The World is Overrun by Plastic
The wonder material might be our undoing.
Picture this: a planet choking under the weight of billions of tons of plastic, a substance that never truly goes away. Plastic waste isn’t just an eyesore on beaches or a deadly trap for marine life — it’s seeping into every corner of our existence, from the clouds above us to the deepest trenches of our oceans. This isn’t a distant dystopia. It’s happening now, and the trajectory for the future is even bleaker.
The Vastness of Plastic Production: A Global Deluge
Since large-scale plastic production began in the 1950s, humans have manufactured over 10 billion tons of it. That’s enough to bury Manhattan under several hundred feet of plastic waste. Production has increased exponentially, doubling every 15–20 years, and shows no signs of slowing down.
By 2050, we’re on track to triple the current amount of plastic waste generated, about half of that will be single-use — items designed to be used for minutes but that persist for centuries. And the driving force behind this tidal wave of waste? Our insatiable demand for convenience.
Single-use plastic bags, bottles, and packaging dominate our daily lives. Western nations, led by the United States, are among the worst offenders. The average…
