The Plastic Pandemic

This may not be the right time to ponder about issues like plastic pollution when our doctors and nurses are putting their lives on the line and people are dying by the thousands due to COVID-19, but on this 50th anniversary of celebrating Earth Day, it is difficult to ignore how we are doing as a species and as caretakers of our only abode.  

Currently, we are all living a different lifestyle than what we are used to. Schools and offices are shut down, restaurants are closed, and we are avoiding people when going for walks. We are all stuck at home and only going out for essentials. One aspect of many people’s lifestyles is the usage of plastics and in particular the completely unnecessary use of single-use plastic water bottles. However, humans can drastically change their behaviors as exemplified by the response to the coronavirus. If we can do that, then we can surely also make a relatively small behavioral change and stop using single-use plastic water bottles. The switch to a reusable water bottle is simple and will not change your lifestyle as much as this pandemic is.

Up to one million people die every year due to plastic pollution. These deaths and future ones are downright avoidable if we all come together to decrease our usage of plastics. The chemicals used in plastic water bottles leach into the water causing disruption to our bodily functions. Much of the plastic we use ends up in the ocean where it disintegrates into smaller pieces that many aquatic creatures mistake as food and eat. When the plastic breaks down into very small particles called microplastics, they are also involuntarily ingested by sea animals. This can lead to ill-effects, provoked by the disruption to their bodily function, starvation, and eventual death. The seafood that many of us eat is contaminated and the damaging microplastics are ending up in our bodies. 

The accumulation of plastics and microplastics on earth has become a life-threatening situation. COVID-19 is very serious, which is why it is critical and urgent to respond to it. However, with global warming and plastic pollution, right now, we are not as easily able to immediately and directly see the consequences of it. Here’s something to consider: A frog put into boiling water instinctively knows that the consequence of not coming out of the pot would be deadly, just like how we all know that not responding to the urgency of COVID-19 will only lead to more deaths. On the other hand, if a frog is put in water that is slowly brought to a boil, it will not react until it is too late, just like how with plastics, and more generally, climate change, many are not aware that if we do not act now, the environment we live in and rely on will become a threat to all of us. By stopping your use of single-use plastic water bottles, not only will we reduce pollution in production, transportation, and post-consumption, but we can also use the billions of dollars and resources utilized for manufacturing and distribution, and can invest that in other much-needed sectors, like pandemic research.

Some people and organizations have recognized this danger and are taking steps already. SFO International Airport, Seattle University, and even the queen of England, amongst others have implemented bans against single-use plastic water bottles, but not enough have done this yet. If these organizations can implement a ban, why can’t others? Well, it all starts with you, the consumer. Will you help save the planet for my generation by not purchasing another single-use plastic water bottle?