Page 109 - Final Magazine 2019-2020.cdr

Environmental Degradation: Plastic V/s. Paper

Ms. Asema Siddiqui, Mahararshtra College, Mumbai.

more plastic in the oceans than there are sh. The world is currently producing nearly 300
million tons of plastic each year – a signicant amount of which will end up in the oceans.
Unfortunately, although plastic is a useful product, many of these products are created for
single use with an estimated 50% of plastic used once and thrown away. This is harmful not
only to the environment and oceans, but also to wildlife – where it impacts nearly 700 species
in the oceans. According to the Ocean Conservancy, plastic has been found in more than 60%
of all sea birds and 100% of sea turtle species. Ingesting plastic has life threatening effects on
wildlife and this plastic eventually ends up being digested by humans. Brits who consume sh
are at risk of consuming 11000 fragments of plastic each year. And half of all plastic
manufactured becomes trash in less than a year. (Source: www.nationalgeographic.com)

Increasing use of plastic has caused severe oods in coastal areas of Maharashtra, Gujarat
and Kerala. It is worth mentioning here how the excessive use of plastic leads to oods and
havoc in Mumbai year after year. Mithi river has been encroached upon over the years and is
left clogged with solid waste and plastic. (Source: www.greencleanguide.com)

Oceans, seas and rivers were once considered to be givers of fresh breath of air and life to sad
and lonely hearts. Little did the classical poets and writers know that the waves they described
so beautifully will in future be life threatening and fear looming objects for mankind.
‘Come to the window, sweet is the night air!

Only from the long line of spray

Where the sea meets the moon blanched land,
Listen! You hear the grating roar

Of pebbles which the waves draw back and ing,
At their return, up the high strand

Begin, and cease, and then again begin,
With tremulous cadence slow, and bring

The eternal note of sadness in.’
‘Dover Beach’ (Mathew Arnold)

The bay and the sea are no longer calm, and the moon no longer reects on the water. The
seas have become turbulent and the reection of waste is all that we can see on water. The
night air is no longer pleasant. It is on the contrary full of CFCs, Carbon Monoxide and Sulphur
dioxide. The waves no longer shift the pebbles back and forth. There is back and forth

movement of plastic, trash and garbage by waves on the shore.

“Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter,
don't mind.” (Bernard Baruch) 98
2019-20