The Holy Quran says that human beings are special, we can recognise, comprehend and identify things. This is the reason we are known as the Noblest of all the Creatures -Ashraf ul Makhlooqat.
Humans used this wisdom and skill to progress. Now, new technologies have been introduced that are beneficial to all but at the same time man has been a cause of exploitation as well. One of the disasters that humans have created is Plastic. In nature, there is no waste that does not decompose but humans created an unnatural thing because of its properties. It used to be called the blessed invention from the 1960s but now it has become a curse for nature and humanity at large.
According to a 2019-2020 report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which collates data from 60 major cities in India, the country generates around 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste a day out of which 40% plastic gets landfilled and is not recycled at all.
Humanity facing a new war
The UN Secretary General António Guterres in his speech during COVID 19 pandemic said that humanity was facing a new war as wildfires, hurricanes and powerful storms have scarred the globe.
Guterres said: “Humanity is waging war on nature. This is suicidal. Nature always strikes back – and it is already doing so with growing force and fury. Biodiversity is collapsing. One million species are at risk of extinction. Ecosystems are disappearing before our eyes … Human activities are at the root of our descent toward chaos. But that means human action can help to solve it.”
When we compare the ancient way of life in the Stone Age, we see that man has always been after development and improvement. The change of the mode of life can be studied in context with that particular age of man. However, this is not the case with the animals. All animals have followed the same pattern of survival for centuries. The environment may have modelled their pattern of survival but they have never been the masters of the environment. Many animal species have become extinct due to environmental changes.
Human beings have shown their capability to survive by modifying their environment to fit their needs and by doing this modification they have turned their own planet into a hell. The plastic has entered into our water bodies,mountains and forests and has penetrated as deep as 7 miles deep into oceans. This is not. development but disaster.
Whenever we have to curse or criticise someone for littering, throwing waste at public places or tourist destinations we simply call them “animals” but this is far from true. These creatures are better than us.
We see lots of animals in the mountains like sheep, goats , horses and dogs. Do they throw waste in parks, gardens or streams? Do they make our environment dirty?
Tons of plastic are dumped by human beings on a daily basis in tourist destinations of Kashmir. Infact used diapers are thrown into rivers and streams and the same water is supplied to people downstream.
Some days back I got a call from Gurwait village in Budgam wherein locals told me that used diapers and sanitary pads are dumped into Shali Ganga stream at Doodh Pathri and same raw water is then supplied to a mega water tank on the way , which is further supplied to villagers of Gurwait. He told me that PHE Jal Shakti employees daily take out diapers from the drinking water sources, especially the small water tanks that have been constructed near the banks of Shali Ganga.
The animals at least show tokens of goodness. They are peaceful, self-contained and happy. Animals do not grumble about their lives or have worldly lust.
Plastic a disaster for humanity
Man never knew that plastic which he invented 70 to 80 years back would one day affect his own life. This material is deeply intertwined with our modern lives. Plastic exists in nearly every industry, from food to cars to footwear to space equipment but we talk about it as both being incredibly useful and dangerous for species worldwide, as it contributes to plastic waste, plastic pollution, plastic debris, plastic packaging waste, and plastic waste generation. The plastics industry is notorious for being bad for the environment. Plastic can be made in a variety of ways with a variety of materials. These materials can come from natural sources like latex from tree sap, tar, and amber. However, it is much cheaper and easier to make plastic from fossil fuels like crude oil and natural gas, partly because our industrial system is based on these fuels.
Intense heat or pressure is required to shape the plastic into something functional. For example, crude oil is heated in a furnace in the refining process before it is distilled into lighter compounds. Through a process called polymerization, the light compounds are connected into polymers either with the addition of a catalyst or the removal of water. Every part of the “plastics life cycle” is harmful for the environment and creates pollution. That includes:
- Extraction of fossil fuels
- Production of plastics
- Distribution and use of plastic products
- Disposal: recycling, incineration, litter.
Plastic, coming in many shapes and sizes, can end up polluting nearly every corner of our world. It impacts our water bodies, natural ecosystems and atmosphere. As I have explained in this piece and in my previous articles also, the plastic ends up in and around our oceans, which harms marine life, our natural environment, and contributes to ocean pollution. Some part of Plastic waste dumped in Jhelum river in Srinagar reaches Indus river in Pakistan as Jhelum enters into Indus (Sindh) and this waste then enters into Arabian Sea and finally goes into Indian Ocean as well. Have we ever thought about it?
Conclusion
July 3rd is celebrated as International Plastic Bag Free Day. This is a global initiative that aims to eliminate the use of plastic bags. Plastic bags may seem to be a shopping convenience but we can use alternative materials like cotton or jute bags as well. If we spend so much money shopping for ourselves , why can’t we buy a dozen cotton or jute bags and keep them handy?
The International Plastic Bag Free day is a unique opportunity to spread the word that a plastic bag free world is very much possible and we can achieve this goal provided we understand the gravity of the problem. Let us start carrying cotton and jute bags with us and get our groceries in these bags like our fathers , mothers or grandparents would do in the past.
- Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer
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