Plastics – an invention that are useful and convenient for the citizens. It is strong, light, cheap and very versatile. It can be found literally everywhere: in oceans, in land, in waterways, in stores and in our homes. Plastics are growing every year and what will be the future ahead of the citizens, especially in environment?

Plastic takes hundreds of years to biodegrade, and some may not biodegrade at all. People are using too much plastic that it affects the marine and land animals, the environment, and even us. Us doing this are polluting our land, air, and water. Plastic thrown into landfills contaminates the soil and groundwater with harmful chemicals and microorganisms.

In 2016, 480,000,000,000 plastic bottles were sold in the whole wide world. Leading to many plastic wastes scattered in oceans, lands, and on roads. Besides that, almost 50 percent of the plastics are single-use that is why I am leading my petition to cut down using and producing single-used plastics!

Plastic is killing more than 100,000 sea turtles and birds a year from ingestion and entanglement. They are killed by rogue plastic items each year, with bags floating along waterways, finding their way into oceans and other parts of the environment where animals might mistake them for food. Because they are light and the wind catches them easily, they can be transported far and wide.

People who lives in urban areas and near bodies of water are prone to getting health issues. They can get direct toxicity, as in the cases of lead, cadmium, and mercury. Endocrine disruption, which can lead to cancers, birth defects, immune system suppression and developmental problems in children.

What needs to be done is to encourage the companies to stop producing more single-used plastic for it is harmful for every creature. The government can also encourage the citizens to take part in this issue by using eco-friendly and reusable bags. We can also invest into other alternatives just like metal or wood that is not harmful to us. It may be expensive but it will take long to get rid of it, plus we are reducing the plastic waste that are thrown literally everywhere, most likely in the bodies of water.

This can be a really hard process, but slow process is still considered as a process. I want to live in a place where toxicity can be lessened, and animals are not dying because of plastic. I care for the environment and the beings that I have surrounded me. I believe that with my perseverance, and with your help, we can make our future a better place to live in and to breathe in. This is a way to start caring for ourselves and it can also benefit our environment. I, we, can start having a positive impact today by signing this petition and let us start cutting down on single-used plastic.