Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment. What damage does plastic do to the environment? What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?

Plastic

use

has significantly increased over the past decades, to an extent that we might struggle to pass a day without touching

plastic

. The

use

of

this

versatile material, though unavoidable, must be controlled. The ultra-convenience offered by

this

material has led us to throw it away just after one

use

.

This

is a major problem for the environment. Plastics predominantly disturb the land and water. They do not decay and do not bond well with soil, causing arable land to become useless.

Further

, tourist destinations do suffer due to poor disposal practices, damaging the most stunningly beautiful locations to become an eye sore.

Plastic

is a threat to marine life. The bottles, straws, and bags that float will block waterways and stop oxygen from dissolving into the water. These materials are foreign to the marine environment, and they interfere with water-living creatures like turtles. Nature activists report that over 30% of the deaths are due to the harmful effects of

plastic

. Exploring the potential solutions to mitigate the detrimental effects of

plastic

use

,

firstly

, we should start with educating the general public because we people, in general, are sensible about saving the earth as a place for our children to live.

Secondly

, we should increase the opportunities to recycle

plastic

. Certainly,

this

will make some of us withhold disposable

plastic

and hand it over to the recycling centres. Germany is a well-known example of

this

, where shoppers are keen to return the

plastic

bottle in favour of the small refund they get.

Thirdly

, governments should impose a tax on

plastic

usage, making products manufactured using

plastic

costlier than those produced with alternative materials. In conclusion,

plastic

is a highly versatile material that provides a cost-effective solution for most manufactured goods.

However

, single-

use

plastic

takes a toll on our environment,

therefore

, we should have a pragmatic approach when using

plastic

. Authorities and the general public should work together to reduce the harmful effects either by eliminating

plastic

use

, substituting with less polluting materials, reusing

plastic

as much as possible, or disposing of them with minimum environmental impact.