The Mariana Trench, located in the western Pacific near Guam, is home to the lowest point on the planet. Its depth is estimated to be 35,876 feet below sea level, surpassing the height of Mount Everest at 29,026 feet. Sunlight cannot reach that depth; however, as described by Becky Oskin in her article “Mariana Trench: The Deepest Depths”, published in May 2022 on Live Science, microplastics – a waste resulting from human activities – have already reached this remote, inaccessible, and eternally dark world.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles often invisible to the naked eye. We are producing them unknowingly every day in huge amounts. Plastic bags, bottles, packaging materials, etc. that we throw away, eventually break down into microplastics. They are also produced from the wear and tear of plastic items, during the manufacturing process and recycling of plastics, among other sources. The most dangerous aspect of microplastics is that they can last for hundreds to thousands of years. They can also be absorbed or ingested by plants, animals, and marine species and contaminate different levels of the food chain.
We generate enormous amounts of waste every day, that is polluting the environment, harming the earth’s ecosystem. Our throwaway culture is a significant contributor to the production of waste. We throw away clothing that is no longer in fashion, excess food that we have ordered or cooked, older mobile phones and other electronics that have been replaced with newer models, and so on. Particularly, the rich and people in developed nations are suffering from this ‘affluenza’ – as observed by the authors of the book “Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic”. The word is a blend of ‘affluence’ and ‘influenza’ underscoring the negative effects of affluence that drive individuals into materialism and consumerism.
Consumerism dominates our modern society. It fosters a mindset where people are encouraged to buy goods in ever-increasing quantities. Often, they buy more than they need or can consume. Consumerism promotes the idea of having the latest and greatest products, leading to a throwaway mentality. When products are no longer considered desirable or functional, they are discarded without much thought.
Businesses and industries are also promoting this culture through their product strategies and marketing policies. They have introduced disposable shopping bags, packaging, bottles, cups, towels, food containers, and so on made of plastics, paper, aluminum foils, etc. which you will have to throw away after a single use. Also, they intentionally design products that won’t last long, without repairability, and planned obsolescence – cut-off dates for support and updates. Many modern gadgets and electronic devices are designed in ways that make repair difficult or expensive. The cost of repair can sometimes exceed the cost of buying a new product, pushing consumers towards replacement rather than fixing the existing one.
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This article was published in the Daily Sun on August 13, 2023. Please read the full article here or here.