Despite all the dangers it poses, the ubiquitous plastic products continue to be a part of our lives. Believe it or not but soon there may be more masks than jellyfish in the Mediterranean Sea, says Laurent Lombard, a diver and founder of the nonprofit Operation Clean Sea. Yes, the “corona-waste” is spreading at an alarming rate in our oceans! While fighting a pandemic, the production of single-use PPE has drastically ramped up. About 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves are being used each month, according to a recent study in the Environment, Science & Technology journal. Fortunately, by using re-usable products to protect yourself from the virus and employing basic hygiene like washing them properly, you can help save our oceans!
Did you know that the plastic bags generated so far will be there on our planet till 3020! Yes, that’s true! A single bag of plastic takes around 1000 years to decompose completely. This means that all the plastic bags produced so far are still on our planet lingering around as microplastics in our oceans or in our food! Plastic pollution is a global catastrophe which has detrimental effects on the wildlife, environment and of course, human health.
As we celebrate the International Plastic Bag Free Day today, let’s remind ourselves, and others, that every action we take, and every bag we dispose of irresponsibly, affects the lives of everyone in the world for generations to come. Let’s dive into the latest issue of wisdom nuggets and learn how we can make a Plastic Bag Free World!
Did you know approximately 1 million seabirds die every year either by consuming plastic bags or getting tangled in them while looking for fish! Yes, many other marine animals are under the same threat!
This is how plastic is entering our food chain! Believe us when we say, that this man-made catastrophe is ultimately affecting us. We are eating plastics as 1/4th of the fish have plastics in their gut!
Get inspired and Watch this video to know how plastic bags impact our environment.
Join the fight against plastic by signing your petition here.
Get creative and link the environmental education with your favorite subject in the curriculum!
- Language– Write a formal letter to the local merchant’s association highlighting about the hazards of plastic use and alternatives to using platic bags.
Or
The dictionary meaning of Memoir is a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge. Write the memoir of a young whale that washed ashore in March 2019 in Davao city, Philippines after consuming over 40 KGs of plastics and publish it in your school magazine.
Here are a few tips on writing a memoir.
- Social Studies–Read the report published by MoHUA, Govt. of India. Prepare a presentation or talk on plastic waste management rules of India including the latest amendments.
- Math–Make a list of 10 people from different families, different age groups and if possible different occupations.
- Science–Learn about7 different types of plastics. Find out 1 plastic item of each category in your house. Discuss in class the dangers of accumulation of non-biodegradable plastic bags in our surroundings.
Sir David Attenborough once told that “we dump eight million tonnes of plastic into the sea every year”. Plastic is choking and killing our marine life.
- Turtles eat plastic bags mistaking them for jellyfish
- Seabirds are found with their stomachs full of plastic items
- Plastic debris can get lodged in coral and affect the health of reefs
- Microplastics are consumed by animals like plankton, passing the problem back to us through food chain.
Now is the time for you to step up and act! Remember, every action counts! Here is a list of 5 easy steps you can do to break free from plastic, starting today:
- Do not discard the plastic bagsthat are in your home already! Re-use them everytime you go to get your groceries. This way, you will avoid getting new plastic bags.
- Avoid using plastic cups and cutlery. Instead, carry your own spoons and cups everywhere you go.
- Become proactive and join the Plastic Tide Turners Challenge
- Lastly, the most simple step; whenever outdoors (Roadside, beach or park), never hesitate to pick up the plastic litter and throw it in the correct dustbin.
- Communicate with everyone! Spread awareness amongst your friends and family and challenge them to break free from single use plastics.
By coming together to tackle plastic pollution, we can show that powerful, collective action to restore nature is possible.
This International Plastic Bag Free day, let’s learn how to reuse old newspapers at home and turn them into usable paper bags.
Click here to learn how to make sustainable paper bags from old newspapers and move a step towards zero waste lifestyle.
Do not forget to share the photos of your DIY paper bagson social media and tag us! Use the hashtags #InternationalPlasticbagFreeDay #MyFightAgainstPlastic#OnePlanetAcademy #WWFIndia.
Let’s take this pop quiz and test your knowledge about this man-made catastrophe; plastic pollution.
