‘Say no to plastic!’
‘Plastic is drastic.’
‘Life in plastic is not fantastic!’
Heard these lines earlier as well?
Yet, we see around us the ever-increasing wider use of plastic. Right from the beginning of the day with brushing, we become ingenuine plastic users for the entire day. The toothbrush, the toothpaste tube, the shampoo bottle, the nylon body scrubber, the comb, the earbuds, the face cream containers, the bags we use for grocery, fruits and vegetable shopping, the straws and glasses we use for an unplanned juice break in the market, the packs of all the processed eatables, the mineral water bottles we buy, the kids’ toys, the pens we use, the bottles of cleaning agents, the food packs we take home from a restaurant, the garbage bags we give to our ragpicker daily and the list is endless; everything houses plastic in it. But the crucial point of concern is that we never pause to give it a thought.
Can you contemplate the reason for not ditching plastic entirely?
Maybe deep inside, we aren’t yet convinced about the severe harm this ‘hidden poison’ is causing to our planet and all living beings. It is not that the alternates are not available in the market, but it is a matter of choice. You consciously need to choose to eradicate this invader from your life completely. Wondering how to make this possible? Continue reading to know about the prompt switches you can easily make using eco-friendly alternatives.
Do We Need to Replace All The Plastic?
When we talk about making our lives entirely plastic-free because of its impact, we often refer to the harmful effects of single-use plastic. You should make every effort to avoid it wherever & whenever you can. However, step ahead if you can choose to replace the plastic item you have been using for a long time. Give the one you have for recycling to conserve the natural resources used in manufacturing plastics. Also, avoid using plastic goods manufactured using multiple other types of material because the recyclers never accept them, and they keep polluting the surroundings.
Some Harmful Effects of Plastic
We all know we should not use plastic. However, our knowledge may be limited to the harm it causes to the environment, barring us from acting against it. What if we tell you that significant damage is being done to humans?
Let’s understand some harmful effects of plastic to convince our ignorant minds:
Once Manufactured, It Hardly Dies
Every plastic particle ever produced is still in nature since it was made, maybe 100, 500, or 1000 years ago. It is either lying in landfills or hiding deeply under the soil, but hardly dies and continues to pollute the environment if not recycled properly.
Each Single-use Plastic Counts
A number of single-use plastic items are thrown away into the environment every second worldwide. Every single plastic bag, each piece of straw, each water bottle, and all the plastic glasses you ever used for enjoying juices are deadly for our mother earth. You used them just once, but they are continuously polluting the environment for years. Since they are so large in quantity, they are burnt spreading poisonous fumes into the air.
Plastic Depletes Natural Resources
To manufacture plastic, we require fossil fuels. Scientific studies show that petroleum used to produce one plastic bag could drive a car approximately for 11 meters. Thus, the process of plastic may lead to the overuse of fossil fuels. This is the reason for a continuous rise in petroleum prices. The greater the use of plastic, the more will be demand for petroleum; resulting in scarcity and higher prices.
Silent Killer for Life on the Planet
When they take years to break down, plastic items are washed down into water bodies, where they act like a killer of marine life. Over 1 million marine animals and other land animals die because of plastic. According to a recent study, about 52% of all turtle species have ingested plastics. Plastic items littered on the ground are taken up by innocent land animals.
Toxic Microplastic Pollution
Exposure to the sun makes low-quality plastic break down faster than the heavier ones. As a result, it turns into toxic microplastics, which carry a range of contaminants such as trace metals and some potentially harmful organic chemicals. They are carcinogenic and enter the food chain very quickly.
A Tsunami of Plastic in the Ocean
We often think that we use plastic maybe once or twice a week. Would that harm the environment? Definitely, each plastic use counts. According to The World Counts website, approximately 38,000 tons of plastic waste are dumped into the oceans daily. On average, about 20 kgs of plastic are used over a person’s lifetime. The United Nations warns that if we don’t take action now, by the year 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Scary? But real.
Humans as Victims
The processing of plastic involves the use and production of harmful gases which when inhaled by the factory workers, degrade their health. As per this study, even humans have been found with microplastics in their organs, blood, and tissues.
Environmental Impact
The harmful effects of plastic on environment are visible as a part of toxic chemicals like Bisphenol and Antimony leaching into the soil and the water bodies, making them unfit for the survival of living organisms. It doesn’t allow the earth to breathe properly and tears down the natural beauty.
Our Deeds Create Our Karma
Here’s another more profound reason why you should avoid plastic. Our every little action results in creating karmic accounts with the nature that impacts our destiny. What we give to nature, we get the same back. So, our actions causing environmental degradation through plastic contaminants will not do any good to us. Any plastic seeping into the soil degrading its fertility or washing down the ocean and killing marine life will definitely turn back to us one day.
Future is in Our Hands
There is an immediate need for a change in mindset and the actions simultaneously. This is because every act being performed today is building your tomorrow. So, choose to make it brighter and worth living.
How Can YOU Make A Difference?
