s mindset, such as abruptly reducing the usage of disposable plastic items like plastic bottles, cans, bags etc., and replace them with sustainable and eco-friendly products like reusable glass water bottles, steel or other metals; practising better waste management practices, and the promotion of a circular economy by following the mool mantra of Reduce, Recycle & Reuse. By sincerely following these principles, the world can definitely make a meaningful difference in reducing the burden of plastic on our planet. Nonetheless, these efforts should be collective, concerted and far-reaching. According to environmental scientists and wizards, it’s high time we took action and concrete steps to combat this ever-rising plastic pollution invading our land, air and water bodies as the choices we make today will actually shape the future of our environment and the health of our coming generations.