Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad

for the environment.

What damage does plastic do to the environment?
What can be done by governments and individuals to
solve the problem?

In the last 50 years, we have seen a huge increase in the use of plastics in our
everyday life. Every business, big or small have shifted to plastic to package
products. This increase in the usage of plastic is very harmful for our
environment.

Firstly, if we look at the lifecycle of the products packaged with plastics, its
evidently clear that once we have removed the plastic cover we just throw it
away, most of the plastic waste is submerged in oceans and rivers, the result of
which is large accumulated masses of plastic wasted on ocean-beds which is a
big problem for the survival for marine life.

Secondly, plastics are easy to manufacture, but there is no easy way to recycle it
properly. Some common way in the past was to burn the plastic, causing
emission of harmful gasses which lead to air pollution on a massive scale.

The government should take bold step in banning the use of plastic from
common places such as supermarkets and grocery stores. It should also add
laws to regulate the usage of plastic in the industries, and ask them to move to
other alternatives. It should also invest in research for bio-degradable materials
which could be recycled easily. The government should also run campaigns to
educate individuals to not use plastic and help save the environment.

Individuals on the other hand can also take gradual steps to stop the use of
plastic, one can start using jute bags whenever going out for shopping.
Individuals should also start supporting companies who are using non-plastic
coverings to sell the products, hence encouraging companies to be using bio-
degradable packaging materials.

Taking care of our environment is a shared responsibility, both governments and

individuals should take part in solving this problems with whatever capacity one
have available.