Posts

Showing posts from April, 2024

Microplastics

Image
Microplastics are one of the leading causes of environmental pollution in our generation. Due to their composition, plastics take 450-1000 years to degrade, with many plastics not even recyclable or only able to be recycled a few times, creating an obscenely high production rate. This production calls for the burning of fossil fuels, ensuring the release of greenhouse gases, making plastic an environmental tragedy with catastrophic consequences for both humans and wildlife.  Plastic waste found in the guts of more than 90% of seabirds, over half the world's sea turtles' stomachs, and choking marine mammals like whales disrupt marine food webs. Even plastic, which is considered biodegradable, isn't safe. It usually ends up with other garbage in landfills rather than facilities that can adequately recycle it. People are also affected by animals consuming these microplastics. By eating animals that contain microplastics, we end up having that plastic in us. By being more consc