THE USEFUL TIPS TO PREVENT PLASTIC POLLUTION 

 

“Each one  of us can make a difference. Together we make change.”

-Barbara Mikulski

 

The plastic is all over the Planet, from South to the North Pole, it conquers the beauty of our Earth and it makes us, almost, helpless and hopeless. The fact is that each one of us has contributed in the plastic pollution, more or less and also the each one of us has a responsibility to do something, anything, before it is not too late.  The problem of plastic is an issue that could bother us the rest of our lives. It is not the matter that could be discussed over night and addressed shortly. This is a long-term disease that changes our daily perspective and impacts our concerns and expectations.

From the day one, the plastic has a killing character, turning our environment into the trash colonies and our oceans into the plastic soaps. According to some scientific reports, it is estimated that 1230 g of plastic is floating around per square kilometre, and this doesn’t include the crates and bottles. The micro plastic ends up in the soil, that is causing the deep ground pollution:”Much of the plastic waste occurs in the form of microplastics: pieces of plastic measuring between 5 micrometers and 5 millimeters. Our water purification plants have difficulty filtering out such particles. They end up in the surface water and ultimately in the oceans, where they are picked up by all kinds of marine animals, thereby entering the food chain. According to environmental toxicologist Colin Janssen of UGent, mussels from the North Sea contain so many plastics that the average mussel eater ingests up to 11,000 plastic particles annually. In the soil, worms eat the plastic particles.”

For many of us, it is difficult to imagine one day without plastic since the plastic is in all segments of our daily lives. That is one of the most important reason to work on the alternatives and to raise an awareness on individual, national and global level. The plastic is all over but it is not impossible to replace it with something else, day by day, adopting the new dimension of life without or with as less plastic as it is possible.

The governments are working hard on the measures to reduce the volume of the plastic waste.  Nevertheless, the political strategy for preventing plastic pollution could be a miracle but it couldn’t be a complete process without involved individuals who learn how to deal with plastic waste and what steps and tips they can accept as the preventive and preemptive solution against plastic waste.  Just to think about the ocean that is absorbing, each year, almost eight million metric tons of plastic is enough scary and pessimistic. Some scientists scream that by 2050, the ocean plastic will weigh more  than all fish and not only that, the malign plastic will be usually digested by marine animals that may  suffer from internal and external damage. The sperm whale that has been found in Spain had 64 pounds of plastic waste in its gut.  That is our plastic that is killing innocent creatures and causing serious modifications of farm soils.  The problem is that tiny particles of plastic have been found in sugar, beer, processed foods, tap water and bottled water. You cant escape the plastics and its all ways of moving.

 

The global plan against plastic waste usually includes the individual behaviour and learnt responsibility. We cant change the direction of the future for our Environment if any of us doesn’t think rationally and logically about his/her own behaviour, that should be ecologically and environmentally friendly. It is not easy but it could be done. How? There are, indeed, some good tips that may help us to redefine our priorities and to make our own agenda of acting pro nature instead of against.

Taking care of our own bin is on the first place because that is almost the biggest problem for many people. Some do not even think of it and they do eliminate waste in the nature, which is definitely no go. The plastic is to be stored in special waste bin, so to be eliminated through the complexed industrial decomposition process. If you throw your cigarette butts, you should know that filters have so called cellulose acetate, which is a kind of plastic. The smokers all over the globe buy 18 billion cigarettes a day and majority of them fly on the ground, which is a death sentence for our Planet.

Make sure you take care of your bins and put them on the street only at the day of offical  emptying. Otherwise, it may happen that the waste is flying around, due to the wind or nocturnal animals activity.  What is even more important is to keep in mind that balloons should be avoided,  as the most dangerous kind of plastic.  I find them not appropriate, since they are causing immediately death to any single living being that is swallowing them.

In the grocery, you can decide to take the certain amount of food packed in the paper or biological acceptable packages, instead of buying plastic conserved food.  Use always your own reusable grocery bag and make sure you don’t support plastic bottled water.

There is also a deal with the laundry. I even haven’t had an idea that some of the fleece items release the micro plastics, after washing. The synthetic clothes is not a joke and it let the pollution running forward. This could be controlled if you put all your synthetic clothes into the washing bag or you install a filter.  It is a big help for an environment, if you pick up shorter washing program ( 30°C).

There are always some ways to address the problems. Regarding the plastic,  we should know that not all type of plastic could be recycled. That is why there are some resin codes as #1 ( water bottles, salad dressing or cooking oil bottles…) or #2 (laundry detergent, yoghurt tubes….) are usually recyclable.

You have many alternatives and options, if you are ready and open minded. There are numerous actions worldwide against plastic waste and plastic pollutions. People learn how to avoid too much plastic and how to live in plastic-free environment. You can choose producers and worship their efforts against plastics or offend those who don’t do anything against plastic waste. It is all your choice, at the end of the day. If you live near oceans, you can connect with local environment agencies that organise  the events for oceans and you can give your anti-plastic contribution. You can inform, share the knowledge or give your own examples as a kind of case study against plastic pollution. The greatest changes start with one, devoted person.

 

The plastic pollution is not only a political problem ,  election joke or hint. It is a deep deviation that will cost us in the future. I believe we all have to accept that we must be the part of solution, with each of our daily decisions and actions. Only then, we will be able to make a positive impact and to save this Planet for our children.