Environmental News from Asia-Pacific:
Based on national averages, each person in the United States uses about 38,000 straws by the age of 65, and each straw can take up to 200 years to decompose. Put in this context, what on its face appears to be a trivial choice which most people do not give much thought to, does in fact carry significant consequences.
Single-use plastic items are contributing to the destruction of our environment and endangering marine animals and wildlife. According to National Geographic, over one million marine animals die as a result of the more than 8 million tons of plastic that escapes into our environment and oceans every year. The majority of plastic pollution comes from items that are not able to be recycled and become trash, left to pollute our planet.
To address this crisis, environmentalists are advocating moving beyond expanded recycling programs and simply restricting single-use plastic products to eliminate them from the trash stream. Connecticut proposed legislation to achieve this during the 2021 legislative session but it failed to pass.
As pollution continues to escape into our environment and oceans every year humans, animals and plants are being harmed as a result of frivolous human habits. Single-use plastic products like straws are used for a matter of minutes and left to destroy our planet for over 200 years. It is time for us all to become mindful of the daily choices we make, what we put into the refuse stream, and how we interact and impact the environment. By working together, educating, and enrolling others in this essential change, success is possible due to the numerous environmentally safe alternatives available to consumers.
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Source: CT Mirror