No More Plastic

Take a break. Stop and think for a second. How much plastic do you throw away every day? Plastic pollution is said to be a universal issue, yet it still manages to kill thousands of animals every day. Let's keep animals aside for a second. How does it affect humans? Factories and Government authorities in major cities tend to dump their waste, your waste, in places people wouldn't dare to look at; slums. Your plastic consumption is denying access of water for hundreds and thousands of children living in slums all over the world. These children, these families, do not choose to live here but are forced to due to major caste system issues. There is no denying that the human race comprises of selfish beings. So, how exactly does plastic pollution affect you?

Plastic substances are non-biodegradable and cannot be removed from the Earth's surface so, several Government authorities have chosen to tax certain factories to enforce minimal plastic use. However, factories illegally burn their plastic waste to reduce the quantities wasted and eventually reduce the amount of tax paid. The burning of plastic releases sulphates and other dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere, further resulting in acid rain. Acid rain contains dangerous levels of acid and can burn strong substances like copper. The inhalation of acids present in the air, due to plastic burning, results in around 1000 deaths each year. Plants are known to release oxygen into the atmosphere, however, acid rain releases aluminium in its soil further causing the plants to become toxic. This could cause them to die out and spread more toxins in the air, contributing to the massacre caused by plastic pollution. Minimising the amount of plastic you purchase from businesses can reduce the amount of plastic being burned. It also reduces your risk of being one of the thousands of people who die from this each year.

In my opinion, the dumping of plastic waste in slums is ridiculous. It isn't fair that other people, less fortunate people, have to withstand and face the damages that we have caused. Human beings may have the highest IQ in comparison to other animal species, but the failure to look after one another and the failure to look after the planet that provided us with such privileged resources drags us down and portrays us as creatures worse than animals. Mother Nature, Planet Earth, has done nothing but look after us. Animals all contribute to the planet's protection. They graze savannahs, fertilize lands and keep the foodchain stable. What have we done? We've done nothing but destroy the planet and destroy all the other creatures in it... even our own. One person impacts the world in a massive and unexplainable way. You could be that person.

Minimising plastic consumption makes you a hero. You don't just end up saving yourself, but your family, your people, the animals around you and the whole planet. Find ways to replace plastic today. Find alternatives. Take steps to get closer to contribute to eradicating the use of plastic.