The number one attack against our climate is a day to day item every household has: plastic. The long overdue struggle the world faces has yet to come to an end.
The world should be using less plastic and more reusable resources.
Firstly, plastic bags are not biodegradable. People throw away billions of plastic bags every day, and not always in the recycling bin. These bags can fly off and lay on the ground or a dump and take more than one thousand years to break down, and even then, that broken down plastic is harmful to the Earth’s soil. This causes the plastic pieces to continue polluting the soil and even our oceans. The sun, however, can break down plastic at a faster pace but will remain with the same affects afterwards. According to the The United Nations Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution, 60% to 95% of the world’s marine pollution is caused by plastic waste.
Secondly, plastic is dangerous for animals.When plastic bags or plastic rings that hold together a case of soda is dumped into our oceans, innocent animals, such as seals, pelicans, penguins, and turtles will see the garbage as food or prey, and will consume it. The plastic will either choke their throats or get stuck in their stomachs, causing them to die a cruel death. About 100,000 marine animals annually have been found to have piles of trash are found in their digestive system, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
Lastly, the production of plastic contributes to climate change. In order to produce their product, the plastic industry uses 8% of the world’s oil, which is extremely harmful to our earth. The importing of plastic also releases large amounts of unnatural global-warming gases into our atmosphere, destroying our earth every single day.
Although many daily items people have in their homes are made from plastic, and replacing these items with a more natural product would seem costly and tedious, the overwhelming truth that the earth is being destroyed is something we can not run away from. Instead of using plastic water bottles, use a reusable glass water bottle. Instead of using plastic bags at the grocery store, bring your own eco-friendly bag that the cashier will bag for you. If you already use a good amount of plastic in your home, always recycle so they can be reused instead of laying on the side of the road and going to waste.
Plastic is a disgusting product in our world today, and the switch from plastic to natural resources would greatly benefit our earth, creating more steps closer to stopping climate change.