Plastic, the wonder material, finds its way in every home in one way or the other, and careless disposal of this thrash poses threat to the environment. It’s all the more harmful since it does not break down easily and is not degradable.
Did you know that a plastic cup takes 50-80 years to decompose? Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1 million sea creatures every year.
Devon, a town in UK is setting an example by becoming a plastic-free place. The town has banned the use of oil-based plastic bags that are commonly used and will be using alternatives like paper bags, reusable cotton bags, jute nags and Bio bags.
BBC wildlife camera woman Rebecca Hosking was appalled when she saw the mount of plastic bags that were being dumped in the town and decided to take action after she filmed the impact that plastic waste made on wildlife on the Hawaiian island. She then showed the documentary to the shopkeepers who were convinced of the ban on plastic bags after they saw the film.
Hosking has also found a way to tackle the existing plastic waste that is dumped in the town by recycling the waste into furniture.
A few quick facts on greenfeet says about 1,200 plastic soft drink and salad dressing containers could carpet the average living room and recycled plastic can be used to make things like trash cans, park benches, playground equipment, decks, and kayaks.
We can’t do away with plastic in totality, but careful use and disposal of it could reduce the threat it is posing to the environment.
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