Reuel Kim
Mr. Handy
How can we prevent plastic from being dumped on Earth?
Do you know that at least 100 million marine mammals are killed each year from plastic pollution? It is estimated that there are over 18 billion pounds of plastics are eroded into the ocean every single year, and more than 49 million pounds of plastic every 24 hours. Do you think are we doing something to solve this problem? Have you ever acted on this? We have known this problem for a long time, but it has not been solved yet. We have the idea that even though this problem continues to grow, we can continue to postpone it and solve it later. “If I do this alone, won’t the problem get worse?” This idea is gathering and destroying the Earth.
Title: Ocean of Plastic https://naturecode.org/plastics-in-the-ocean/
The impact of this plastic on us today is enormous. And it’s going to triple in the next six years. The reason why this plastic affects us is because it’s a polymeric material. That is, particle is very large, often resembling long chains of interconnected connections that seem endless. Also, the biggest problem with plastics is that they are not biodegradable. Once produced, plastic moves around the Earth for hundreds or even thousands of years, polluting the environment. The recycling rate is only 14%.
Written by : Charles Moore. Title: plastic pollution- the problem of plastic https://www.britannica.com/science/plastic-pollution
The problem worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the growing need for disposable plastics for personal protective equipment such as face masks and shields. Also, we don’t know when this COVID-19 era will end, so more plastic waste can come out and the problem can get worse. Recently, infectious diseases such as Ohmicron have been emerging one after another, so the future is unknown. In addition, since oceans account for 71 percent of the Earth, and they trap the thick carbon of the atmosphere and most of the heat, that we receive from the sun’s rays. If we continue to allow them to do so, our home planet could perish and become as hot as the sun.
Title: Projection For Our Future, Link: https://naturecode.org/plastics-in-the-ocean/
If we don’t solve this problem now and don’t change our course for the future, sea level rise due to climate change will occur, Earth temperature will rise, and it will send more dominant marine life to other parts of the world. In fact, I think we’re trying, but not everyone is working together, but we need more.
Title: Projection For Our Future, Link: https://naturecode.org/plastics-in-the-ocean/
How are we trying?
We are trying a lot to prevent this problem. The first is the kind of plastic. An alternative to this has emerged as biodegradable plastics, so-called ‘bioplastics’. Unfortunately, there is no 100% biodegradable plastic yet. Commercially distributed bioplastics are usually made of bioplastics or biomass that combine general plastics and biodegradable biomass but are only biodegradable under certain conditions. As shown in the chart on the right, more biodegradable plastics are expected to be used in the future than in the present. However, the higher the frequency of use of it, the higher the frequency of use of plastic, not biodegradable. Our goal is to reduce non-biodegradable plastics and try to use biodegradable plastics.
Written by: Greenpeace Seoul Office,
Title: Plastic, 5 reasons why reducing it is the answer–Is biodegradable plastic really eco-friendly?
We can reduce the frequency of plastic use in our lives, but it’s hard for everyone to not use it at all yet, so a kind of plastic has been developed. Also, we are planning to solve this problem. In addition, the United Nations General Assembly on the Environment encourages the nation’s research and development of microplastics for pollution and risk. The “G20 Marine Waste Action Plan” was adopted at the G20 Summit in 2017, and the “Marine Waste Action Plan” was adopted at the 2018 East Asian Summit. A ‘plastic waste response statement’ was issued. Marine plastic is expected to be on the agenda at the 2019 G20 summit in Japan. We need to find the best solution by talking in this way and sharing our opinions. On the basis of that, the office of Environment announced comprehensive recycling waste management measures to reduce basic plastic waste generation in May last year, increasing the nonreturnable cups by 35 percent by 2022 and plastic bags by 35 percent by 2022.
I couldn’t find the link of this sorry,
The second way is invention. Now we humans have developed many inventions to solve problems. There is also something developed for this plastic problem. It is a rubbish bin that is floating on the ocean. It is a marine rubbish bin called a sea bin. It sucks up trash floating in the sea. The major point of this is that the rubbish bin is connected to the pipe and port
docks, where electricity is used to pump and suck water. Then the floating garbage goes into the bin. Then, that water is sent back to the sea and only trash is caught in the net. It can also filter out microplastics less than 2mm. Furthermore, it can be equipped with a filter that filters out oil and detergent. Anyway, when the garbage is collected, you just have to empty it. It saved convenience and cost by running the pump for 24 hours. The bins are currently installed in 860 locations around the world. The garbage collected from this is said to be three tons. And the garbage collected over the last six years is said to be over 2,000 tons. As you can see in the next map, most of are replaced in Europe or Asia. However there isn’t any sea bins in Africa and south America. It should be replaced equally around every world.
But there is also a limit to this. So far, it is only available near the port, so the range is limited and the service to recycle collected waste is still not available. In addition, there is no fear of fish being sucked in.
Title: The congestion of trash cans on the sea that filter out microplastics less than 2mm, Link:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d5QTU3vTrUs
+ All of the picture that I posted above is from this video
Another way is to reduce usage. I personally think this is the most important. Of course, there are alternatives to plastic and inventions that can reduce pollution, but the best way is to just not use plastic. A new way of shopping has emerged. It doesn’t need a plastic container. This is zero-waist shopping. This is a method in which you bring a personal container, put it in your container, weigh it, and pay. For example, put as much shampoo or coffee as you want in a container and pay only as much as you weigh. This is more efficient because plastic is not used, and you can only buy as much as you want. But the downside of this is that it is uncomfortable. When you go to buy it, you have to bring a container and put it in yourself. It will be convenient if the technology that comes out just by pressing the button is applied. I think this is the most efficient, easy, and sustainable way.
Title: a plastic-free supermarket,
Link:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lii6KyWjSc
People throw away trash on Earth elsewhere. Just because the land we live in is clean, what we see, does not mean that the whole earth is clean. People are only thinking about themselves. Broadly speaking, we are only putting the garbage aside. It only disappears from our eyes, it continues to exist and destroy our planet. Isn’t the sea our land? The ocean accounts for 71 percent of the Earth. The sea is also our land, our important resource. We eat the animals that live in the sea, and eventually the garbage goes around and we eat it again. The solution to this big problem is simpler than we thought. Just don’t use plastic. It is also important to reduce the amount of plastic currently produced, but first stop the production of plastic.
Others are important, but our will is the most important. No matter how hard you try, it’s no use if everyone doesn’t do it together. All people around the world should work hard, and everyone should be together with the same heart. It’s something we’re making ourselves feel bad about. Now many technologies, inventions, and ways to reduce have been developed by many people. We know the solution, we know what to do and what to try. We can do enough.
If we don’t try now, we’ll regret it later. We still have time. Don’t foul up this chance. Someone could throw away trashes on the street and it wouldn’t give critical results to now, but in the end, someone else has to move, and it can become a vicious circle. Even if it’s a small thing, it will be a big thing when you get together. If we work at home for personal gain, it will eventually bring great results if small efforts are gathered, just as the fire. Fire begins with a very small spark. It grows bigger and bigger with the help of oxygen and burning matter. Each of us is a tiny spark, and the methods that can solve the plastic pollution problem are oxygen and burning substances. Even if it is a small spark, it will eventually extinguish into a big fire. We don’t get results right away just after we try. Even if we try now and we don’t get results, it’s important not to be frustrated but to continue to work tirelessly. We can do it. What do you think after reading this? Don’t you think our behavior should change from now on?
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