The plastic pollution problem can feel overwhelming, but there are actions we can all take to make a difference. You! takes a look...
environment
The plastic pollution problem can feel overwhelming, but there are actions we can all take to make a difference. You! takes a look...
The demand for plastic has iplastic pollutioncreased dramatically over the last 70 years. It is estimated that over 300 million tons of plastic is produced globally every year. Half of that plastic is used for disposable items that will only be used once. As a result, more than 8 million tons of discarded plastic ends up in our oceans every single year. Once it is there it doesn’t readily go away. The side effects of our modern life, namely our reliance on plastic, has quietly suffocated our oceans, rivers, seas, lakes, and other bodies of water. The danger of plastic pollution is very real; so much so that it has been the focus of this year’s World Environment Day by the UN and is meant to raise the public’s awareness of plastic pollution in the ocean and its effects. Plastic permeates just about every aspect of our lives. And because plastic is everywhere, plastic pollution is also everywhere. And it’s estimated that by 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will weigh more than all the fish.
The plastic pollution problem can feel overwhelming, but there are actions we can all take to make a difference. Everything starts with ourselves. These simple steps, once implemented, will help stop the biggest sources of plastic pollution from reaching our oceans and harming our marine life:
Don’t use single-use plastics: This category includes plastic bags, straws, dry cleaning bags, water bottles, takeout food containers, and coffee cups. Eight of the ten most common items in ocean trash are single-use food-related items, so whenever possible, bring your own reusable utensils and containers. Ninety percent of the plastic items in our daily lives are used once and then chucked: grocery bags, plastic wrap, disposable cutlery, straws, coffee-cup lids. Take note of how often you rely on these products and replace them with reusable versions.
Use your own reusable drink bottle or coffee cup: Prevent plastic bottle pollution and waste by purchasing a long-life reusable drink bottle or keep cup. It only takes a few times of bringing your own bags to the store, silverware to the office, or travel mug to coffee shop before it becomes habit. Keep them in your bag or at work, then when you’re out and about you’ll be both versatile and environmentally friendly!
If you do get a plastic item, reuse it as many times as you can. If you have to buy a bottle of water, refill that bottle of water as many times as you can. Or find a use for it, like storing seeds or as a small flower planter.
Skip plastic straws: Plastic straws are among the top items of marine plastics found around the world, and they’re generally not recyclable. As a customer, use your voice at restaurants, cafes and eateries to refuse straws and plastic stirrers. Help a movement towards paper straws, or give up straws entirely. If you are desperate to use straws, carry your own. There are metal and bamboo straws that are now more widely available.
Pick up litter: We can all get hands on and stop the pollution before it gets too far from home. Even if you are inland, picking up litter can help keep it from reaching the ocean. Trash in your neighbourhood can end up in local waterways which often inevitably lead to the ocean. The simple act of picking up a little bit of litter makes the world of difference - think of the positive influence it can have on the community around you.
Boycott microbeads: Those little plastic scrubbers found in so many beauty products - facial scrubs, toothpaste, body washes-might look harmless, but their tiny size allows them to slip through water-treatment plants. Unfortunately, they also look just like food to some marine animals. Opt for products with natural exfoliants, like oatmeal or salt, instead.
Choose paper & cloth bags: Paper, while not a perfect substance, is considerably more sustainable and less polluting than plastic. Paper bags are able to break down over time and naturally biodegrade. Cloth bags last a long time when made well and stop quite a bit of plastic bag pollution from entering the atmosphere.
Avoid plastic cutlery: Ordering take-out? Tell the vendor to skip the plastic cutlery. Catering events? Use reusable cutlery (and plates and cups). France became the first country to pass a law that will go into effect by 2020 to ban plastic plates, cups and cutlery-hoping to spur on innovation in biodegradable products. Shop around, and change your own attitude towards choosing more ocean-friendly practices.
WWF-Pakistan and partners initiate campaign to beat plastic pollution
Recently, in a bid to put an end to this growing problem, WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with Hoga Saaf Pakistan launched #BeatPlasticPollution campaign. This 4-day activity, that took place at Dolmen Mall Clifton, Karachi, invited people to donate their used plastic bottles in exchange for the opportunity to win exciting gifts from PIA, Careem, Espresso, Heyday, Mocca, Daraz, Mortein and Harpic. The campaign focused on educating the masses about the world and the country’s plastic problem and how important it is to recycle. The plastic waste collected will be subsequently recycled by Waste Busters. The event was managed by Catwalk.
from numerous partners will continue to initiate more campaigns to promote a cleaner Pakistan. Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan shared that the same properties that make plastics durable and resistant to degradation are the very reasons why they are impossible to completely break down. WWF-Pakistan with support from numerous partners will continue to initiate more campaigns to promote a cleaner Pakistan.
The #BeatPlasticPollution campaign contributes to a larger initiative launched by WWF-Pakistan, the Green Innovation Challenge, in collaboration with Clean Seas and powered by JS Bank and NIC Karachi. The challenge is a start-up competition that aims to harness the forces of innovation and entrepreneurship to tackle the issue of plastic waste faced by Pakistan. WWF-Pakistan will provide a platform to innovators of the country to come forth with economically viable long-term solutions to end plastic waste discharged into the oceans and to effectively recycle plastic waste in Pakistan.
