What do u think about plastic bags and bottles? Can we do without them?
71Ban killer bags
Ever since I opened my eyes in this world, I have been so habitual of these thin plastic bags that I never ever imagined in my dreams that I am using something that is hazardous for both the environment and us. But, when today I hear the noise coming from all corners that it is really dangerous to depend on plastic for our daily use, I wonder how will I be able to do away with this cheapest and lightest means of carrying my luggage.
These plastic bags and bottles have been our greatest friends in routine life. But, these friends of ours are severely putting a strain on the environment. Discarding plastic waste in open chokes the water bodies, clogs soil pores, blocks the drainage system. Not only this, the plastic waste when gets mixed and clogged with other
waste emits harmful gases. If the same plastic becomes the food for fish, it means only death for them.
What can be done to reduce the side effects of plastic waste? Recycling of plastic is the best way to reduce the burden on the environment. Lets begin with not throwing the plastic bottles and bags in open. Secondly, make use of the use-and-throw bottles after cleansing them and re-using them for some other purpose. Hey I read about the kids at the Richmond Visual Arts Center who have made the perfect use of wasted plastic bottles. They have remodeled the plastic bottles into plastic bottle toys . WOW! what a grand idea the kids have shown toward a cleaner environment.
Certainly, we need to make different uses of plastic, if and if we cannot do without it like using bottles instead of penholders, piggybanks.
The most appropriate way to cleanse the environment is to discouraging the manufacturing of plastic bags and bottles to some extent and then making use of other means of carrying our commodities. The bamboo bags or cloth bags can be made use of.
New Delhi has taken this stand against plastic bags. The Delhi Government has banned plastic bags -- a step that will certainly help in restoring the degrading environment to some extent. Chandigarh is another city that has banned plastic bags in India.
Lets begin this at least for the sake of our environment.
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Ban this killer bag or it will kill you
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Comments
A town in Devon (UK) has banned plastic bags entirely! All shopkeepers in the town have vowed not to use plastic bags, and shoppers must take their own bags with them, just like we all used to do! They have also produced a "safe" shopping bag that is available very cheaply and which people are encouraged to use. Other towns have noted this experiment with interest and some are following suit.
Many supermarkets now use biodegradable bags that simply fall apart (into thousands of pieces!) after six months or so. Others will take back used bags for recycling. Many shops now only give you a plastic bag if you ask for one.
As for bottles, there are bottle banks everywhere these days, so nobody has an excuse not to recycle!
What a great achievement Devon has made, I should say. Other places should follow suite, but you know sir its not that easy. Because poor and developing countries cannot think of anything other than plastics, however, they should think on recycling waste first and then later follow DEVON.
Thanks for the reply.
I heard a report on the radio yesterday that we're now in a new geological age. The sand on the beach is now made up of high levels of plastic, and chemical contamination of the soil is practically everywhere. This has been going on since the industrial age, but now the impact is literally worldwide. Plastic bottles and bags don't break down easily. Plastic islands are floating in the oceans, causing trauma and death to fish and wildlife. This stuff does not disappear - we have to stop using it. It's an easy thing to give up, especially plastic bags. Just get in the habit of carrying a few cloth bags in your handbag. More towns and regions are banning plastic bags in the UK. I also predict a return to the flask, so people can take a drink with them. It does mean some washing up, but surely that's better than finding out your bottle has ended up in a whale's tummy.
Miranda at TheAccidentalEcoManiac.com
Dear Miranda, you have beautifully brought the hazardous
impact of plastic on life. I wish all of us
started being careful against using plastic bags
and bottles.
I would be interested to know just how easy it is for people in various parts of the world to re-cycle. Where I live, we have a fortnightly collection of recyclable waste (glass bottles and paper), with non-recyclable waste being collected in the alternate weeks. Just a few yards from my home are recycling bins for plastic bottles, glass bottles and cans. A short drive away are facilities for recycling cardboard, garden waste, clothing, household appliances and computers. We recycle our own food waste in a "wormery" and garden waste via a compost heap and shredder. It really is not difficult to be eco-friendly, but the same may not be the case where you live!
In my sector of the city, trash pickup is free, but we have to pay for recyclables to be picked up. So, I drive my recycling to the free collection bins 2 miles away on my way to work or shopping.
You are absolutely right sir, its not that easy here in my country as we donot have
facilities in abundance, however, DELHI , where i m currently putting up has some recycling stations. but u know its not easy to be eco-friendly. people here don't bother about wat is happening. Moreover, with such a vast number of illiterate people, its difficult 2 awaken them 2 b careful 4 environment. moreover, when poverty rules the roost here nobody cares 4 environment. When people have 2 fight for
making their two ends meet, who will show that care 4 environment.
We don't even have that technology at home to recycle
on a large scale. There are places
where the garbage keeps lying in d streets, rotting n
further polluting d surroundings.
You are doing a good job at ur place for the sake of
environment.
Great hub..I hope it helps.......I take my own bags to do my shopping which is the least i can do to help..
