If business goes on as usual, the world will be flooded with litter and above all with plastic waste. Humans use up to 10 million plastic bags per minute. A recent study shows that plastic pollution flowing into oceans will triple by 2040. During the pandemic there was a rise in single-use plastic and the movement to ban their usage was undermined. The heaps of rubbish we use is breathing life into the fossil fuel industry, while threatening biodiversity and our health (among other risks, digested or inhaled micro/nano plastic particles can cause asthma, infertility and cancer).
There are many things to do against single-use plastic pollution, but the most important measure is reduction. The first step is to get rid of the delusion that any plastic consumed will simply disappear. Even when you throw it away, it doesn’t degrade. Not in our lifetime.
The mindset shift that is needed involves saying “no thank you” to any single-use wrapping or other item you can. In 2021, try carrying a reusable bag/container with you, just like you carry your house key, credit card or mobile phone.
