A Plastic World
- My View
When I was given this assignment, I looked for documentaries about environmental
conservation. As a result, I came upon the documentary 'A Plastic World.' When I
initially read the summary, it stated that movie was about blue whales. It sparked my
interest, so I began watching. But after a while, it became unbearably painful to be
aware of what was going on around us. So, let us explore a little more into my thoughts
on the content of this film.
A Plastic Ocean documents the newest science, proving how plastics, once they enter
the oceans, break up into small particulates that enter the food chain where they attract
toxins like a magnet. These toxins are stored in seafood’s fatty tissues, and are
eventually consumed by us. This film shows the experts view about the problem to give
a clearer view.
The film began with some lovely footage of whales and experts discussing them. I
enjoyed viewing the animals. However, after a few minutes, they began to explain the
sufferings of these magnificent animals. Plastic Debris. This is their biggest problem,
which they are unaware of and which kills them. We have lately seen an increase in the
death of these creatures as a result of their intake of plastic waste.
This is not a minor issue for humans. These plastics are not only an issue for aquatic
species, but also for us. We humans rely on the seas for oxygen, clean water, food,
medicines, and other necessities. When we take things from the ocean, we get them
intermingled with plastics. As garbage, these plastics were a problem in society, so we
dumped them in the oceans. However, plastics in the oceans are becoming a bigger
problem than we realize.
When plastics are thrown into oceans, they break down into tiny bits and react with UV
radiation from the sun and salts in the ocean waters, becoming more harmful than
before. When toxins infiltrate the food chain, they are more dangerous than we
anticipate.
Seeing the pleat of the speech less creatures is heartbreaking, and it makes us feel
worthless as a person. This documentary showed an unheard side of these
creatures and taught me a lot. Every piece of plastic ever made is still with us on the
globe today. We were taught in the mid-1950s that plastic was only good for one use
and could be thrown away. We now know it is incorrect, but we continue to treat it as
such. That's devastating to hear.
Sea turtles may confuse floating plastic rubbish for food. They can choke, suffer internal
injuries, and die — or starve because they believe they are satisfied after eating plastic.
Unfortunately, evidence reveals that half of all sea turtles globally have consumed
plastic. According to new research, plastic pollution is so prevalent on several beaches
that it is impairing their reproduction.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of seabirds consume plastic. Plastic consumption
limits stomach storage volume, resulting in starvation. It is projected that 60 percent of
all seabird species have consumed plastic, with that figure expected to rise to 99
percent by 2050. Dead seabirds with plastic stomachs are frequently discovered,
indicating how the amount of waste in our oceans has drastically expanded over the
previous 40 years.
Plastic is consumed by marine creatures and becomes trapped in it. Large amounts of
plastic garbage have been discovered in the habitat of the critically endangered
Hawaiian monk seals, including pup nurseries. Plastic trash has also caused harm and
death in the endangered Steller sea lion, with packing bands being the most prevalent
entangling item. Plastic has been discovered in the guts of dead whales.
Plastic pollution in our oceans and on our beaches has become a global catastrophe,
according to statistics. Billions of pounds of plastic can be found in the whirling
convergences that cover around 40% of the world's ocean surfaces. Plastic is
anticipated to exceed all fish in the oceans by 2050 if present trends continue.
We generated more plastic in the first decade of this century than in all of history up to
the year 2000. Each year, billions of pounds of plastic enter the world's oceans.
According to studies, there are currently 15-51 trillion pieces of plastic in the world's
seas, from the equator to the poles, and from the Arctic ice sheets to the sea floor.
There is not a single square mile of surface ocean on the planet that is free of plastic
waste.
The issue is growing into a crisis. Over the next decade, the fossil fuel sector intends to
raise plastic manufacturing by 40%. These oil companies are aggressively constructing
petrochemical factories around the United States in order to convert fracked gas into
plastic. This implies that there will be more hazardous air pollution and plastic in our
waters. To overcome the worldwide plastic pollution catastrophe, we need to act
quickly.
Unfortunately, because plastic is so long-lasting, the EPA states that "every item of
plastic ever created still exists." Plastic pollution has swamped all five of the Earth's
main ocean gyres. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the name given to the largest of
them.
Our plastic problems may be handled with a mix of solutions, all of which must be
implemented in order to bring about the necessary transformation. Long-term solutions
attempt to remove petrol-plastic and plastic byproducts from the environment. Bridge
solutions remove just certain petrol-plastic compounds, but they still leave some plastic
products and their harmful byproducts behind. However, it is critical to recognize that
without our collective conduct and political will, all remedies would fall short. The
following are some potential solutions, along with their benefits and drawbacks.
Rethink: For each item supplied or chosen, explore a non-plastic option. Do so
by:
Refuse: Because single-use plastics end up in our seas, request alternatives that can
be reused.
Reduce: You may reduce your plastic footprint by reducing the number of plastic goods
you use. For example, instead of using plastic wrap for food, use foil.
Reuse: If you can't utilize an alternative to plastic, re-use it as much as possible and
dispose of it appropriately.
Recycle: If you must buy plastic, use recyclable varieties wherever feasible to avoid
adding to the amount of waste in landfills.
Recycling: Reduces our dependence on virgin plastics, lowering our oil use.
Prevents waste plastic from entering the environment.
Incineration: Plastic may be transformed into energy, including electricity.
Prevents waste plastics from entering the environment and gives raw material
(oil) a second chance.
Thermal Cracking: Plastic trash is a source of energy. Waste gases may be
utilized to cool systems, making the process cleaner. Higher rates of efficiency
than normal incineration.
Reconfiguration: using plastic, without changing with heat, as a raw material for
other products.
Pyrolysis - the thermal process using high temperatures to breakdown waste in
the absence of oxygen.
Biodegradable Plastic Products: Will degrade spontaneously under the correct
conditions; currently accessible exclusively in commercial composting
operations. Could replace many 'disposables' plastic items, reducing reliance on
oil supplies.
Pyogenesis (or Plasma Gasification) – an extreme thermal process using plasma
which converts waste into a synthesis gas, primarily made up of organic matter,
hydrogen, carbon and oxygen.
You can't care if you don't know. Caring follows knowledge. This documentary helped
me grasp the situation and motivated me to make a difference. We must identify
successful methods and develop new ones to address the problem of existing plastic in
the environment. I believe that only by sharing information about this issue can the
public change their mind about how we treat plastic.