Great hub to present to the world. The more different ways we see these types of articles the more chances that it will be the right lingo for some to understand that this type of abuse of our planet can't go on like this any more. regards Zsuzsy
Your hubs are always great to read. Thanks for the comments you made, you will be receiving a review of your site soon.
This one is particularly dear to my heart, I have seen the results of plastic in the oceans as those bags ensnarl anything that comes within their range. The beautiful brown Pelican is vulnerable as it dives to catch fish. Dolphins are just curious about everything and when they investigate they are doomed to a horrible death. Whales eat the bags and die.
I don't think people want to kill our animal friends on purpose. It's just that the people who profit from such trash also play on our need for comfort and labor saving conveniences.
It is good to see that kids are more aware of what needs to be done to save our planet. While their elders paved the way for a better life, somewhere along the way we forgot that a better life may not be what was sold to us.
I was lucky enough to have had grandparents who lived a rural life, free of smog and hordes of people mucking up everything. Our institutions continue to act like the population that is growing exponentially poses no threat, but the quality of life is suffering, the earth is beginning to fight back in a war that man cannot win.
People still talk as if global warming is somewhat of concern, MAYBE, in the future. Are we blind that we cannot see the oceans dying. new plagues we haven't got a name for, and whole cities, worldwide, threatened and destroyed by weather such as rarely seen on the planet.
And yet, people still ignore the places already inundated with water, frantic animals with no place to turn to escape, and native Alaskans driven from homes that passed from generation to generation for hundreds of years, gone under the water in less than 24 months. Most of the glaciers have melted.
Now it seems everyone wants to debate if there is a problem. there is no time.
The planet will see the decline of 0il on a large scale in just 40 years. Yet our leaders go to the oil sheiks and beg for more oil, which they do not have. They don't increase oil because they are running out. We have depleted in 150 years what it took nature millions of years to produce.
What a great opportunity to gather the people of the world to change our filthy skies, our dying oceans, and create friendly places for wild animals to live in peace. I'm afraid the future is bleak, where only the wealthy live through winter and the skies become increasingly dark with air that is nearly impossible to breath.
By the way, I went back to the cloth bags granny used for shopping and it's not so bad. I just hang them in the kitchen for ready use.
Take care. and thank you again
Your hubs are always great to read. Thanks for the comments you made, you will be receiving a review of your site soon.
This one is particularly dear to my heart, I have seen the results of plastic in the oceans as those bags ensnarl anything that comes within their range. The beautiful brown Pelican is vulnerable as it dives to catch fish. Dolphins are just curious about everything and when they investigate they are doomed to a horrible death. Whales eat the bags and die.
I don't think people want to kill our animal friends on purpose. It's just that the people who profit from such trash also play on our need for comfort and labor saving conveniences.
It is good to see that kids are more aware of what needs to be done to save our planet. While their elders paved the way for a better life, somewhere along the way we forgot that a better life may not be what was sold to us.
I was lucky enough to have had grandparents who lived a rural life, free of smog and hordes of people mucking up everything. Our institutions continue to act like the population that is growing exponentially poses no threat, but the quality of life is suffering, the earth is beginning to fight back in a war that man cannot win.
People still talk as if global warming is somewhat of concern, MAYBE, in the future. Are we blind that we cannot see the oceans dying. new plagues we haven't got a name for, and whole cities, worldwide, threatened and destroyed by weather such as rarely seen on the planet.
And yet, people still ignore the places already inundated with water, frantic animals with no place to turn to escape, and native Alaskans driven from homes that passed from generation to generation for hundreds of years, gone under the water in less than 24 months. Most of the glaciers have melted.
Now it seems everyone wants to debate if there is a problem. there is no time.
The planet will see the decline of 0il on a large scale in just 40 years. Yet our leaders go to the oil sheiks and beg for more oil, which they do not have. They don't increase oil because they are running out. We have depleted in 150 years what it took nature millions of years to produce.
What a great opportunity to gather the people of the world to change our filthy skies, our dying oceans, and create friendly places for wild animals to live in peace. I'm afraid the future is bleak, where only the wealthy live through winter and the skies become increasingly dark with air that is nearly impossible to breath.
By the way, I went back to the cloth bags granny used for shopping and it's not so bad. I just hang them in the kitchen for ready use.
Take care. and thank you again
Good hub I like it. I'm interested in recycling or reusing of polluting materials, including plastic bottles. I've written some hubs about them, and some more to come.
Your article gives engergy and inspiration to all of us who are very much concerned about the degradation of our environment and the pollution generated by plastics and non-biodegradable waste products.
Plastic water bottles and softdrink containers are mass produced by big conglomerates and multinational corporations who are more concerned about profits than protecting our fragile environment.
ratnaveera says:
2 years ago
Dear friend, I am very happy to note your thought against the wide use of plastics in our life. It is cent per cent sure that they are making a irrecoverable pollution to our earth. I am also strongly believing about the medical harms done by them. But luckily I am having some experience with this plastics. You can see this in my next hub. Once again thank you for this wonderful hub.