A few weeks ago, a HuffPost Tweet caught my eye… in a bad way.
The article made me angry, frustrated and sad. Why are we, humans, torturing all these innocent animals?
What’s worse is that this type of incident happens every single day. Our beloved planet is dying because of us. Animals are suffering the consequences of our actions. Yet, most of us neglect Earth’s dying breath. And truth be told, there’s so much for us to work on if we want to improve Earth’s sustainability.
Based on the video in HuffPost article, it’s estimated that there’s 13 million ton of plastic waste is thrown into the ocean every year. Doesn’t that scare you?
Look around your home right now. Do you see trash on your couch and bed? Is there plastic waste on your table which you could possibly mistake for food?
We wouldn’t want to live in such a horrible situation but we are okay with that being a norm for Earth? It doesn’t make sense.
Making It Better
There are incredible individuals and organizations who are trying to make a difference. Organizations like The Ocean Cleanup, Ocean Conservancy, Surfrider Foundation, Green Peace, and many more are making huge efforts to save the ocean.
However, even with all these efforts, we still need to watch our plastic usage. Earth needs a massive reduction in the amount of plastic we produce and use. Most of our everyday one-time necessity items (bottles, food wrappers, building materials) use plastic.
Why Plastic Needs To Be Cleaned Up & Recycled
The big plastics are not as harmful to us as they are to the sea creatures. Most of us stay on land anyway. And we don’t think about the consequences of the trash in the ocean.
I think that the reason why we aren’t consciously thinking about ocean trash is that it’s out there and we’re up here. We don’t see the direct impact of garbage in the ocean. We’re protected on land and only care about the trash that’s lying around our living space. Personally, I hadn’t thought much about it until I started my research.
After learning more, you’ll be shocked to know that plastic in the ocean is harmful to us… especially if you eat seafood. Let’s say you go fishing and caught a big fish. While preparing your dinner, you see plastic in its belly. Maybe you don’t really care about it because you can easily take it out.
What about the microplastics that it has ingested? These are harmful to animals and humans.
“The ocean is full of microplastics 5 millimeters or smaller, about the size of a pencil eraser. At those small sizes, it can be difficult to identify where the plastic came from.”
– RACHEL KAUFMAN, What ocean microplastics are really made of, Oceana.org
Mother Nature has a balance. Earth has a balance. We need the ocean as much as we need the land we step on and the air we breathe. If we don’t do something about the ocean, we are slowly killing ourselves.
Let’s do our part to make a difference for a better tomorrow.
I’m no saint. I’ve used as much plastic as you probably have but I’m not proud of it. Although most of us can’t control plastic production, we can make a conscious effort to reduce plastic waste.
Other simple ways we can help
- Stop using plastic straws
- Use metal fork & spoons
- Bring your own grocery bags
- Recycle as much as possible
- Make sure you correctly dispose of your trash
- Volunteer at a local community centre
- Support eco-companies
- Donate to non-profit organisations which are helping to do the things we can’t
I may not be able to do all the above and end up making mistakes along the way. But if everyone plays just a tiny part in this, we will make a big difference.
Let’s start cleaning up our home.
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Previously Published on Medium
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