We all know that plastic is very harmful to the planet. For some years now we have not stopped listening to the news and reading in the newspapers about the damage it is causing.
But it seems that we are not yet aware of what all this implies. To help us understand it better, WelLWo, Empresa Saludable has collected some data that will help us better understand the problem of plastic with the planet.
Consequences of the accumulation of plastic on the planet:
- Plastic waste pollutes lakes and oceans. In addition, it increases greenhouse gases (which cause global warming).
- It is estimated that we use half a million straws a day, 4 trillion plastic bags and only 1% is recycled. It is estimated that each bag is used, on average, for 12 minutes. However, it takes 500 million years for it to degrade. This is not profitable for the planet. It is better to use reusable bags.
An important point to note is that they do not degrade completely, but become microplastic through photo-degradation. These microplastics continue to release toxins and therefore continue to pollute. In addition, fish and other animals that come into contact with them ingest them and are also harmed. If we eat meat from animals that have been contaminated by microplastics, we also introduce them into our bodies.
- Most plastic products are only used once. 30% of them end up in the ocean. If we continue to pollute at this rate, it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastics than fish in the sea.
For all these reasons, we must try to stop the production of plastic so that we do not continue to pollute.
There are many things we can do in our daily lives to help the planet. The 3 R’s have been updated to 5.
Reject:
Once we have become aware, the best thing we can do is to discard everything made of plastic that we don’t need. For example: do not use disposable cutlery, straws, cups, etc. Not using them will help the planet. There are more and more alternatives that are better not to pollute. We can buy reusable cutlery, straws and a reusable bag and carry them in our bags. They take up little space and we are sure to use them many times.
Reduce:
Before we buy something with plastic in it, we should ask ourselves if we really need it. We can apply this not only to plastic, but to everything we are going to buy in general. If the demand for this type of product decreases, companies will reduce their production. If more environmentally friendly and green products are sold, they will produce more.
By reducing the consumption of plastics we also reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
Reuse:
Every time we’re going to throw something away we have to ask ourselves if we can give it a second use or if we can repair it. It can be applied to everything: furniture, technology, clothes, shoes…
If we can’t reuse it, we can give it to someone else or sell it.
Plastic bottles can be replaced with stainless steel or glass bottles. Cloth bags, glass jars, glass bottles or reusable tuppers are the containers we should prioritize for storing food and drink.
Recycle:
If after doing all the above, we still have plastic waste, what we have to do now is recycle it. Separating waste properly and throwing it into the container it touches is very important so that it can be recycled in recycling plants.
They will make other products from the waste we use.
The problem is that they can’t keep up with the amount of waste they get. Materials that cannot be recycled end up in landfills. This is why it is so important to follow the steps above.
Rot (putrefaction):
It refers to compost, which should be applied to food. Using food as a substrate for plants is one of the best things we can do. There are many options we can do at home. If we have a garden we can put a cylinder, a box or we can even build a composting unit ourselves. There we should throw away the vegetable waste: skin, non-citrus fruit seeds, nut and egg shells, coffee grounds, tea leaves, nails, fireplace ashes and hair.
We must also control the food scraps and others that go down the sink.