First Things First
(Khemka)
First Things First
In Context
Of the roughly 200,000 humanity has existed on the planet, the last century alone has had an incredible impact on its wellbeing. Human activity has contributed to drought, ecosystem destruction, a rise in temperature that has in turn affected sea levels, and in air pollution. Plastic pollution, meanwhile, has had a devastating impact on ecosystems throughout the world. The question of our role remains: how does it affect us, now?
Plastics are frequently ingested by animals in the form of microplastics either found in their food, the soil, the air they breathe or in their habitats as particles in the ocean. We, too, are exposed to these microplastics as we serve the animals that have ingested them. According to a report on the hidden affects plastics have on our livelihood, “over 170 fracking chemicals that are used to produce the main feedstocks for plastic have known human health impacts, including cancer, neurotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, impairment of the immune system, and more” (Azoulay et al., 2019). In particular, we face a great risk of exposure to such materials when we consume animals in their complete form which have ingested plastic and other pollutants, such as in shellfish (Azoulay et al., 2019). Drinking water, too, faces contamination across the globe. A study in 2017 confirmed that the United States saw a significant percentage of plastic in tap water observed, (Kosuth, 2017).
Values
Though most of us remain aware that pollution is, in general, quite a bad thing, it is difficult to really comprehend how it affects us as individuals, as well as the role that we play. As members of our society, it is our role to make contributions that invest in the existence and success of future generations. A core value that humanity holds is in our responsibility to ensure a sustainable future where humanity can continue harmoniously with our environment, which we depend upon for survival. Besides having a place to live, air to breathe, water to drink and food to eat, we depend on materials found deep within the planet to fuel our livelihoods. Recent trends in the reckless extraction of such materials suggest that we will not be able to depend upon them in the future. It would be one thing to brush this concern off to deal with down the road, but what happens when that road comes to a sudden halt?
Needs
The most significant way that plastic pollution affects each person as an individual is in the threat posed to our physiological health. Not all of us care about the future, nature, animals or our children, but each of us has a physical health to be worried about. According to the report of Synthetic Polymer Contamination in Global Drinking Water, the threat isn’t just in the creepiness of swallowing a lump of plastic and keeping it in our bodies for the foreseeable future. Additional threats exist in the way the plastics’ porosity. “These plastic particles are a contaminant of emerging concern because they can adsorb PCBs and bacteria in concentrations higher than the surrounding environment. They can also leach synthetic additives, like phthalates, PBDEs, and bisphenol A” (Kosuth, 2017). PCB’s (Polychlorinated Biphenyls), by the way, are most commonly found in hydraulic equipment, paints, rubber, and dye. The Environmental Protection Agency identified health concerns of PCB ingestion, such as, “cognitive deficits, developmental delays, effects on motor skills, behavioral effects, immunological effects, and skin alterations ranging from irritation to chloracne, a potentially serious inflammatory condition” (EPA, 2013). In seeing the negative impacts of plastic contamination in the environment, as well as our frequent exposure to it, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Have no fear: I have identified another feasible action item for your consideration, this week, to help you find a way to keep plastic out of our environment, and out of our bodies.
Call to Action
Wherever in the world you live, there is an ecosystem nearby in which your community takes great pride. For me, this is the Chesapeake Bay: the largest estuary in the United States which hugs eastern Virginia and Maryland, but its impact reaches communities as far as New York. The James River is within a twenty minute drive from my house, and is one of the hundreds of waterways connected to the Bay. An afternoon along the banks with a trash pole, some gloves and a bag (and a face mask, if I bring my friends!) could have an effect on ecosystems hundreds of miles away from me. Imagine the impact of an afternoon with hundreds of such cleaning parties. I encourage you, fellow advocates, to make an afternoon of cleaning up the trash in the pride of your community. Search for groups in your area looking to make an improvement using the tool below, and see what your small impact could do hundreds of miles away.
Find a cleanup near you, here!
References
Azoulay, D., Villa, P., Arellano, Y., Gordon, M., Moon, D., Miller, K., & Thompson, K. (2019,
February). Plastic & health: The hidden costs of a plastic planet (Rep.). Retrieved from
Carbery, M., Environment International (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.03.007
EPA. (2013, January). America's children and the environment (Rep.). Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-05/documents/biomonitoring-pcbs.pdf
Kosuth, M., Wattenburg, E. V., Mason, S. A., Tyree, C., & Morrison, D. (2017, May 16).
Synthetic polymer contamination in global drinking water. Retrieved from
https://orbmedia.org/stories/Invisibles_final_report/multimedia
Media Sources
Khemki, R. (2010, May 6). Polluted Malad Creek at Lokhandwala, Mumbai [Photograph].
Mumbai.
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