Plastic Pollution
by IJ - 09PG 764724 Meadowvale SS
1. Why couldn't the government just get rid of plastic all at once?
1.1. Only 55 countries have banned plastic bags. Some if these countries are Hawaii, North Carolina, Sates in Australia and India, Italy, Africa, Bangladesh, China and more.
2. What are some alternative ways to get rid of plastic?
2.1. Well sadly, we can't just burn it and think it'd be gone forever because when you burn plastic, it releases toxins into the air that are extremely dangerous and are known to cause respiratory ailments and stress humans and possibly animal immune systems. So you can't get rid of it, but you can put it in a landfill, which means burying it. Putting it in a landfill is also harmful to the groundwater, and it can take up to hundreds or even thousands of years to break down.
3. How much money does an average person spend on plastic per year?
3.1. We use 700 plastic bags as one person every single year. That's 5 trillion bags every year. It's beyond crazy. 700 bags would be $0.96*700 which is $672 per person just for plastic bags.
4. How much has the damage from plastic pollution cost?
4.1. Plastic Pollution has cost $13 billion in damage to marine ecosystems per year. Cities are giving away hundreds of millions of dollars to fix the damage and expenses. Litter clean-up efforts have cost up to $11 billion per year. Crazy. Someone estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic by weight in the ocean than fish.
5. What are some alternatives to plastic?
5.1. One way we can replace plastic is by using reusable bags at the store. This way so much plastic won't be wasted when you use 4-5 bags every trip there. This is also why some stores have a small price for every bag you use with your purchases. An alternative when storing things or for making solid items is stainless steel, glass, silicone, wood, bamboo and ceramics like pottery.
6. How many animals and/or people have died from pollution?
6.1. In a study from Plymouth University, plastic pollution affects at least 700 marine species, while some estimates suggest that at least 100 million marine mammals are killed each year. It is currently estimated that there are 100 million tons of plastic in the ocean. Probably more. It is also estimated that between 400,000 and 1 million people die every year because of diseases and illnesses that are spread because of the disposition of waste in developing countries.
7. Economic
8. Environmental
9. Political
10. Was there a time when plastic pollution got a lot of attention and something actually happened?
10.1. Plastic pollution first got attention in the 1960s and 1970s. People have seen it as a big issue since it first got noticed. Over time its been getting worse and only a few people have noticed yet no one is talking about it.
11. How many people are actually doing something about the issue?
11.1. Every person is at least a little aware of the situation and about reduce, reuse and recycle, but many of those people are never doing anything about the issue. There are organizations like Plastic Oceans, Oceans Conservancy, Project AWARE and some more. Some young and old speakers go around the world to educate and help people and marine life.
12. Why isnt plastic pollution getting enough attention?
12.1. Some reason why I think plastic pollution isn't getting enough attention is because of the new issues that are more important. Another reason why is because some people haven't researched or been educated about it, which is why they might think it's not important or that it would go away by itself, but it's not.
13. Does plastic have any economic benefits? (as if)
13.1. Some economic benefits from plastic are that it reduces food waste and is a lighter material. It also reduces fuel consumption by the transportation of goods and resources. We rely on plastic for many different productions of materials and things we use in daily time.
14. Social