“ Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
These inspiring words from the father of our nation ring especially true today. Plastic waste is one of the most pressing issues the world is facing today that needs to be resolved urgently. I believe in a plastic-free environment and in sustainable development. I also believe in the power of mass awareness in creating positive change. Through this essay, I hope to throw light upon the different facets of this complex problem, how we can solve it, and how we as individuals can contribute to the cause.
Humans have been exploiting the world’s natural resources since the past millennia. However, development at the cost of nature is not sustainable and thus we must endeavor to minimize our negative environmental impact. Single Use Plastic (SUP) waste is chief among our environmental concerns. This form of plastic is cheap, easy to use and readily available. This is the reason we consume it on a gigantic scale, throwing away 5 trillion single use plastic bags every year. Plastic is non-biodegradable and is a polluting agent that severely harms plants, animals, land, and oceans alike. Almost all of the 8.3 billion tons of plastic waste we have produced globally is still around, and that figure keeps growing every day. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has also caused an increase in plastic waste due to the widespread use of masks, PPE kits, etc. We must reduce our plastic waste output significantly to conserve the environment.
We can all save the environment by adhering to the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. This sustainable model of living places emphasis on the need to reduce plastic waste, reuse plastic as much as possible, and recycle plastic to the greatest extent feasible. This is a very simple and effective method of waste management that we can all implement in our homes.
Firstly, we must try to reduce as much plastic waste as possible. This can be done by increasing consumer awareness and encouraging consumers to be more mindful of their needs and their excess consumption. Secondly, we must reuse as much plastic as possible. Most plastics are durable and can be used more than a single time, so we must try to utilize plastic as best we can. Lastly, we must recycle plastic waste. This means repurposing plastic waste so it can be used again.
These principles are essential to plastic waste management. As equal stakeholders in the future of our planet, we must all commit to following these principles.
The principles of reducing, reusing, recycling can be allied to the concept of a circular economy to increase the effectiveness of plastic waste management. A circular economy is an economy that reuses all its products, thereby designing out waste. This model is a very different from our traditional linear economic model, also known as a take-make-waste model. In a linear economy, we create products using natural resources, utilize them, and then discard them. This waste is often non-biodegradable and toxic and grows in volume every day. Worse still, we eat into a finite supply of natural resources to create these products, and these resources are close to being exhausted. We must transition to a circular economy to achieve sustainable socio-economic development without damaging the environment. The circular economy ties in with the reduce, reuse, recycle principles. The circular economy can be achieved through three steps: consume less (reduce), consume better (reuse), and create systemic change through the return and renew model (recycle). According to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, implementing a circular economy in India will result in Rs 40 lakh crore (USD 624 billion) in economic benefits as well as reducing net carbon emissions by 44% by 2050. Policy-wise, governments must take steps like incentivizing sustainable living and introducing a plastic tax to ensure the implementation of these models and principles. Given the sustainable long-term socioeconomic development, effective ecological conservation and massive reduction of waste it enables, the implementation of a circular economy in India looks to be a win-win from a policy standpoint.
In conclusion, the principles of reduction, reuse, recycle allied with the implementation of a circular economy looks to be a watertight roadmap for future development. India has a dynamic young population. If the youth are empowered with the gift of education and awareness, India is poised to become a world leader in sustainable development. Sustainable development is the future, and we, the youth, must resolve to create it.
Sources used:
1. https://www.unep.org/interactive/beat-plastic-pollution/
2. https://www.solarschools.net/knowledge-bank/sustainability/reduce-reuse recycle
3. https://www.wri.org/insights/how-build-circular-economy
4. https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/india-rebuilds-economy-time-make circular-sustainable/
5. https://sites.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/india
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