Denouncing the Plastic way of life

So if asked what are the things that you can’t live without , you would probably say things like food , sleep, mobile, internet and also plastic. Yes plastic!. Plastic has become a very important part of our life ,we can’t imagine a single day without plastic. Starting from our toothbrush bristles to huge machines used in industries is made of plastic in some way or the other. Scientifically plastic is a organic compound that is malleable and can be molded in any shape but if we speak generally plastic is something which is inevitable and erasing the use of plastic and it’s product from our lives will change our lifestyles dramatically. Use of plastic has increased drastically since 1960s .

Plastic has replaced use of wood , stone, horn, leather , metal , ceramics etc because of its’ low cost, ease of manufacturing, versatility, imperviousness to water. Invention of plastic was a boon to mankind but its’ over usage  has changed the scenario. Plastic indeed was a super invention but as we know everything has a drawback – plastic do not decompose easily it takes 500-1000 years for decomposition. While signing the agreement this year to the host UN-led World Environment Day India’s Environmental Minister Harsh Vardhan declared “It is the beginning of the end of plastic menace” but the statement seems quite contradicting after seeing the September 2017 report of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) which collected data from 60 major cities and said that the country produces about 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste a day out of which 43 percent are packaging waste. In Indian consumes 11kg plastic a day and a American 109kg per day.

But with every problem comes with a solution so this problem thus has its’ solution. Now a days new kind of plastics are being made which are biodegradable on being exposed to sunlight- UV radiation or water dampness. But the main step towards reduction of plastic is by reducing its’ use. If every individual in this country starts keeping a check in his/her daily plastic use. Because the increasing plastic waste is very hazardous to our environment  it affects various organism and also hampers the food chains. Injestion of certain harmful plastic can cause serious diseases and also can promote mutation in a organism. Hence , use of plastic must be reduced and also recycling of plastic must be done , damping of plastic waste must done carefully.

Plastic came to us as a blessing so people do not let this blessing turn into a bane !

Palakshi Devi

1st Semester
Department of Communication and Journalism
Gauhati University