Most of us are aware that plastic is taking over our rivers, streams, and oceans. But sometimes, the problem is presented in such a large scale that we don’t realize how localized it can be.
In the following article, not only is the problem highlighted, but there are also several pictures that vividly demonstrate what plastic bags are doing to Islamabad, a community in Pakistan. (One bright note — in July, the coalition government of Prime Minister Imran Khan announced a ban on disposable plastic bags in Islamabad and surrounding areas.)
How Bad Is Pakistan’s Plastic Bag Problem? See For Yourself
Of course none of this matters because it’s just Pakistan. Right? It has nothing to do with the United States. Right? Or so says our illustrious leader who insists the plastic crisis isn’t OUR fault …
“Well, we have tremendous plastics coming over from Asia, from China, and various others,” he said. “It’s not our plastic. It’s plastic that’s floating over in the ocean and the various oceans from other places. No, plastics are fine, but you have to know what to do with them. But other countries are not taking care of their plastic use and they haven’t for a long time. And the plastic that we’re getting is floating across the ocean from other places, including China.”
Sidenote: Trump took personal credit Tuesday for a new plastic manufacturing plant being built by Royal Dutch Shell in Pennsylvania.
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Image by H. Hach from Pixabay
Nan's Notebook 
Plastic is not bad. It’s a marvelous product used a zillion different ways. That’s why sustainability remains our best option, So how we dispense with used plastic is a fundamental part of this sustainability equation. Not dealing with it is bad. This is the challenge. And the solution(s) should make many people wealthy. For example, “SeaBins are one small step.
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It’s a start although I’d like to see it in action.
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I have a house in rural panama. The locals have no idea how to get rid of the western style garbage and packaging that has flooded their shores and now covers the beaches. It’s an expense they can’t afford to deal with and the garbage dumps are horrible as well. I think your right, as wrong as it is, that the only way to clean it up is for someone to figure out how to make money with the refuse. Garbage here in the states is big business.
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It’s bad everywhere. I rarely use a plastic bags. It’s horrid what it does to nature.
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Nan, I’m sure you are familiar with this disturbing documentary Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch? It is so very disturbing, especially when we DON’T really need this much plastic in our lives or civilizations. 😦
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Also, for the last 10-15 years I’ve tried very hard to recycle plastics, I mean going WAY OUT OF MY WAY to recycle or not buy it so much in grocery stores, all-purpose stores, etc, etc, … and it is exhausting and near impossible to eco-friendly DISPOSE of plastics properly!!! So… I’ll have to sort of contend against Tildeb’s comment above.
Sorry Tildeb. Too many places will no longer take or not take near enough plastic garbage to make a NECESSARY difference. Bottom-line?
The huge manufacturers of and corporations of purchased plastics from the makers MUST do their parts as well!!!!! But sadly and to everyone’s detriment and our fragile planet… they do not want to spend that sort of money… even on their own family’s survivals!!!! That’s what’s F*CKED UP about those CEO’s and executives of the oil refinery industry and the manufacturers of the plastics in our consumer stores.
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Our boreal forests in northern Canada are covered in plastic bags blown here from all over the world. Some have been here so long they crumble into plastic dust if you try to pick them up. I tried to go on a one-person crusade to clean up an area of forest just west of town, but it was impossible to make any headway. If Pakistan has 112 billion bags we must have a billion billion. They cover the ground, they hang fron tree branches, and they even go underground in places. The recent wildfires we had up here melted a lot of them, but what are the remains doing to the forest floor? Another 100 years of plastic bags will have us tunneling through them. Anyone want to move up here. We haven’t had any mass shootings—-yet!
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Well of course Trump bragged about the plastic plant…because…he can’t help himself. He’s such a small man with a small mind.
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There is a John Oliver or Trevor Noah video, I can’t tell which about plastic and how North America is poorly managing it’s waste and has been sending it to Asia but now those countries are returning it.
I don’t know if you know, but a lot of waste from the developed world, including radio active waste, has been dumped in Africa and Asia.
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Ask and you shall receive
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Thanks Mary
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Although I didn’t care for Trevor Noah’s “comedy,” the video itself was enlightening. And disturbing.
I wish every TV station would start showing public service announcements (and get rid of some of that “pharmaceutical” crap) that vividly illustrate what’s happening to all the plastic after we humans are done with it. It might not help because there will always be slobs that don’t give a damn, but perhaps it would reach some people that haven’t really given it much thought.
Would it work? Maybe. Maybe not. But we can always dream, can’t we?
P.S. Of course, we’d have to have an environmentally-conscious person in the White House that would promote and encourage such an action (and perhaps even delegate funds towards it). Unfortunately … well, I think you know what I’m going to say.
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