Plastic Bags and Environment

Plastic bags are one of the most dangerous things used by men. It causes harm in several ways to our environment. At times, we presume that plastic bags cannot do so much harm. Well, unbelievably, plastic bags contribute damagingly to our environment in several ways.

Use of plastic bags litter the surroundings. Forests, rivers, lakes, seas and oceans are polluted in different parts of the world. Wind carries these bags everywhere. We are destroying our mother Earth and most people do not even realize the harmful effects of using plastic bags. One of the research shows that people in America use over 380 billion plastic bags every year.

Plastic bags can even kill wildlife. They kill not only marine animals, but also terrestrial animals. Many species are already in danger of extinction. These bags are adding to the death of various animals and this can increase their chances of being endangered, or even extinct. About one million mammals and sea birds die per year by swallowing plastic bags. They are mistaken as food. Usually by choking, they die a slow and painful death. Another research shows that every year nearly one-lakh marine mammals die by eating plastic bags.

Plastic bags are made out of a substance called `polyethylene’. Polyethylene is a type of petroleum. Petroleum is a major source of our energy, such as lightening, electricity and heating. As tons of plastic bags are manufactured each year, tons of petroleum are being wasted in manufacturing them. Petroleum can be more importantly used as a fuel for automobiles.

It is estimated that it takes 1,000 years for plastic bags to break down. Thus, they are non-biodegradable. Burning these bags does not help either, as it will cause air pollution. When these bags are burned, it releases toxic fumes into the air as well as soil.

The best way to minimize the use of plastic bags is by using bags made from paper and cloth. Such bags are environment friendly. They can be recycled more easily.

Astonishingly, plastic bags have been one of the most deadly inventions of man. Over the last few years, there has been a massive increase in plastic packaging for various non-essential items. However, they have a major negative impact on humanity, animals and our environment. The unrestricted and unregulated use of plastics for packaging has health and environmental impact. We only have one world to live in, so more protection is required in taking care of it.