Solving Plastic Pollution through Consumption Practices
The Roots of Plastic Pollution
The issue of plastic pollution has caught new attention due to its growth over the past years. The accumulation of plastic in oceans directly affects the marine ecosystem, the food chain, and human health due to its toxicity. Plastic pollution is the “accumulation in the environment of synthetic plastic products to the point where they create problems for wildlife and their habitats as well as for human population” (Britannica). According to the Costal Care website, plastic growth in the ocean has been a problem for about 450–1,000 years (Guern). The rise of global plastic production and consumption has increased within the past decades and directly contributes to the increase of plastic degrading in the ocean. The result of this increase has led to 8 million tons of plastic ending up in our oceans yearly, according to a study conducted at UC Santa Barbara’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (Guern). Furthermore, if the rate of plastic produced and discarded does not decrease, in 2025, the cumulative input would be 20 times the current rate (about 100 bags of plastic per foot of coastline in the world) (Guern).
Plastic pollution directly affects people who regularly consume fish, those who use the ocean to make a living (like fishermen), places where the system of disposing of the garbage is either inefficient or nonexistent (like in African or Asia), and the environment itself. As plastic makes its way into the ocean, it breaks into smaller parts called microplastics. The chemicals from microplastics are ingested or absorbed by marine life, which humans later consume. These toxins “are directly linked to cancers, birth defects, immune system problems, and childhood developmental issues” (Andrews). For instance, during my junior year of high school, my mom got a deathly infection from a post-surgery complication. Post-recovery, while she was still not 100% healthy, she was advised strongly from eating fish due to the toxicity found in fish. Thinking back on this allows one to reflect on how we contribute to the issue of increasing the toxicity in fish. As we consume/use plastic, we are directly putting the toxins back into our bodies.
Moreover, fishermen are affected because it is expected that “by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans” (Plastic Oceans). Furthermore, fishermen have to repair nets and boats that are ruined by the plastic in the ocean. The time taken to repair their equipment takes away the time they have to fish. For instance, “marine litter costs the Scottish fishing industry between 15.5 million and 17.2 million a year and reduces the fleets’ total annual revenue by ~ 5%” (Carr). Fishermen depend on the ocean to make a living, but we are single-handedly making their job more difficult and possibly later diminishing their job altogether.
Lastly, developing countries are directly affected by plastic pollution due to their mismanaged waste-discard systems. According to a report, “dumped and burned rubbish, especially plastic waste, is responsible for the death of one person every 30 seconds in developing countries” (Resource.co). Sadly, wealthy countries are a contributor to this issue. Countries, like the UK, export their wait to other countries to be processed correctly, however, the trash ends up quickly accumulating into poor countries (Resource.co). It is important to notice this pattern because developing countries should be focused on developing their economies. Moreover, these countries should not have the responsibility of discarding our plastic, especially when they struggle with properly discarding their own waste.
In an attempt to solve this issue, some countries, like Canada and Peru, have restricted the use of single-use plastics to phase out single-use plastic in the next couple of years. According to National Geographic, Canada has the hope to completely ban single-use plastics by 2021 (Howard). Furthermore, plastic pollution continues to gather attention as many groups continue to ban together to take steps towards solving the issue, like discontinuing the use of plastic straws. Moreover, in 2018, “two hundred and fifty organizations responsible for 20 percent of the plastic packaging produced around the world have committed to reducing waste and pollution” (Parker). Another step to reduce plastic pollution, proposed by the U.S. government, is the “Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020.” The bill states “to amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to reduce the production and use of certain single-use plastic products and packaging, to improve the responsibility of producers in the design, collection, reuse, recycling, and disposal of their consumer products and packaging, to prevent pollution from consumer products and packaging from entering into animal and human food chains and waterways, and for other purposes” (Udall). This bill has been passed by both houses and has been in effect since July 1, 2020. This action is a less radical step towards solving the issue of plastic pollution, however, it is important to recognize that this issue has caught the government’s attention due to the rising numbers.
