More than 50 countries, including the UK, have called for an end to plastic pollution by 2040. But the organisers of Earth Day want to go further, and are calling for a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040. [BBC]
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This year’s Earth Day promises to be very big indeed – as carried on The Official Site | EARTHDAY.ORG. And the theme this year is Planet vs. Plastics:
As reported today by Forbes – on Earth Day 2024: Planet Vs. Plastic:
Over the past 60 years, around eight billion tons of plastic has been produced, according to a recent study in the journal Science Advances — 90.5 per cent of which has not been recycled. As a result, this year’s Earth Day theme— “Planet vs. Plastic”— demands a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040.
Just how big of a challenge is this? What type of numbers are we talking about? Here’s some perspective:
- In 1950, the world produced just two million tons of plastic. We now produce over 450 million tons.
- Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years.
- Production is expected to double by 2050.
- More than one million plastic water bottles are sold every minute.
- Every year, about 11 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the ocean.
- Only 9% of plastics ever produced has been recycled.
- Plastics often contain additives that can extend the life of products, with some estimates ranging to at least 400 years to break down.
Plastic is literally everywhere
An advertisement from the American Plastics Council in a 1997 edition of the New Yorker suggested that plastic wrappers and containers were the “sixth food group” that were there to keep contaminates out of our food.
Finally, here’s some background on Earth Day, when is it and what has it achieved:
Earth Day is a global event which aims to highlight the importance of protecting the environment. It takes place every year on 22 April.,It was set up in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a US senator and environmentalist, and Denis Hayes, a graduate student at Harvard University…
The 2024 theme, “Planet vs. Plastics”, aims to raise awareness of the harms of plastic pollution for human and planetary health. Previous events have covered a range of environmental issues, from climate change and clean energy to protecting species and the benefits of tree planting. This year’s focus comes ahead of an historic UN treaty on plastics, which is expected to be agreed by the end of 2024. More than 50 countries, including the UK, have called for an end to plastic pollution by 2040. But the organisers of Earth Day want to go further, and are calling for a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040.
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