Our world is a fragile one. It is vast and wild, but tip the balance on the scale, and life on earth could come to an abrupt end. Climate change, deforestation, poaching, or pollution could all tip the scale and cause serious damage to the ecosystem of our planet.
In this article, we’ll dive into the topic of pollution and have a look at the challenges we’re facing in this regard. We will also look at some solutions that are being developed at the moment to save us from a catastrophe.
The Dark Side of the Light
Pollution comes in many shapes and sizes. Chemical pollution, light pollution, plastic pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution are just some of the many types that are changing the natural world. Millions of people are dying every year because of it, and the effects on nature are even more devastating.
Waste and Plastic Pollution
The issue is real and urgent. Recently, we had a pirates talk with changemaker and climate activist Melati Wijsen, who described how her beloved home was drowning in waste and plastic. The issue in her case was a lack of proper waste management in her community and overuse of plastic. Through her movement “Bye Bye Plastic Bags”, she hopes to help since the issue and a lot of good had happened as a result. However, there is still a long way to go – and not just in Bali, but everywhere.
Plastic is everywhere. We produce goods from plastic, wrap our food in it, and recycle too little of it. Our oceans are filling up, the wildlife is suffering and our health is at threat too. Every week we are ingesting a credit card worth of microplastics. Watch this video to learn more about it:
Water Pollution
Similarly, water pollution poses a threat to all of us as clean water is necessary for all forms of life. It can spread diseases, kill aquatic flora and fauna, and cause water shortage. Although we humans may filtrate our water to make it drinkable, acid rain is still possible as is the extinction of many plants and animals which we need as sustenance.
Light Pollution
Light pollution is also an issue – not so much for us humans, perhaps, although there are studies suggesting that it leads to an increase in anxiety, headache, work fatigue, and possibly breast cancer. However, the main victim of this kind of pollution is the wildlife that needs darkness to prosper and grow. Nocturnal creatures such as owls, bats, fireflies, and hedgehogs are seriously threatened by light pollution as it is removing their natural habitats.
The list goes on and on, but you’ve probably gotten the picture. The danger is real.
Solutions to Pollution and Your Contribution
The causes of many of these types of pollution are our human-centered approach to the world where nature has little room. So in order to find a long-term solution for this, we need to switch to a more sustainable and holistic view. Instead of exploiting nature, we need to live in unity with it.
That means:
- switching to green energy
- placing sustainability at the heart of our societies
- increasing plant-based food consumption
- switching to organic agriculture
- planting trees & stopping deforestation
- saying goodbye to disposable plastics
A lot of these things are behavioral changes that also you can focus on. Consumers, users, and citizens have more power than they think. They can actively start and promote trends that politicians, companies, and organizations will need to follow. You always have a choice whether you want or don’t want to support a sustainable world.
How You Can Contribute
Watch this video to learn what you can do to have a positive impact on pollution:
So now it is time to #takeaction. Always remember to #beapirate and contribute to a better tomorrow!
