The festive season is here, but remember that Diwali is not just about the lights. Exactly one day before Diwali is Kali Chaudas, also known as Narak-Chaturdashi. People worship Goddess Kali on this day because she won against the demon Narakasura. It symbolizes the victory of light over evil.
The celebration on this day is about abolishing the laziness and evil that creates hell in our life. If we look at the current scenario, what is the harm to this planet? Climate change, loss of natural habitat & marine life, and lots of waste and pollution are deteriorating the beauty of Mother Earth and making it hard for humans to live peacefully. One of the prominent contributing factors to that is “PLASTIC”.
Over the last 50 years, world plastic production has doubled. Considering the convenience, people have immensely used it in every possible way. However, we forgot to hold a vision of the disposal of so much plastic produced. The production seems to be easy, but it is the time taken during the scrapping that is the root of all problems.
The decomposition time of specific plastic items are as follows -
- 1 Plastic Bag - 200-1000 years
- 1 Foamed Plastic Cup - 50-100 years
- 1 Plastic Container - 50-80 years
- 1 Plastic Bottle - 500 years
Imagine all this waste ending up in the water bodies and forests and slowly filling up your surroundings. Just because the plastic has not reached your doorstep does not mean it won’t harm you. It might be around you through the air you breathe, the food you eat, and the water you drink.
But, aren’t they using recyclable/recycled plastic for everything these days?
Well, if you are someone so innocent to think that recyclable plastic will be recycled, sorry. It does not work like that. The symbol on the packet is not an assurance of recycling at the end of its life. When you dispose of your garbage in the public van, it mixes with all the other trash. It reduces the probability of plastic recycling.
On the other hand, let’s consider for a moment that it gets recycled. However, it is estimated that recycled plastic product gets back on the shelves within one month. Plastic is the kind of material that degrades every time it is recycled. Also, there is a limit to the number of times it can be recycled. Even if the whole recycling process works, the plastic will eventually be out of use in no time.
So, the best option at the end of the day is to avoid adding new plastic to your home to the extent possible and reuse what you have.
Why is plastic such a huge concern?
If you are still sceptical about why plastic is such a huge concern, here are some startling facts. In spite of being recyclable and convenient to use, plastic is harmful to the planet. Here are some mind-blowing facts -
- Globally, only 9% of plastic is recycled. The rest of it ends up in landfills or is incinerated.
- Every year, 13 million tonnes of plastic reach the ocean. If we compare it, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute.
- The plastic in the ocean will double in the next 15 years. Considering the weight, in 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the sea.
- Humans consume approximately 5 gms of microplastics every week.
- By 2050, almost 99% of seabirds will have ingested plastic at least once.
- We use 5 trillion plastic bags every year, i.e. 160,000 bags per second.
- Millions of marine animals die each year from plastic waste alone.
- Microplastics in the human body can lead to oxidative stress, DNA damage and inflammation.
This festive season, end the evil!
With awenest, you can take a step towards living a plastic-free life. Every Kali Chaudas, people get rid of negative energies and evil from their houses through different rituals. This year, why not resolve to avoid plastic to the extent possible? What a resolution it is, right?
Small habits of carrying your bottle & cloth bag can be a great start. You can move ahead by choosing organic and eco-friendly shopping along with learning waste segregation. As you proceed in your journey, we have a community to keep you updated and share some insights on sustainable and plastic-free living.
Happy Narak-Chaturdashi!
May you shine bright and be surrounded by light!
Image by Jan Canty from unsplash
Author-brinda shah is a freelance content writer. she is a ca turned into a writer who loves to read, write & meditate. you can connect with her on linkedin and on instagram
