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Is the Problem from Human Action? The
Solution Must Be As Well!
Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastics in the environment, including the oceans, that
have a negative impact on human health, wildlife, and the environment. Since plastic pollution is caused
by human activities, it is obvious that the solution to plastic pollution is in changing those human
activities. Raising awareness and making smart decisions in one's daily life will significantly help to
reduce plastic pollution.
Plastic pollution fills up valuable land in landfills and leaches many harmful toxins into the ground water
supply. Plastic pollution in oceans and bodies of water are destroying habitats, killing wildlife, and also
affecting human health through bioaccumulation. Small plastic molecules are eaten by small organisms
and as they travel up the food chain, eventually humans ingest those toxins as well.
I live in Toronto, and my community's drinking water supply is solely dependent on Lake Ontario. A
study by Rochester Institute of Technology last year found that the amount of plastic pollution in Lake
Ontario is equal to about 28 Olympic pools full of plastic bottles. This is extremely alarming, as we are
one of the fortunate ones to have the luxury of fresh water right beside us, yet we are neglecting the
wildlife living in it, the natural area around it, and the quality of water.
In the global scale, plastic pollution is devastating our precious marine ecosystems and the marine life
living there. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch collectively refers to the two masses of trash accumulated
in the ocean due to the slow rolling vortexes that pull the plastics there. It is estimated that there are
about 1.9 million bits of microplastic per square mile. This is devastating ocean life and the ocean
environment.
An image of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
It is possible for everyone to make a difference in reducing the plastic pollution problem. By making
good decisions and being aware of the issue, one can do their part to reduce plastic pollution.
Something as simple as learning about what trash items go in what bin goes a long way.
At Bloor Collegiate Institute, my environmental science class conducted a waste audit, where in small
groups we sorted through garbage bins and measured the amount of recyclables, compost, and garbage
by weight. After combining the class data, we found that only 11.3% of the total weight of all the
garbage bags we used for the audit was actual garbage. The rest of the items were recyclable,
compostable, or reusable.
This waste audit shows that either people do not know where to put what items, or are simply making
poor decisions. By educating oneself of the problems our actions cause and by learning the proper way
to dispose of unwanted items can increase the diversion rate of a home, business, or institution
significantly. Diversion rates measure the amount of waste that is diverted from landfills and put into
use in another way.
Everybody can make simple lifestyle changes to reduce plastic pollution. For example, one can carry an
empty water bottle into an airport so that they do not have to use disposable plastic cups. When I called
Air Canada to ask them about their strategies for managing waste, the person who I was talking to did
not know anyone to direct me to get this information and stated that they probably do not have a
department for this. In the United States, 1 million disposable cups are used by airline flights every 6
hours.
This photograph artwork by Chris Jordan shows 1 million disposable cups- the amount used by airline
flights every 6 hours in the United States.
People can donate clothing, buy second-hand clothing, avoid items with excessive packaging, and go to
farmer's markets to avoid unnecessary packaging of food items. People should be mindful of the
materials and ingredients in the items they buy. For example, polyvinylchloride is a highly toxic
microplastic linked to reproductive problems, organ toxicity, and cancers. Avoiding this material not only
reduces plastic pollution, but it also benefits human health.
For more ambitious people, there are entire lifestyles that one can adopt to reduce plastic pollution. The
Zero Waste Lifestyle and the Minimalism lifestyle are examples of reducing consumerism behaviors and
producing less waste.
Finally, we are lucky to live in a democratic society where we can vote for the leaders we want running
our nation. People eligible to vote should vote for leaders who will take action to help the environment
and of there is no such candidate, people who care should run for a position in the government.
Plastic pollution is a horrible consequence to our actions. However, there is still hope, as human action
is what is necessary to reduce and solve this problem. Making oneself aware of the issue, making others
aware of the issue, and making small lifestyle changes can significantly help the environment, human
health, and wildlife. The power of collective action can and will be seen when we all do our part to
reduce plastic pollution and ensure a healthy environment for future generations.
Sources for information
http://www.savethemermaids.org/mermaid-blog/2015/8/20/the-ugly-truth-about-airplanes-and-plastic-pollution
http://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/pft/2015/11/3/are-you-flying-the-eco-friendly-skies
http://www.theminimalists.com/
http://www.ottawasun.com/2017/01/09/rochester-scientist-counts-the-plastics-in-great-lakes
https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2011/07/08/lake_of_shame_ontarios_pollution_problem.html
http://bereamail.co.za/107033/know-your-plastics-to-avoid-health-pitfalls/
https://www.ecojustice.ca/case/right-to-a-healthy-environment/
http://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
http://www.berdiri.org/news/conservation/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
Sources for images
garbage patch: http://www.cookiesound.com/2011/08/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch/
disposable cups: http://scienceblogs.com/worldsfair/2008/06/19/another-great-chris-jordan-ima/