Plastic bags — detrimental to our environment
JUNE 2018 TOPIC: Plastic bags have become detrimental to our environment. What measures do you suggest to save the situation?
Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that adversely affects wildlife and humans. Today it has become a critical problem. One of the best ways to solve this problem is the construction of plastic roads. These are roads made either entirely of plastic or of composites of plastic with other materials. The use of plastic in roads opens a new option for recycling post-consumer plastics. This would help to reduce the burden of plastic on Earth; this idea has already spread to Jharkhand. Let us rename earth ‘Blue Planet’ from ‘Plastic Planet’.
Aishlee Joshi (14)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar
Yes, we need to take some serious measures in order to deal with this environmental issue. The best way is to reuse and recycle. But how? Use of a polyblend, a mixture of plastic and charcoal, makes roads all the more durable, even during the rainy season. Plastic bottles and boxes could be put to use as decorative vases, etc. Big plastic containers could make a little kitchen garden; smaller ones can make plant pots. Plastic is pretty durable, so polyethylene bags could be used to patch things together. We can also reduce plastic usage by using cloth bags; steel and glass containers in place of plastic.
Riya Lalwani (18)
Ajmer, Rajasthan
Plastic is going to destroy the earth! The first thing you can do is simply say ‘no’ to plastic. Students can say ‘no’ to use and throw plastic pens, ‘no’ to plastic bottles of soft drinks, and ‘no’ to plastic bags. Although plastic bags are banned, some careless citizens are still using them; they should be made aware of the harmful effects of plastic on our environment and encouraged to use cloth or jute or paper bags. We cannot totally eliminate the use of plastic but we can control it. So stop saying “carry bag, please”!
Sejal Shingne (16)
Fatima Convent School, Achalpur
Plastic is considered to be among the most dangerous items responsible for environmental degradation. But do we really think that by not using plastic we can actually control its harmful effects? Avoiding a problem is no solution. Instead we can use plastic but to its minimum capacity and use it wisely. Plastic can be useful if used sensibly. Every article or material on this earth is equally good or bad, just the right and proper technique of use is what is required. Reduce, reuse and recycle — three ways make plastic a boon. Let’s accept it straight, a world without plastic is not possible. We need plastic. We need nature. BE SENSIBLE.
Moksha Sharma (19)
Thakur College of Science and Commerce, Mumbai
Just one question arises in my mind: Is plastic a boon or a bane? We should call the present age the ‘plastic age’. Plastic was created as a boon but now has become a threat to the environment. One of the most common items made from plastic are bags whose effect on the environment is really quite devastating. Even though they are convenient, the damage they cause needs to be controlled. The best way is to use paper bags and cloth bags rather than using plastic bags and we also need to spread the awareness of using them. We can make a huge change and help the environment by going clean and green.
Harshita Verma (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar
Plastic bags have become a common sight; they’re stuck in trees, blowing around parks, floating in the lakes. Saving our environment from this situation is not only the work of the government. It should start with us individuals. Avoid plastic bags and instead use jute bags or if possible simply carry items in your hands! Also try to find a thrift store to recycle your plastic bags. There are government schemes to save the environment from these bags; one can make a great contribution by strictly implementing these schemes. Avoid burning plastic bags and educate others to prevent them from doing so. Spread as much awareness as you can among students and the youth through social media. Make the earth fantastic; say ‘no’ to plastic!
Gurleen Kaur Chona (20)
PGDAV College, New Delhi
Plastic is found virtually everywhere these days. It has made our environment squalid and has remarkably affected our planet. We can bring about change in small ways. Instead of using plastic bags we can carry our own shopping bags. Instead of purchasing plastic water bottles, we can refill our own bottles. Don’t use a plastic straw while having a drink as they are single use items. We also need to say ‘no’ to disposable cutlery as well. We need to ‘kill plastic’ or else it will kill us.
Kritika Verma (14)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar
Plastic has become a part and parcel of our lives. Sometimes it is hard to imagine life without plastic. Did you ever wonder why we use plastic? We use this slow-acting poison because it is durable, lightweight and economical. An alternative material that is similar to plastic but safe for our environment could be developed. The second way is to spread awareness; people need to comprehend the bad effects of using plastics; then only can we minimize its usage. We can form organizations at the local level to conduct awareness programmes. At last, I would conclude by saying, it is not yours, not mine…it is ours. So, let us take the initiative and save our Mother Earth.
Dhanya Jha
St Francis Convent Inter College, Jhansi
The discovery of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world located between Hawaii and California, has set the alarm bells ringing for humanity. The solution lies in minimising plastic usage, ditching non-reusable plastic and practising waste segregation before disposal. Himachal Pradesh has routed plastic by choosing cloth bags and enforcing penalties on plastic users. Ahmad Khan from Bangalore has a functional plant that mixes waste polymers with bitumen and uses plastic for road construction. There’s an open invitation to aspiring entrepreneurs to leverage the Start Up India mission to develop recyclable plastic and other alternatives.
Shailja Pandey (20)
Nainital
Plastic pollution has become an epidemic these days. We use enough plastic to wrap around earth four times over! One of the reasons that plastic pollution is such a problem is that it doesn’t go away — plastics are forever. Instead, plastic debris simply breaks down into ever-smaller particles, known as microplastics, whose environmental impacts are still being determined. We as individuals can reduce this by reducing the single use of plastics, recycling, helping organisations addressing plastic pollution, supporting the plastic ban, and spreading awareness. So this Environment Day, let’s all take a pledge to reduce the use of plastics to whatever extent one can. Together, we can make this earth a better place to live in!
Nafisa Huzefa Sabir (17)
Independent Jr College Rural Institute, Amravati
Plastic pollution has become a big hazard for mankind as well as wildlife. Tons of plastic debris are discarded every year, everywhere, polluting lands, rivers, coasts, beaches, and oceans. According to a survey, every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans. By 2025, the annual input is estimated to be about twice or greater and the statistics are growing, staggeringly. Recently, an Indonesian company has invented a bag which seems to be of plastic but it is dissolvable in water, and is biodegradable. We have to stop using plastic bags and start using biodegradable bags with immediate effect.
Prathmesh Kamra (15)
Notre Dame School, New Delhi
Plastic bags have become detrimental to our environment .The measures I think we should take in order to save our Mother Earth are: We should replace the use of plastic bags with jute and cotton bags. We have to educate people about the deadly effects of plastic on our environment. And, we should follow the 3 Rs — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Aishwarya Chakraborty (18)
Gokhale Memorial Girl’s College, Kolkata
Plastic is non-biodegradable. It doesn’t decompose naturally, and we know how badly plastic harms the environment if we burn it. Use of jute, paper and cloth bags is a must. If you go to any restaurant, e.g., KFC or Harilals, you will see that they pack food in plastic containers. We need to avoid the use of plastic as much as possible. Everything has a positive and negative impact, plastic is convenient but we should not cross the limit.
Shafaque Seraj
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna
Plastic is very harmful for our environment. If burned it release toxins like monoxide and dioxins into the air. If animals eat it, it causes death due to choking. Plastic bags thrown into the ocean leads to the death of marine life. Jute or cloth bags should be used instead of plastic bags. Smaller and lighter items can be carried in newspaper bags. Do not accept plastic bags from shops. Follow the 3Rs: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle.
Naureen (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar