Are we Living in a Plastic World?
If we look back in time one of the greatest inventions of Mankind will be Plastic its uses and cheapness shook the whole world but can we still regard it as an invention? A big NO, plastic is more of a toxic than an invention in today’s world. The so-called plastic pollution is considered one of the most dangerous pollutions as it contributes to all the other forms of pollution. Today, Each and every one of us is surrounded by some form of plastic or other whether it be our water bottles, pens, the glasses we wear and what not.

How Plastic becomes our life:
When plastic entered our markets it was considered as a mark of modernity. It was durable, Light, colorful and cheaper than other materials it replaced thus give people the ability to buy more at the same rate. Soon the heavy iron and aluminium items in bathrooms give way to the lighter plastic buckets and mugs. Our kitchens were filled with plastic containers replacing the old glass jars. The fast-food vendors, The tea stalls replaced the natural earthen clay Kulhars with the modern cheaper plastic cups. The electronic modernization gave plastic a boon as all the electric gadgets use plastic as a key element in their manufacturing. Even the glass used for making spectacles was replaced with plastic glasses. And how can I forgot the Infamous plastic bags, there is hardly any shop who was never sold anything in those bags whether it be a stationary, fruit vendor etc. Suddenly it starts to appear that life was all plastic and the natural items lost all their charm.
How it affects our Lives:
The average plastic consumption in the world is still a quite large number with India, China, Sri Lanka etc. as some major contributors. Plastic is a non-biodegradable waste means it takes thousands of years for it to degrade and till then it will persist in our environment. But why should we worry? Because Soon the clean roadsides turned into plastic covered lanes. The sea starts to fill up with this non-degradable waste and animals starts to fear whether they will see the next day or not. Not only this the plastic containers in which we eat when exposed to heat radiations secretes cancer-causing substances in our food. Even the water we drink starts to contain some plastic content. The street animals eat up these plastic bags and begin to die. Regarding the environmental issues, the main problem is they mix with the soil and releases toxic substances which makes the soil poisonous and a threat Nature. But the question still arises why should we worry? Because if something is not done soon No one will be there to worry about anything.
What are we doing?
Major sections of the society are gradually waking up and understanding the harmful effects of plastic. The use of plastic bags are being banned in many countries some, in fact, banned the production of plastic and its goods. At least some people understand these facts and start using cotton and jute bags which are reusable and biodegradable. Due to cancer-causing effects of plastic many users switch back to glass containers and jars for storing their food items. Not only this plastic recycling has been widely successful in reducing this plastic pollution and stops further manufacturing of plastic from scratch again which helps to a great extent. Research is also going on to use plastic for other uses such as generating electricity and also finding a better biodegradable substitute for it in the near future. In fact, many countries have come forward and passed international laws regarding excessive use of plastic and are constantly working to reduce its harmful effect on nature
But what are you doing for this cause? Think and Help because Even your smallest contribution will help us escape this so-called Plastic world.
