Paradigm Shift: From Events to Solutions for a Plastic-Free Future
Unlike natural objects or organisms, the non-biodegradable property of plastic enables it to prevail for ages, restricting other microorganisms from growing in its place. Simultaneously, prolonged exposure of plastic objects to land or water bodies leads to the leaching out of harmful chemical substances and pollution of the surrounding soil and water.
Earth is the only planet in the solar system that holds life, and to make that possible, it has a unique environment that comprises all essential components such as soil, air, atmosphere, and oceans.
These forces of nature work in conjunction and draw support from the rays of the sun, to create multiple life forms on earth which are yet to be found anywhere else.
The variety of life forms, that earth beholds, is so vast that it is incomprehensible to us, the only self-proclaimed intelligent species on this planet, humans.
Each species, each organism has its distinctive life cycle, which includes smooth transition from birth to death, followed by the process of decomposition, an important aspect in the sustenance of life, creating a safer passage for other species and future generations to play their role on this planet.
Contrary to this natural phenomenon, we, the humans, the smartest of all the creatures on earth, have created something called “Plastic” that is obstructing the smooth decomposition, adding to the pollution of the environment in the world.
The molecular structure of plastic, with its strong carbon-carbon bonds, makes it resistant to breakdown. The natural decomposers, like fungi and bacteria, stand defenseless against these humanly created objects, allowing these items to persist for a much longer period, even centuries.
Unlike natural objects or organisms, the non-biodegradable property of plastic enables it to prevail for ages, restricting other microorganisms from growing in its place. Simultaneously, prolonged exposure of plastic objects to land or water bodies leads to the leaching out of harmful chemical substances and pollution of the surrounding soil and water.
Randomly scattered soft plastics like polythene pose grievous health hazards for both land and aquatic animals. Unable to distinguish between biodegradable and non-biodegradable objects, the animals often consume smooth plastics, assuming it to be their food, which gets stuck within their digestive tract leading to an untimely death as a result of chocking.
The worrisome aspect is that with each passing year we witness an increasing accumulation of these non-biodegradable elements on earth, adding to the perilous conditions.
Looking at the super-sensitivity issues related to the decomposition of plastic objects and their corollary impacts on global health, which includes environmental health and ocean health, the United Nations has started celebrating the “World Environment Day” on 5th June since 1972 and “Ocean Day” on 8th June since 2008 to raise awareness within the human society.
Oceans, which constitute seventy percent of the world’s surface, are at great risk due to plastic as the nature of ocean floor is beyond human optics and comprehension.
However, repeated reports by oceanographers and marine geologists about the precarious conditions of marine animals below the water, due to human behaviors, has caught the attention of UN bodies. These issues of water bodies caught the attention of UN and other organizations, who gave a call to protect these oceans in 2008.
The celebration of “World Environment Day” and “Ocean Day” has undoubtedly created a positive ripple effect, but much work remains to be done to achieve a sustainable future.
Recently, one day after the observation of Ocean Day, on 9th June 2025, the fire tragedy in the cargo vessel near Kerala coast, and the potential risk of oil spillage, possibility of immersion of hazardous material containers in the sea floor, and the subsequent impact on the marine ecosystem sent shivering sensation among environmentalists.
Even before the observation of World Environment Day, on 25th May 2025, India’s Coastline faced another cargo tragedy near the Kochi coast when a vessel containing 640 containers of oil and hazardous chemicals sank under the sea water.
The report states that the cargo vessel carried 84.44 metric tons of diesel and 367.1 metric tons of furnace oil on board, along with 12 containers of calcium carbide, a substance that reacts with water to release flammable acetylene gases, raising high alert along the Kerala coastline.
The time has come when we, the humans, need to incorporate self-restraint in our behaviour and attitude towards the natural world. We should understand that this world, the environment, and the ocean need their own space to sustain life for centuries to come, and not be burdened with our remnants, such as plastics and chemicals.
As our forefathers did to us, handed over a healthy and liveable planet to our generation, it is our duty now to hand over a safe and secure environment to the coming generation so that they can flourish and play their role in the continuation of civilisation on this earth.
We should learn to abandon one-time plastics and adopt a culture of recycling and reuse to minimize the generation of plastic waste, a potential threat to the health of the ecosystem and sustenance of civilisation on the planet.
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