Hello, this is my second post, I hope you like it! I want to give the information in English and Spanish, I am not bilingual but I will use translators and in this way we will also know how effective they are for communication..
Plastic pollution
In 2018, the Mother Earth Day campaign had the slogan "A world without plastic pollution" and had the objective of drawing attention to the threat to the survival of our planet due to the exponential growth of the plastics we use in our lives . everyday.
Because as Pope Francis expresses in the encyclical "Laudato si":
[...] The land seems to become more and more an immense garbage dump.
Half of the plastics we consume enter our homes in the form of containers and wrappings, which are later abandoned as household garbage. Every minute more than a million plastic bags are used in the world, 500,000 million a year. To this we must add bottles, containers, and all kinds of containers and objects. The result is 300 million tons of plastic, half of which is dedicated to a single use.
Now, when we think of plastics we are not aware that there is also an important part that are "microplastics", tiny particles that cannot be distinguished with the naked eye. When we use hygiene products such as shower gel, toothpaste, shaving foam or deodorant and cosmetic products such as eyeshadow, nail polish ..., it is possible that, without knowing it, we are consuming microplastics. Also when we wash certain types of clothes, a multitude of plastic microfibers come off. Thus, although microplastics are not seen, they are and disappear in the sink, when washing clothes, when showering or brushing our teeth.
If we look at the surface, beyond some visible signs of contamination and degradation, it seems that things are not so serious and that the planet could persist for a long time in the current conditions. This evasive behavior helps us to continue with our lifestyles, production and consumption.
If we consciously or unconsciously consume enormous amounts of plastics, it is convenient that we ask ourselves where they come from and where they are going when we have already used them:
Plastics are made from a non-renewable resource, petroleum, to which highly polluting industrial processes are applied, making the production of plastics as polluting as the oil industry.
On the other hand, plastics are materials that persist in the environment since the applications of biodegradable materials are poorly understood and, on the other hand, the substances and additives they contain make them technically difficult to recycle. The incineration of plastics causes significant emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which seriously intensify the greenhouse effect.
For years, it seemed that plastic was a problem that affected only the land: landfills, fields, roadsides and highways ... But today we know that a part of these plastics reach seas and oceans.
According to the UN, every year 8 million tons of plastic go to the oceans. And, if nothing is done to stop this upward trend, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. The amount of plastics is such that mobile plastic islands have already been discovered, such as the one between the US and Japan, which has three times the surface of the Iberian Peninsula.
But plastic waste doesn't just make it ugly. The impact they have generates a great risk for aquatic flora and fauna, as well as for humans who complete their diet with animals exposed to this contamination. When we savor a succulent fish dish, which has previously gobbled up the microplastics that have gone to the sink, we may be eating our own garbage. It is not a very encouraging prospect, but what is more serious is that many studies show that these plastics that we ingest accumulate toxic compounds that can be related to the development of certain types of cancer, infertility, and all kinds of disorders of the immune system and cognitive, in addition to changes in metabolism and even behavior.
On the other hand, we should not forget the millions of people who depend on river, marine and coastal biological diversity for their livelihoods, especially those forgotten communities that have no other means of subsistence and who, without participating, receive the consequences of our wasteful consumption.
Our irresponsible attitude takes its toll on us, we all have part of the responsibility and, in addition to demanding that governments and companies move towards reduction, we must contribute to minimizing our "plastic footprint", with small daily actions such as stopping using bags, disposable plastic wrap or objects, use clothes with natural fabrics and organic hygiene and cosmetic products.
As Pope Francis expresses:
It is very noble to assume the duty of taking care of creation with small daily actions, and it is wonderful that education is able to motivate them to shape a lifestyle. Environmental responsibility education can encourage various behaviors that have a direct and important impact on environmental care, such as avoiding the use of plastic material ... Reusing something instead of throwing it away quickly, starting from deep motivations, it can be an act of love that expresses our own dignity.
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