A quick tour of a kitchen, bathroom, the whole house and office even, will easily show the big presence of disposable, single-use plastics in everyday life. Count market/grocery wet food bags, mineral water bottles, shampoo sachets, various plastic-packed products, deliveries from online sellers that come in layers of plastic, and more. Yes, they are practical, convenient, light, and look harmless in their protective value, but try multiply them in your mind after throwing them away.
I think a long-held casual view of this material is mainly what prevents us thinking humans from minding its next life.
Dangers of Plastic
Plastic is a non-biodegradable material, meaning it can not be decomposed. It just remains on earth in the form of trash, a big part of which is dumped in bodies of water – rivers, lakes, and then the oceans/seas - choking fishes and other marine creatures to death or if they survive, pass on their toxic elements to humans’ digestive systems. Ocean currents can even transport this trash to other oceans across the globe.
There is an even more destructive kind many are not yet aware of: microplastics. At sea, the actions of sun, wind, and waves break down plastic waste into small particles which further break down into microfibers. Plastic microfibers have been found in municipal drinking water systems and drifting through the air. Scientists have now found such particles in people’s blood, lungs, and even feces. They are now urgently studying the extent of harm microplastics are doing to human health.
A global problem
Just as scary, plastic has become not only a very conspicuous presence but is even growing uncontrollably considering that half of plastics all around us have been manufactured in just a short period of last 20 years. Thus, international and national leaders and advocates are working overtime on the problem. As part of its education campaign, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has disclosed that everyday, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes. And that this kind of pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing the ability of ecosystems to adapt to climate change, and directly affecting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities, and social well-being.
Data from the Sea Circular project of the UN further say that the Philippines has one of the world’s worst marine plastic pollution based on the count of its plastics entering oceans from the coastal area in Manila Bay. Greatly contributory is that the country uses almost 60 billion sachets a year, an output of a plastic market with a high annual growth rate of 6.11% from 2018 to 2023.
We can trust environment watchdogs including non-government organizations, academe, and some other sectors of civil society are looking deeply and urgently on the problem, but likewise, individuals being heavy plastic users should also give the matter serious thought.
A personal contribution
There are various ways on how individuals can help beat plastic pollution. Let me share some do-able ideas from my learnings and observations:
- Generally, wean yourself away from single-use plastics
- Get into the habit of bringing reusable and non-toxic alternatives like cloth ecobags
- Avoid buying bottled water; bring own water jug which can be refilled in restaurants
- Donate used plastics to recycling or upcycling entrepreneurs; or recycle yourself
- Bring own food container for take-out meals
- If possible, prefer eco-friendly packaging – paper, glass, natural fiber - for your purchases
- Compost leftover meals for a healthy garden instead of putting them in a plastic bag for garbage collection
- Weigh product choices in the market also based on plastic packaging
- As a rule, apply the ecological 4Rs to plastic use and disposal – Refuse, Reduce, Re-use, Recycle.
No excuse, we all just have to get disposable plastics out of harm’s way. #
Erlie Lopez is a writer, poet, PR consultant, and environment advocate.
Contact: erlielopez@gmail.com
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