You don’t need to wait for action; you can do it today. Switch to Eco-Alternatives. Just one person can help prevent plastic from ruining the environment. That one person could be you! It’s time to rise above the crowd and make a difference by taking just three simple steps:
Cultivate Your Awareness - The Right Knowledge!
We need to understand that there is nothing called ‘disposable’ plastic. Everything we have thrown till now, thinking it to be disposable, has never been disposed of on Earth’s surface; instead, these choke the landfills or oceans for years. The greater we are aware of this fact, the more cautious we will be about single-use plastic.
Start Small to Reach Bigger
It may not be easy to go free of plastic instantly. Wait! don’t go for all at once. Understand the importance first, let it go deep, and then start with replacements gradually. The small steps you can initiate can be summed up in the following 4 R’s:
- Refuse – Strictly say No to plastic wherever and whenever possible.
- Reduce – If you can’t refuse every time, atleast reduce the amount of plastic by making switches wherever possible.
- Reuse – If you have to use it due to certain reasons, reuse it as many times as possible before you give it for recycling.
- Recycle – Don’t just throw away the plastic waste like any other waste, keep it separate and give it to recyclers.
Be Attentive & Look for Solutions
Ban on plastic w.e.f. July 1 2022 is a great initiative by the government. However, we need to see what’s our role. Let’s think for a moment, what items we use regularly are made of plastic and can be easily reduced with our awareness, attention, and a little effort? Here are some of your routine acts you can attend to:
- Take your water bottle with you when you travel
- Keep a glass in your scooter or car for a sudden juice party on your way
- Always keep a steel straw in your car, scooter, and purse
- Never miss taking your cloth bag when you are out shopping
- Prefer using paper gift wraps instead of plastic ones
- Slowly replace plastic bottles & containers at your home with glass or mental ones
- Reduce the use of single-use plastic as much as you can. The goal is to get the most out of things while producing the least amount of waste.
- Reuse plastic at your home as many times as you can before giving it to recycling
- Segregate plastic waste from paper, metal, and glass waste to ensure proper recycling.
- Prefer to buy from companies offering eco-friendly packaging. The extra price you pay for this is an investment in environmental protection.
- Be attentive to your actions and consciously say no to plastic.
- Initiate yourself to help others follow you.
- Encourage those who are working hard to save the environment from plastic waste.
We need to remember that tiny drops of water make a vast ocean. Similarly, every single switch brings about a complete revolution.
Eco-friendly Alternatives for Easy & Smooth Switch
Want to make a quick switch immediately? Look no further. Here, we have listed some commonly used sustainable ‘Plastic Replacements’ to help you make this switch smoothly. These ways to reduce plastic pollution will make a considerable difference in the amount of plastic waste that journeys into the environment daily.
Say NO to Plastic Bags, Embrace Reusable Cloth Bags
We often think that we use maybe one or two plastic bags weekly. Would that harm the environment? Yes, each plastic bag counts. If we could count the number of plastic bags used worldwide, how much would it be? Hundred plastic bags per second? Thousand plastic bags per second? NO. Indicating the harmful effects of plastic bags, the data published on The World Counts website states that there are one lakh sixty thousand plastic bags used per second, and these add up to 5 trillion plastic bags used each year worldwide.
The most effortless switch is cotton cloth bags for shopping! This eco-alternative is gaining popularity nowadays; we can see that shops have started giving their customers cloth bags, sometimes on payment, after having ditched plastic bags. So, don’t miss carrying your grocery bag along with you while shopping grocery next time.
Ditch Plastic Straws for Eco-straws
Kids are highly excited to use the straws whenever they get a chance. But why choke your Mother Earth to satisfy your child’s craving when multiple alternatives are readily available? Choose any from Steel Straws, Bamboo Straws, Paper Straws, or Glass Straws, which are the perfect Nature-friendly alternatives to Plastic Straws! They help you enjoy your drink guilt-free by saying NO to single-use plastic and doing your bit to reduce the plastic waste burden from Mother Earth.
Swap Plastic Toothbrushes with Compostable Ones
A plastic toothbrush may last only for three months, but it takes over a hundred years for the same brush to begin breaking down. Let’s say goodbye to these plastic brushes and choose super eco-friendly, plant-based, and 100% compostable bamboo toothbrushes. Though hard to find, pick only the ones with 100% biodegradable bristles. You can repurpose them to clean garden pots, combs, or soap cases. Even electric toothbrushes are not a sustainable alternative as they use electricity and have their own downsides.
Use Eco-Safe Compostable Garbage Bags
Have you heard of garbage bags made of natural and biodegradable material? Feels like a far-away invention? Not really! Ideal for use in homes, hospitals, offices, shops & clinics, entirely Compostable Waste Disposal Garbage Bags are available in the market today. Can you guess what these bags are made up of? The secret ingredient is ‘corn starch.’ Amazing, isn’t it? Do you have any more ideas like this to reduce the plastic waste burden from Mother Earth? Let us know in the comments what you can think of to play your part in helping our planet.
