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“Plastic pollution to outweigh the fishes in 2050”
World Economic Forum
The bold prediction was claimed by the World Economic Forum during a report called The New Plastics Economy, whose goal is to trace the amount of plastics in the ocean but, how do they come up with such an ominous statement?
It is an established fact that plastics take a lot of time to degrade. It takes around 20 to 1000+ years before it decomposes (Chariot Energy, 2021), however, it does not degrade completely resulting in microplastics. According to Diego Gonzaga of Greenpeace USA, all plastics that have been manufactured since the discovery of plastics 2 centuries ago, are still present up to this day (Gonzaga, 2017). Despite that, manufacturing of plastic continues to rise exponentially and the global production of plastic wastes was estimated to be at 390.7 million metric tons in 2021 (Statista, 2023).
Plastic is forever; light, durable, and unfortunately long lasting - the characteristic that makes it so terrible for the environment. It easily pollutes the environment, deceives marine life who cannot easily distinguish plastics from food, and is a potential carrier of bacteria and viruses that makes the corals lose their vibrance and life (Meng et.al, 2021).
What is more concerning is that the distribution of plastic wastes in terrestrial and marine environments makes the scientists acknowledge that plastics will become the geological marker for the Anthropocene - the era of humanity, as a distinctive stratal component instead of fossils (Carrington, 2016).
Looking far back, plastic was invented for the efficiency of human living thus, paving a way for humanity to reach the pinnacle of innovation. It is really hard to deny that plastics have already become an integral part of our day-to-day living (Parkes, 2023).
To remove plastic completely out of the picture is like trying to find a needle in the middle of a haystack, difficult but doable but only if the world leaders come hand-in-hand in finding solutions to this plastic emergency. Several countries have already launched several actions for reducing plastic waste. The Philippines, for example, is tackling the problem at its source and recently signed the Extended Producer Responsibility law which aims to make companies responsible for their plastic footprint. Other cities and municipalities in the Philippines also have ordinances for a city-wide ban of single-use plastics.
Plastic pollution is the consequence of unchecked human consumption and waste but, there is still time before humanity exceeds the point of no return. The hope in solving this crisis lies in the collective power of all stakeholders (i.e. the government, industries, and individuals) involved in this matter. The stakeholders are now trying to take action to reverse the effects of plastic pollution. Now, have you done your part? If you haven’t then here’s some ideas on how you can help in battling the plastic crisis:
Practice avoiding the use of single-use plastics - single-use plastics is the most atrocious type of plastic that pollutes our ocean and terrestrial environment since it is as the name suggests, “single use”. The goal is to reduce the plastics being used and thrown in our trash bins. Instead of using single-use plastics, switch to biodegradable alternatives which are more eco-friendly.
Bring Eco-bags / cloth bags - Cloth bags or Eco bags are eco-friendly since it is reusable, biodegradable, stronger, and more comfortable to use. It also prevents you from using more plastics.
Do not patronize cosmetics with microbeads - microbeads are microplastics that are added to cosmetics usually for rinse-off products like cleansers. These microplastics can flow freely into our ocean, possibly harming and polluting marine organisms.
Practicing 3rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) - incorporating the 3Rs in everyday living is the least the households can do to reduce plastic footprint. By reducing consumption on resources by reusing items, and recycling materials, it minimizes not only the wastes that end up in the landfills but also the demand on the natural resources for raw materials to create plastics. Furthermore, incorporating the 3Rs in each household educates the children about the importance of responsible consumption and the impact it has on the planet. By collectively practicing the 3Rs in each household, the hope arises as for the accumulation of these actions makes a positive impact on the planet.
Spread Awareness and be an Advocate - people have easy access to information since we are living in a technological era and spreading awareness online becomes much more accessible. However, being consistent and showing commitment in spreading awareness is another thing. Being an advocate means that you are being responsible for your actions and how your actions affect the environment.
These five ideas only represent the basics among the many methods that each individual can employ to contribute to the global dilemma. Each individual has a different way of tackling these challenges that is why it is recommended to focus on what you can contribute and make it your own.
The battle against plastic pollution is still far from being won since the issue has already taken deep root into our social norms and the collaboration between the government, individuals, and corporations will definitely play the biggest part in reaching its end. Education and knowledge is a powerful tool for the war against plastic pollution. The choices that are made today will be the marker of humanity’s future. Either leave a legacy of a heavily polluted environment or chart our way to a path of a greener, cleaner and healthier earth for the future generations to enjoy.
