I think it is not necessary to explain why it is advisable to eliminate plastics from our lives. But just in case: according to United Nations, plastic pollution went from two million tons in 1950 to 348 million in 2017; It is expected that its quantity will double between now and 2040. Such accumulation is disastrous for the planet. About 11 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans every year, causing harm to more than 880 marine and coastal species. The production, use and disposal of plastics generate greenhouse gases. Exposure to this material may affect fertility and hormonal, metabolic and neurological activities. Come on, if they were radioactive they wouldn't be much worse.
You might be thinking: okay, but plastic bags have started to be replaced by paper ones. True, although according to UK Environment Agency, each paper bag would have to be used three times so that its impact would be less than that of a single-use plastic one. The brainiacs of Stanford They claim that making a paper bag requires four times more water than a plastic one. And according to a study from 2015, “plastic bags are slightly better in terms of environmental impact compared to paper bags.” Despite everything, when I accept the task of trying to survive a week without plastics or paper, I do it happily, because I understand (wrongly) that their use is limited to damn bags. But when I get home and subject every room to intense eye inspection for plastic things I need to replace, I doubt if I'll be able to. Let's see how it went.
#plastic #paper #bags #problem