Replace Plastic Comb with Wooden Comb
A comb is something we use atleast 3-4 times a day and then throw it away after every 10-12 months because of the oil, dirt, and other particles that stick to its teeth. Why not switch to a healthier and an eco-conscious alternative for the same? Preferring Wooden combs benefits your hair, scalp, body, and environment.
Plastic combs have sharp teeth which close pores and block airflow to the scalp. Also, they make hair frizzy & stiff and prone to hair problems like dandruff, hair loss & damage. Above all, being non-biodegradable, they remain in the environment forever.
Due to their plant-based origin, wooden combs are entirely biodegradable. Their soft edges are gentle for hair, and these combs are excellent for hair health due to their beneficial properties. You may choose any wooden comb crafted using Bamboo, Sandalwood, Neem, Rosewood, or any other wood of your choice. All are good for the environment. However, you can be a little picky for the one benefitting your health & pocket greatly. Trying a Neem Wood Comb will serve your purpose well due to its antifungal & antibacterial properties and economical price compared to others.
Put Down Your Single-use Plastic Cotton EarBuds
Replacing the plastic cotton earbuds with completely eco-safe bamboo cotton earbuds or paper cotton earbuds is a much better option. They are not only beneficial for your ears and the environment but also quite pocket-friendly.
Switch to a Healthier & Plant-Based Body Scrubber
Many of us use nylon body scrubbers to remove the layers of dirt stuck on our bodies. These are also thrown away once they tear off and contribute to environmental degradation. Using a stone or a 100% compostable natural loofah sponge for exfoliation is the right choice.
Use a Wooden Soap Case for Your Soap
We are sure this was not in the scope of your thoughts, was it? Yes, the soap case we all commonly use to keep the soap is plastic junk. You can easily replace it with tin or wooden soap case.
Resort to Eco-friendly Sanitary Napkins & Diapers
Every time you use a sanitary pad or apply a diaper to your newborn, it creates a hazard for the environment and marine life. It remains in the environment for the next 800 years. Just imagine! How much plastic waste have you generated by now? Is the switch possible here also? Yes, of course! Many brands have already come up with reusable cloth sanitary pads and diapers for kids. Step ahead to make the change.
Choose Eco-packaging for Body & Home Care Items
Unknowingly though, using a shampoo, liquid hand wash, scrub, face wash, body wash or a moisturizer packed in a plastic bottle or dispenser aren’t good for the environment. These cannot be reused even. Switching to shampoo bars instead of bottles, soaps instead of liquid hand wash, toothpaste sold in a glass container in place of plastic tubes, and preparing your own body care products at home will save the environment from a huge number of plastic tubes & bottles. Reusing cleaners’ bottles multiple times by preparing your own cleaner at home rather than buying a new bottle every time is another point of consideration.
Some More Choices for Better Surroundings
The list of ideas doesn’t end here. The journey has just begun. What else can you think of among the list of plastic items you daily use and can substitute for a better world? Do share your thoughts with us in the comments section. We are listing down a few more daily-use items you can easily switch. You may replace your plastic storage containers with the glass ones, your plastic lunch box with a healthier one, your plastic cutlery with wooden forks & spoons, nylon bags for keeping vegetables with reusable cotton mesh bags, and many more. Be in touch for more eco-conscious alternatives.
Repairing the damage
As discussed earlier, we create karmic accounts with nature. So, what can be done to undo the harm we have already caused? We must start loving Mother Nature the same way we love our corporeal mother. Make an immediate switch and begin by sending pure vibrations to the five elements (space, air, fire, water & earth) of nature through Rajyoga Meditation.
Let’s create a beautiful destiny by expressing gratitude to the five elements, ruminating on all the damage we have done and avoiding the harm as soon as we become aware, asking for forgiveness from nature, and spreading the word about the same.
Switch to Inspire
Childhood lessons are more easily caught than taught. Instilling a habit of caring for Mother Nature will alter the mindset of children who observe our actions and learn from them.
Swapping to sustainable alternatives is not simple, but it is also not impossible; it necessitates a better understanding and deeper introspection of our daily acts in which we use plastics to build that impulse towards environmental conservation. Surround yourself with others who respect nature and the environment to make the shift simpler and support them. Consider yourself a role model and instructor to others for what you do; your high vibrations have the power to affect the minds and attitudes of everyone around you positively. Soon after, the environment around us will automatically change.
Conclusion
Mother Nature is calling out, “Dear Children, Let me breathe too for your survival.” The Earth provides us with everything we need to grow food and live healthy lives through natural resources. These resources are air, land, water, animals, and plants. We can’t grow food without water and soil, and if the water we have is polluted and the soil has been stripped of all the rich minerals that make it fruitful, we’ll have a tougher time cultivating healthy and nutritious food. It is high time to safeguard our natural resources. It is our duty to keep our planet prosperous for the upcoming generations and relish the same resources that sustain us today.
We are playing our part to reduce the plastic waste burden from Mother Earth. Join us in making wise choices today for a better tomorrow! Step ahead right now; a Bright & Splendid Future is waiting for us.
