The problem of plastics

Over 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year for use in a wide variety of applications. Unfortunately, the term “plastic pollution” we hear daily from different source of media. It is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g. plastic bottles, bags and microbeads) in the Earth’s environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans.

With the growth of the world population is increasing the amount of garbage that people produce. Lifestyle in constant motion requires a readily disposable products, such as beverage cans or bottles of water. Nevertheless, the accumulation of these products has led to the growth of plastic pollution in the world. As plastic is made up of major toxic pollutants, it can cause significant environmental damage in the form of air, water and soil pollution. Simply put, the plastic pollution occurs when the plastic accumulates in area and has begun to adversely affect the environment and cause problems for plants, wildlife and human populations. Often this includes killing plants and creating hazards for local animals. Plastic is an extremely useful material, but it is also made of toxic compounds known to cause disease and because it is designed to be durable, it is not biodegradable. Since plastic is cheaper, it is one of the most widely available and misused items in the world today.

Single-use plastic is a ticking time bomb for the environment. Avoid it wherever and whenever possible.

                                         Jennifer Nini, editor Eco Warrior Princess.

Many plastic items and packages contain information that they are recyclable. However, secondary processing is only an apparent solution. In practice, only a small proportion of plastic waste is recycled. 

The biggest problem are disposable items made of plastic: a huge amount of every day produces are short and almost immediately become garbage. That is why it is so important to replace them with reusable ones. What exactly we can do to reduce plastic consumption?

1.Plastic bags / foils / nets

• instead of packing your purchases in disposable “plastic bags”, buy a reusable bag and pouches made of durable fabric (eg cotton, linen) or a backpack; You can buy bags and pouches now without any problems in online stores.
• If you do not have a bag with you, you can pack vegetables, fruits and other products directly into the basket, shopping carton or paper bags, by sticking the price on the products;
• Make your shopping at local grocery stores, markets, wherever vegetables and fruits are often sold in bulk from the box;

   2. Plastic bottles

• drink tap water – most cities in the EU have good quality water and you should not be afraid of it, modern water sypply systems keep it clean;
• stock up on any reusable bottle with or without a filter, perfect for going out;
• if you do not trust tap water, an alternative is a jug / bottle with a filter or a filter mounted in the tap;
• – choose cosmetics, household chemicals packed in glass, paper and recyclable materials;

      3. Disposable cups for drinks

• An alternative are reusable mugs, such as thermoses, thermal, bamboo and ceramic mugs, which are made of ecological materials or suitable for recycling, such as bamboo, stainless steel, glass or plastics. It is enough to get into the habit of taking the cup with you in the city or on a trip;

        4. Plastic straws 

• – if you like to drink through a straw, you can buy reusable metal, bamboo, glass or other natural materials; try to carry them with you,
• – next time if you are going to order a drink, skip the straw and refuse to accept it.

Although a lot of collective effort is required to improve the state of affairs globally and to prevent plastic from polluting our environment, applying these few tips can improve the situation in general.