Plastic In The Environment Is A Crisis. What Can Be Done?
Since the 1950s, the mass production of plastic has reached about 9.5 billion tons. This has resulted in a very clear and very real crisis in our oceans. A solution has to be presented to preserve the life and beauty found throughout the seas and the planet. Governments worldwide should actively work together to address the economic incentives driving this tragedy. What can be done to combat this?
Escalating Pollution
“11 million metric tons of plastic” are dumped into our oceans on an annual basis, on top of the “200 million metric tons” that are already believed to be plaguing them. In the next ten years, this number is expected to double, meaning that if nothing is done then we could be facing a severe plastic pollution crisis (on top of the one we already have). It is a necessity for people to pick up the waste and emphasize the need for recycling.
Organizational Initiatives
Organizations such as Ocean Conservancy are among those that are dedicating themselves to solving this particular issue. They bring together almost 12 million volunteers from all over the world to participate in what they call their International Coastal Cleanup, an event that sees these volunteers actively assembling to clean up the beaches of plastic. Ocean Conservancy has set itself the goal of effectively “cutting down the amount of plastic found in the ocean by about half within the next decade.”
Environmental Impact
The simple act of accidentally dropping a plastic bottle onto the beach without stopping to place it in the trash can lead to devastating effects. While beach cleanups are often the simplest and most effective solutions, there are also organizations out there in need of support that take this a step further by extending cleanups from the beaches to the ocean floors, where a lot of plastic preys upon sea life.
Individual Contributions
Naturally, not everybody in the world has the time to actively participate in such major events. Nevertheless, there are a number of things people can do at home to contribute in their own way, which takes little to no effort. A study conducted by Plos One in 2020 attempted to identify the top consumer-based actions that any individual might take that would be extremely effective in dealing with this issue.
Policy Recommendations
A recent study conducted by Brown University used the rapid decline in Seabird populations as a result of plastic pollution to argue that new policies are the only way to prevent the Seabirds from becoming endangered by 2056. They argue that the damage being done can be significantly reduced by introducing policies for beach and river cleanups.
International Cooperation
Some countries and companies are arguing that such guidelines should become as compulsory as recycling. Throughout the United States, government officials have already started to ban the use of plastic grocery bags to contribute to the effort. According to one author, Member States are advocating for the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) to enact new resolutions concerning plastic pollution and microplastics in oceans. These resolutions aim to establish a timetable for reducing ocean plastics.
Research Imperative
In all honesty, there is also a vital need for more research on this topic, as there remains a great deal that we don’t know. For instance, the impact of lost fishing gear at sea is something that we have yet to measure in terms of damage. Furthermore, “coastal transport of plastics and its interaction with coastlines worldwide is poorly understood and needs to be implemented in current global models.”
Environmental Deadline
Experts say if plastic pollution is not properly handled, the environment will be irreversibly damaged by 2056. Beach cleanups, support for organizations, reduction of personal plastic use, and recycling are all major ways people can help reduce plastic pollution.
Educational Efforts
However, governments around the world need to take more action before true change can be made, in spite of the extraordinary contributions that have already been made by groups and individuals. People need to care more about this issue, and widespread education in regards to what is currently happening throughout the world’s oceans needs to occur.
Promoting Sustainable Alternatives
Encouraging the adoption of sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics can help a bit in combating plastic pollution. Biodegradable materials, such as plant-based plastics, offer a possible solution since they break down naturally in the environment.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
Investing in research for innovative eco-friendly packaging, like edible packaging made from seaweed or mushroom-based materials, might have the potential to reduce plastic waste. By promoting the development and widespread adoption of sustainable alternatives, we can decrease our reliance on traditional plastics and mitigate their harmful environmental impact.
Urgent Action
Whether by spreading the word among communities or online, the planet’s oceans and wildlife are in very real danger, and there still remains a distinct lack of awareness. Everyone needs to urgently take action because, on the current road that the human race is going down, we run the risk of indirectly murdering entire aquatic and bird species along with polluting the oceans.
Call For Responsibility
All of this is causing damage that may one day be tragically irreversible. The mission to reduce plastic cannot fail. The human race simply cannot afford to do nothing.
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