CACAPIT, MA. CLAIRE ELIZABETH A.

0454

THE CHOICE LIES IN US

Mother Earth is wrapped around in dark colors where water, air, and land turned pitch-
black. Every day, she exhaustedly cries out for help, asking everyone to stop the use of plastic.
Are we just going to let it pass by, or are we going to open the door of change for her?

Everywhere we look, there are plastics. Plastics, just like wood, paper or wool, are
organic materials. Cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and, crude oil are the natural products used to
produce plastics. Plastic derived from the Greek word, ''plastikos'' meaning “fit for moulding”.
This only means how malleable plastic is during manufacture whereas it can be casted, pressed,
or extruded into a wide variety of shapes such as: films, fibres, plates, tubes, bottles, boxes, and
etc.

Use of plastic is the primary cause of severe pollution as it brings harm to nature, animals
and humans. Plastics pose a great threat to nature: land, water and air ecosystem. If use of plastic
continues to exist, it can take hundreds or even thousands of years for plastic to break down so
the environmental damage is long lasting. For, it has been proven that plastics produce harmful
or toxic pollutants to nature. Moreover, tiny pieces of plastics which are microplastics, come
from larger plastics that have degraded over time. Due to the microplastics’ tiny size, many
marine animals including seals and tiny fishes have mistaken it for food which caused them
diseases, affecting reproduction. And to humans, plastics, if burned, emit dangerous chemicals to
the atmosphere like hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, dioxins, furans and heavy metals, as well
as particulates. Because of these emissions, it can cause respiratory ailments and stress human
immune systems, and they're potentially carcinogenic.

Due to the use of plastics, these consequences cannot be denied—producing a great threat
to Mother Earth’s condition. Hence, here are some of the alternative things offered in order to
reduce the use of plastic as the source of pollution:

First of all, instead of using plastic containers for food and plastic bottles for beverages, it
would be better if glass, wood, or paper cartons and cups will be used in order to prevent the
throwing and burning of plastic containers or bottles. Since, as stated earlier, it would take a long
time before plastics will be decomposed, and burning such could be harmful to nature and to
humans’ health.

And lastly, instead of using plastic bags to carry groceries and other stuffs, it would be
better if eco-bags or natural fibers are to be used; because, these are eco-friendly and it can be
reused over and over again. Moreover, these are much durable than plastic bags, as it can carry
more stuff in it.
 These are the alternative solutions offered instead of merely using plastics. Nevertheless,
no matter how many solutions are placed before us, it all lies in how we discipline ourselves.
Mother Earth is not getting any better; since day by day, it only becomes worse. Use of plastics
have made Mother Earth’s condition more severe. Hence, are we going to keep using plastics
and cause harm to our Mother Earth or are we going to stop as we make the choice to save it
before time runs out?