“It’s only one straw,” said 8 billion people
Waste isn’t waste until we waste it.
Our relationship with plastics needs a rethinking. We derive oil and gas from the earth to make these plastics but the way we use them is extremely reckless. These plastics are designed such that they can be used only once and then they are thrown away. We have to change our mindset and approach towards such a crucial resource. All of us have totally failed to capture the economic benefits of plastics. We need to start thinking of plastic as a renewable source of energy rather than a one-time use-and-throw product. Each one of us has to make efforts to transition from being linear to a circular economy.
Do something drastic — cut the plastic!
The amount of plastic that is produced in the world every year has increased explosively in just a human lifetime. From 2 million tons in 1950 to 368 million tons in 2019. Production is expected to double by 2050. Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. A Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India report (2018–19) puts the total annual plastic waste generation in India at a humungous 3.3 million metric tons per year. Another report by the Center for International Environmental Law 2019 suggests that by 2050, greenhouse gas…