Although steps are being taken towards solving the problem, the solutions are difficult to put to action because of the convenience of plastic. For plastic pollution to truly decrease, companies must enforce the goal of using less plastic to decrease the consumption of plastic by its consumers. On the other hand, plastic is cheap and accessible, so it is more likely for major companies to use it in their business plans. This is where the government is encouraged to take lead to create laws that directly ban industries from using plastic and to come up with alternatives for plastic. For example, “February 14, by itself, represents an increase of 9 million kilograms of CO2, plus everything ‘normally’ released into our atmosphere” due to the consumeristic nature that accompanies Valentine’s Day (Arguelles). People associate Valentine’s Day with material objects, but if companies did not provide consumers with these objects, then they would be forced to show their love for another in other eco-friendly ways, like through writing letters to their loved ones.
Decreasing the production of plastic products would in turn force the consumers to find alternatives to their usual purchasing habits. The increase in plastic pollution has many roots, however, focusing on the big companies who are producing over 300 million tons of plastic yearly will dramatically decrease the numbers (Koop). As mentioned before, the government should create laws to force companies to decrease their plastic use, but there are ways that we can get involved as well.
The feasibility of this solution seems possible, however, it is our responsibility to get the attention of the companies to change their habits. Possible barriers are the convenience/cheap price of plastic and companies who are unwilling to change their current production practices. On the other hand, it is worth attempting to gain attention regarding major corporations' plastic use to decrease the current rise of pollution. Moreover, there are many solutions to raising awareness about plastic pollution. Anyone can contribute to making others aware by protesting, joining organizations, writing letters to the government or businesses, posting on social media, or simply talking about it with your peers.
We are only given ONE Earth, so let’s push each other to take care of it.
Works Cited
Arguelles, Susana. “Valentine’s Day and Plastic Pollution.” Plastic Oceans International, 15 Feb. 2021, plasticoceans.org/valentines-day-and-plastic-pollution/.
Udall, Tom. “Text — S.3263–116th Congress (2019–2020): Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020.” Congress.gov, 11 Feb. 2020, www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3263/text.
Koop, Fermin. “These Are the Companies That Produce the Most Plastic.” ZME Science, 7 Dec. 2020, www.zmescience.com/science/these-are-the-companies-that-produce-the-most-plastic/#:~:text=Worldwide%2C%20over%20300%20million%20tons,bags%2C%20cups%2C%20and%20straws.
Howard, Brian Clark, et al. “A Running List of Action on Plastic Pollution.” Environment, National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2021, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/ocean-plastic-pollution-solutions.
Parker, Laura. “The World’s Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained.” Environment, 7 June 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastic-pollution/.
Resource. “Plastic Pollution Causing Health Crisis in Poorer Countries, Says Report.” Resource Magazine, 15 May 2019, resource.co/article/plastic-pollution-causing-health-crisis-poorer-countries-says-report.
“Plastic Oceans.” Future Agenda, 18 Mar. 2019, www.futureagenda.org/foresights/plastic-oceans/#:~:text=There%20are%20increasing%20high%20levels,three%20quarters%20of%20the%20Earth.
Carr, Sarah. “OpenChannels News.” The Skimmer on Marine Ecosystems and Management (MEAM), 2019, meam.openchannels.org/news/skimmer-marine-ecosystems-and-management/what-marine-plastic-pollution-costing-us-.
Guern, Claire Le. “When The Mermaids Cry: The Great Plastic Tide.” Plastic Pollution, Nov. 2019, plastic-pollution.org/.
Andrews, Gianna. “Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health.” Case Studies, 27 Jan. 2021, serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/plastics.html.
“Plastic Pollution.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/science/plastic-pollution.
Images:
Christine Cole Research Fellow. “Plastic Crisis: Divert Foreign Aid to Dumpsites in Developing Countries.” The Conversation, 5 June 2019, theconversation.com/plastic-crisis-divert-foreign-aid-to-dumpsites-in-developing-countries-94341.
“Plastic Free July with CIVIQ and ELKAY — CIVIQ™.” CIVIQ, 14 July 2020, www.civiq.com.au/news/plastic-free-july-with-civiq-and-elkay/.
Frost, Kayla, and Amanda Goodman. “The Inconvenient Consequences of a Culture of Convenience.” ASU News, ASU News, 9 Oct. 2018, news.asu.edu/20181003-solutions-asu-researchers-plastics-pollution-recycling.
Wheeler, Perry, and Ivy Schlegel. “Preventing Plastic Pollution.” Greenpeace USA, 1 May 2020, www.greenpeace.org/usa/oceans/preventing-plastic-pollution/.
Video:
WWF. “Plastic Pollution.” YouTube, YouTube, 27 June 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA9O9YUbQew.
