Reversal of climate change has to be a priority as we have only one planet to live
Every year on 5th June we remember our environment, due to the environment day celebration conducted under the auspicious of the United Nations. The theme for World Environment Day 2023 is “Beat Plastic Pollution”. In India, World Environment Day 2023 will be celebrated with a focus on the Mission LiFE, which stands for Lifestyle for Environment, as envisioned by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. He has given a clarion call to adopt sustainable lifestyle practices. A sustainable lifestyle is possible only if humans live in tune with nature.
Today the barrier between nature and humans is plastic. Every day human life is so impregnated with plastic that we find it difficult to find independence from it. Plastic as such is not a bad invention. It has made human life easier. Nobody in the present generation can think of carrying drinking water in large cans during our train journey. The invention of plastic has made human life more light by making lightweight comfortable household articles. It has truly revolutionized human civilization.
Plastic is a synthetic material made from polymers, which are long chains of molecules. It is a versatile material that can be moulded and shaped into various forms when heated and then cooled. Plastics are commonly derived from petroleum, although they can also be made from other sources like natural gas or renewable materials. Plastic, as we know it today, is the result of the contributions of several inventors and researchers since 1862 when Alexander Parkes invented the first synthetic plastic.
The over-dependence on plastic has changed the structure of our planet itself. Every part of our planet air, water and land is polluted by plastic. Every year, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic are made, and about half of them are made to be used only once. Less than 10% of that is reused or recovered. Between 19 and 23 million tonnes of trash end up in lakes, rivers, and the ocean.
Plastic pollution has severe consequences for ecosystems and the environment. This accumulation disrupts ecosystems, harms wildlife, and threatens biodiversity. Recent scientific studies have shown the presence of plastic, known as microplastic in human breast milk and blood, making this a serious threat to look into. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that are less than 5 millimeters in size. Studies have shown that some plastic materials, including polypropylene baby bottles and polyethylene terephthalate tea bags, can shed microscopic and nanoscale particles into heated liquids. An average person drinking three regular cups of tea or coffee daily, in a paper cup, would be ingesting 75,000 tiny microplastic particles. Microplastics even affect soil micro and macrofauna.
If we didn’t take strict measures to control plastic pollution, it would soon make our planet a plastic one, without any regeneration potential that is needed for the survival of life. A celebration like a world environment day would at least make us think of this menace at least for a day. The celebration should not be limited to publicity stunts by institutions and agencies. What is needed is a long-term initiative with collective commitment from individuals, businesses, governments, and organizations and a transition to a more sustainable and circular economy. By taking collective action and making conscious choices of living sustainably with nature, we can make a significant impact in beating plastic pollution and moving towards a more sustainable future.
(The writer is a science communicator and columnist)