Plastic bottles - A nightmarish threat to human beings and environment

                 I was talking about planting trees for our sustainable future in my previous posts. In this one, I would like to share with you about the effects of plastic water bottles on human health, environment and of-course on our future too.

                We people live in a world where there the use of plastic water bottles and plastic tea/coffee cups are thoroughly unavoidable. Since they are cheap and handy, there is always an increasing usage of plastic cups and bottles. The reason why many environmentalists stress on the ban of plastic is that they take more time to decompose than a normal paper. This poisons the environment and the wildlife in it. Hence the plastic items can be considered as TIME BOMBS that may burst after several decades. The chemicals present in the plastic bottles such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (commonly known as PET), breaks into smaller segments over time and absorbs the toxins, thereby contaminating the soil and the water bodies.

                Another major environmental problem associated with the plastic bottles is the amount of crude oil required to manufacture it. Approximately, it has been estimated that around 1.7 crore barrels of crude oil is required to manufacture water bottles for one year globally. This is more than enough to fuel 10 lakh cars for a year. These issues related to environment has made the plastic bottles, a potential threat to the environment and the future generation.

Problems to human health

                Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the chemicals used in making plastic bottles. This chemical is know to cause lot of health related problems in human beings. Some of them are

• Neurological problems
• Early puberty in girls
• Reduced fertility in women
• Certain types of cancer

               Another chemical named "phthalates" (as I mentioned earlier as "terephthalates"), causes problems related to reproduction in men.

So the solution??? -RECYCLING

               Many countries use their own ways of recycling the plastic bottles. But to recycle, first you need the bottles right? The city of Sydney in Australia has come up with an innovative solution for this. Yes if you drop a plastic bottle into machine, you will get a chance to win movie tickets in return!!!! Doesn't it sound interesting? It really does. I was really amazed as people have given  a huge response to such machines in Australia. Going through one of news website in Australia I came to know about this. 

                  I see this as an innovative approach towards sustainable future. I would love to see this in India too. I know that its a little bit difficult in implementing such things in India but there is a need for us to do now. India is a developing economy and the government has the responsibility in implementing sustainable initiatives like this to save our planet because ITS OUR GLOBE and WE ARE ONE in doing so!!!!

                

                

Species: FARMERS Status: GETTING EXTINCT Venue: INDIA

                 I was talking about planting more trees in my previous post. Yes of course, we have to plant more trees but at the same time we need to be alert about our food availability also. Particularly in India, the rate of suicide among the farmers is showing an alarming increase. We all know the prices of various vegetables, cereals, fruits,etc are increasing at a steady rate. This is due to the lack of adequate cultivation and decreasing farmers. I live in a small town in Tamil Nadu, India, on the way to a village called VAYALUR. The meaning of this village is "a place full of farms". A few years back, when I go to this village to worship lord Muruga who has a temple there, I used to see a lot of farm lands on both the sides of the roads. Surrounded by lush green lands on both sides, it was a special experience riding through that road.
       
                But now when I went there a few days back, I could see that the lush green cover was missing and they were converted into plots for sale by the real estate developers. I was shocked to see that and it was then I understood why the prices of vegetables and cereals are increasing. Basically I am Civil engineering graduate who is pursuing the higher studies in the same sector. But I thoroughly disagree with this happening near my place. In the future, we may have  beautiful houses to live in but how to sustain without having food to eat. Farmers sell their land to the real estate developers for a cheap price and these real estate walas divide the land into many small plots of 600 sq.ft to 1200 sq.ft and sell them at very high prices. Not only in my area, this awful thing happens throughout India. How long can we do like this? At certain instant of time, we will have to pay the price for it. 

Increasing population and decreasing trees

                      It was found that an human being consumes an average of  550 litres of pure oxygen per day. Now just imagine how much he breathes in his entire life span. Its a well know fact that natural oxygen could be obtained only from trees. Now I am going to put some shocking figures in your mind. Yes, the number of trees that we cut annually amounts to 300 crores to 600 crores globally. Isn't it shocking??. Where are we going? We talk a lot about sustainability, we talk about planting more trees but the reality is too bitter for us to bear. So thats why I say that we are not even in the 11th hour but in the 11th hour 59th minute and 59th second. I recently saw this facebook post which would make us feel ashamed on our craze for the internet and downloads.

 

               Trees are renewable resources only when we plant 2 or more trees for each tree that we cut. Many big nations did this before to make use of tree for the production of various wood products such as doors, windows, paper and so on. But the problem now is that the compensation part is missing thereby making trees a non-renewable resource and you very well know where this will lead to. SUSTAINABILITY IS NOT A NEED BUT ITS A MUST. Imagine your children striving to get fresh air and water. Can you bear seeing this from the heaven?.I am sure that after your life in this planet, you will go to heaven because after reading this you are surely gonna act towards sustainability. The need is urgent and you surely have to act quickly now. Planting atleast one tree per month will do. Spread this thought to everyone you wish and BE A PART OF SUSTAINABILITY. We have to meet our increasing population and their needs so don't hesitate to act quickly otherwise it will be too late because trees need water and if there is no trees, where will you get water (rain) to plant trees??. 

              Some of you might live in cities so there may not be a place where you can plant a tree. So what? Don't hesitate just step down to a small village nearby where there is a lot of space. India is composed of 6.38 lakh villages so can't you find one nearby your residence?. Surely you can! If your mind tries to procrastinate then just think of your children striving for water and air, then surely you will do it.

             Don't stop after planting the tree sapling. Your duty is not yet over. The sapling needs your support to grow till it attains a age when it can meet the water needs on its own. You also need to protect it from cattle which may try to eat the sapling. For this purpose a cylindrical steel grating would be useful. 

            So its up to you now. I have sown the seed in your heart and its your duty to make it a big tree!!!