Every year, millions of plastic garbage enter the ocean from certain lands from different places. Perhaps it is not something that concerns us because we somehow think that the vast ocean can accommodate those trashes. But what we frequently ignore is the fact that the plastic garbage we throw is going nowhere. It only flows in circulation across the ocean, while breaking itself down into the smallest pieces. From there, species across the marine life ingest it, while other remains of the trash go sinking at the bottom of the sea harming and endangering more oceanic creatures.
Oumar Konare, a psychologist, says, “Nowadays, global climate change and environment and wildlife protection have never been more talked about, with the prospect of humankind irremediably damaging our Home. At the same time, this destruction of our environment is taking its toll on us: some natural resources such as oil, soil, and fisheries are being used up, and subsequently conflicts and entrenched hunger are being exacerbated by this scarcity.”
Companies and industries can create million of plastics anywhere in the world. That is because it is convenient and way too easy to produce. There are no barriers or design paradigm that it needs to follow strictly. Therefore, all things about plastic production are quite unstoppable. That is the reason why there has never been a reliable solution to resolve its massive single-use packaging problem. People do not rethink and evaluate the entire system of plastic production. But there are quite some industries that initiate in changing the whole plastic production and consumption system where they include taking and making something out of plastics. Some of these are shoe thread, cement fillers, tables, chairs, and other stuff that pretty much takes plastic out of uselessness.
Honestly, no one bothers to consider changing the plastic system not until the marine world cried out loud. It is a sad reality that for people to recognize the damage that plastics caused in marine life, sea creatures must first die and suffer in the most antagonizing way. Yes, an aim to start for a change is good. However, implementing a world policy will need to take time. It is entirely impossible to create a massive difference in one single night. Psychologist Ginette Paris devastatingly wrote, “We are in the adolescent phase now, experiencing heartbreak with nature right now,” she said, “Where good nature and bad humans is a reversal of our old myth of God is good, while nature, women, and body are bad!”
And what is more unfortunate is that not all people are comfortable in changing their ways. Not all individuals are okay with not using plastics. Some are still buying single-use plastics because they are used to doing it. Therefore, companies are not obligating themselves to create a change or think for an alternative as well. You see, it is always a two-way process. If the consumer is still buying, then companies will continue creating.
You see, even if people are looking straight on the result of their actions, some are still inconsiderate. Regardless of the ocean gets filthy or the marine life gets endangered, yet, nobody cares. There are these people who think that their actions will not matter because of their limited number. There is this mentality that they believe they are the only ones who are doing it, so it will not take much of a difference. But the truth is, millions of people think and act the same damaging way.
Barbara Markway, Ph.D. advises, “Fall in love with the earth. Go outside. Hug a tree. Watch a bird. Look up. This will motivate all of us to make needed changes.”
The idea of “too late” is never a term for this. It is not an eye-opening too. What people need is suffering and life endangerment so that they will be able to understand what it is like when the world shuts down on them.