Posted On: 2023-07-04 10:17:29
‘Plastic’ the term is commonly used worldwide, it’s a term that every other person utters irrespective of wherever they go. Plastic items have become a part of our life. Our household has most of the plastic stuff be it polythene bags, straws, water bottles, cutlery and more. These plastic items take up to 100 years to the disposed of in landfills eventually choking Mother Earth.
It is us as responsible citizens to eradicate the use of plastic. Every year keeping the aim of eliminating plastic, International Plastic Bag Free Day is celebrated on July 3. It is a global initiative that aims to eliminate the use of plastic bags. Plastic bags may seem like a grocery shopping convenience, but they also greatly strain the environment.
The history of the plastic bag has had an influence on our globe from its inception to its prohibition. The most widely used plastic, polyethene, was accidentally produced in 1933 at a chemical facility in Northwich, England. Although polyethene had previously been produced in tiny amounts, this was the first industrially useful synthesis of the substance, and it was first employed covertly by the British military during World War II. Plastic bags left Europe where they dominated the bag market by 80% and were extensively introduced to the United States in 1979.
The largest of numerous gyres in the world's oceans, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is where massive volumes of plastic debris have gathered, endangering marine life. It was not identified until 1997 by sailor and researcher Charles Moore. As it turns out, plastic bags are known for killing sea turtles because those animals mistake them for jellyfish and consume them.
In 2002, Bangladesh became the first nation in the world to outlaw thin plastic bags when it was discovered that they were a major cause of drainage systems being clogged during severe flooding. Other countries, including South Africa, Rwanda, China, Australia, and Italy, rapidly followed suit.
We should begin from our home to preserve our Earth for future generations. As individuals, we can replace plastic items with sustainable products like choosing Eco-friendly refill packs, using household cleaners in glass bottles, using cloth bags for shopping, stopping the use of plastic straws, shifting to silverware or biodegradable utensils and lastly embracing the 4Rs Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Repurpose.
The world celebrates International Plastic Bag Free Day with a variety of events and programmes. Organisations, environmental organisations, and individuals organise events, workshops, and awareness campaigns to inform people about plastic bags' negative effects and promote alternatives like reusable bags. Environmental and volunteer groups frequently organise cleanup campaigns to gather and remove plastic bags from beaches, parks, and other natural places.
Filaantro the crowdfunding partner along with Child Help Foundation organizes regular beach clean-up activities, awareness campaigns at schools and various organizations for conserving the environment. We aim for a generation of usage and awareness towards sustainable products. We hope this article encourages you in eliminating plastic use.
AUTHOR: ATHIRA PRADEEP NAIR
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