Plastic Pollution and its Solution
Imagine our future, our mountain ranges with full of plastic wrappers, bottles, and cans; our rivers and streams flowing with plastic straws and polyethylene bags; our beaches full of other plastic wastes. I know today I am asking you to imagine this pollution but in the coming years, this extreme plastic pollution is going to be a harsh reality. Why? Well, I am so sure of this, is because of three reasons. First, the lifetime of plastic, it takes around 450 to 1000 years for plastic to degrade. The plastic lying around you will remain in this world even when you are gone. Second, the amount of plastic produced is huge, it has been only a hundred years since the plastic was invented and we have collected around 8.3 billion metric tonnes of waste (2016). Most of the plastic waste produced is of unnecessary plastic items. Every year we generate around 8 million tonnes of plastic waste as landfill. Third, we, our choices, our consumption habits, or the choices we make of unnecessary plastic items. We have been seeing rivers getting clean, pollution getting low, environment and Earth getting heal but this is happening only because we are inside our home. I know once we are out without new adaptations, it’s going to be the same thing. In the future I hope, I would be proved wrong but as per now, this is true. This is going to be a harsh reality.
40% of plastic generated is used only for packaging purposes. Of all the plastic waste generated only 9% is recyclable, 12% is burned, and 79% is sent for landfill site dumpsite. The consequences of waste generation at this huge rate and being dumped into the oceans, in the end, can be seen everywhere across the world. In 2015, 90% of seabirds were reported to have eaten plastic in a survey report. In 2018, a sperm whale was found dead on a seashore with 32 kg of plastic inside it. This included plastic bags, nets, drums, etc. 90% of waste entering the oceans through rivers comes from ten rivers in Asia and Africa. One of these ten rivers is our river Ganga which releases around 1.2 billion pounds of waste into the ocean while the Yangtze River of China contributes around 1.5 million tonnes of waste in the ocean alone itself. This river contributes the most among 10 rivers for marine pollution all over the world.
With the passage of time plastic pollution is emerging as a new challenge for us to deal with. Plastic waste has impacted not only marine life, the environment, but also human health in a new form of plastic i.e. microplastic. Microplastic is an invisible kind of plastic as being smaller than 5mm in size. It is generally used in the manufacturing of cosmetics and toothpaste etc. These microplastic results from floating waste exposed to UV Radiations. 51 trillion such particles float on the ocean surface which can be easily swallowed up by marine life. Then from marine life, it gets into our food chain and affects our health system. Apart from microplastic we also have chemicals used in making plastic bottles that are found to harm human life. These are DEHP and BPA i.e. Bis (2 ethylhexyl) phthalate and Biphenol A respectively. DEHP provides flexibility to the plastic bottle while the BPA is used to get the transparent look of the bottles. Microplastics and these chemicals together would result in harmful effects on living organisms.
See banning plastic seems to be the option but it’s not practically feasible especially in today’s world. Technically, the energy consumed in the manufacturing of plastic is way less than the energy consumed in the manufacturing of any of its alternatives such as Jute bags or other items. Even cotton products consume a large amount of water, and similarly, other alternatives to the plastic in one way or another way have a similar effect whether it is resource utilization, energy consumption, etc. But when we see this with a larger perspective and for a long term effect then the alternatives are far better. See you need to have a wider perspective when you are working for the benefit of all (lok sangraha).
Now let’s come to the solution part that would be simple, to avoid single use plastic, cut down demands for unnecessary plastic items, prevent plastic from going to the dustbin, or end up in dumpsite. The solution to sum up or in one line would be “Going back to the Indic roots”. Yes! The solution lies there, people have been following it for ages and that’s why Bharatiye Parampara/ Indian lifestyle is considered to be most sustainable among all other lifestyles. Hence I will be discussing few practices or could say principle which can help you out to understand or relate the true meaning of sustainability.
- Aparigraha
The very first principle Aparigraha, in our Bharatiya Parampara it teaches us to consume only the required amount of resources from nature. It is stated as “ten tayakten bhunjitah” which also means that take what you need for your sustenance without having a sense of ownership and give back what is left with us to nature. Today, we can relate this concept with responsible consumerism.
- Earth as Goddesses
In our culture, we not only consider the Bharatvarsha but the whole world as mother earth, Prithvi Maa, or Bhoomi Devi yet the whole world have generated enough plastic to wrap mother Earth four times and now this plastic pollution is emerging as a global problem. Hence adapting this concept, would binds us all together and triggers us to take a holistic step towards environmental conservation.
- Panchamahabhuta
The “five elemental” concept, according to it whole environment including living organisms is composed of five elements of nature which are Earth, Space, Air, Water, and Fire. These elements become an integral part of us, our surroundings, and our environment! This shows that we all are connected in one or another way, either through the food chain, resource dependency, or even exploitation. And our irresponsible consumption is affecting the quality and quantity of one or other basic element which ends up deteriorating living beings itself. So if one pollutes water through plastics, chemical, etc, he is indirectly polluting earth as well, as all microelements presents in these five elements are interrelated, passing upon various living beings while completing their cycle.
- Dharma
In Bharatiye literature, the word Dharma has various meanings. Somewhere it is stated as law, somewhere as ordinance or duty or morality, and somewhere as code of conduct, and so on. Its scope is quite large, in the context of sustainability Dharma can be stated as an individual’s duty or responsibility, the duty towards nature and the environment, and the responsibility of emerging in front of the world with a solution.
- Sanyasa
Here again, Sanyasa is depicted differently in the context of sustainability, it means letting go of things or resources which are no longer essential to you. Let go your older things by donating it to someone in need, avoid buying unnecessary items, etc can be the beginning steps for attaining “Sanyasa”. Reducing your consumption on regular basis and living a simple and sustainable lifestyle would be the outcome of implementing this concept in your life.
- Karma
The most important principle, it teaches one that how you treat nature or your surrounding or any other living being in your surroundings will come back to you as your karma. This is beautiful and insightful too as it makes one more conscious about his action towards nature. We have already crossed our planetary boundaries in most of the parameters, it’s high time we understand this concept and be more careful regarding our actions.
These principles help in developing compassion and connection with the environment. The bhava for Prakriti is necessary to feel that urge for conservation or protection. When we would have that compassion for Earth, when we are so connected, we won’t be destroying it or polluting it. After making these practices a part of our life, a habit, of our daily life we could easily shift towards a sustainable lifestyle. Knowing these practices is not necessary but important because we should understand the concept behind sustainability. When we have that consciousness developed, we would easily get the hang of a sustainable lifestyle. Everyone can anyway shift towards it anytime but to make to more than a challenge or to make this shift sustainable for a longer period, it’s necessary to know the bases, the concept, or the purpose of it.
There are certain activities which we can practice, as our step towards eliminating plastic pollution. Some of these are mentioned below:
- Finding environmental friendly alternatives
- Making a simple but important switch towards eco alternative
- Waste segregation
- Plastic-free week
- Zero-waste lifestyle
The solution part is more challenging as it comes from oneself, but with small steps, it is possible to change the current picture of plastic pollution. Unless we reuse any item it isn’t a waste, it’s only after we give it up!
