Breathing new life into the damaged environment | NaturTrust
Tags: Green World, Pollution, Eco Friendly Products, Ecosystem

Breathing new life into the damaged environment

The President of the General Assembly (Ecuador) warned in 2019 that we are the last generation that can take concrete actions to effectively reverse the damage done to our environment.

Decades of Industrialisation has led to heavy emission of Greenhouse Gases ( 50 billion tons per year on average). Carbon Dioxide produced from burning of fossil fuels combined with plastic pollution from microplastics and single use plastics has led to erosion of natural resources and depletion of the natural environment.

If we are to sustain healthy human life on this planet and overcome the damage done to the environment, a mindful and thoroughly macro-approach is the need of the hour. This would translate into taking a series of actions towards a more sustainable and eco friendly approach pertaining to various aspects of human life.

Innovative alternatives to fossil fuel

“Experts suggest that it is time to revisit dated yet less damaging alternatives to fossil fuels.”

Before fossil fuels became readily available during the industrial revolution, biomass and other natural materials were the popular fuels of choice. Experts suggest that it is time to revisit these dated yet less damaging alternatives to fossil fuels, much like how biodegradable plastics are made utilising naturally decomposable materials. For example Biomass which is used to make biodegradable plastics includes wood, animal and plant by-products. Additionally, automobile, fashion, FMCG, and even mechanic based industries are trying to harness the power of nature to create large-scale clean energy and new developments are being observed very frequently.

Giving Biodegradable Plastics a chance:

“ Switching from traditional plastic to biodegradable and compostable plastic can greatly accelerate the initiative to save the environment. “

It is no surprise that the planet is over littered with plastic with an ongoing struggle to accommodate its waste in landfills. Switching from traditional plastic to biodegradable and compostable plastic can greatly accelerate the initiative to save the environment. Biodegradable plastics are either made with natural biomass or have the molecular structure to break down and decompose completely, leaving no traces of microplastics behind which otherwise result from usage of traditional plastics. Biodegradable plastics also use less fossil fuels like oil to produce and hence are a much more sustainable option in the long run.

Effective Waste Management:

“Rising popularity of biodegradable and compostable plastics can be attributed to easier and cost effective ways to dispose of their waste.”

Effective Waste Management: While waste management may not be an obvious factor, it surely is an important one in determining the health of the environment. Once pollutants like greenhouse gases and microplastics enter the environment, it hinders human life and has detrimental effects on our breathing and overall well being. Effective waste management can greatly curb these negative implications as all the waste is either recycled or decomposed into water and biomass. This is also one of the reasons for the rising popularity of biodegradable and compostable plastics since it is much easier and cost effective to dispose of their waste.

Accountability for corporate social responsibility: “The HORECA industry is now embracing biodegradable plastic as an alternative to traditional plastic.”

Accountability for corporate social responsibility: By holding corporations responsible for their business choices and having sustainability regulations in place, governments can ensure the environmental wellbeing in their respective territories. The cycle of demands and supply will create a more environmentally conscious breed of entrepreneur and client which will result in an immediate shift in the health of our environment. For example: the HORECA industry is now embracing biodegradable plastic as an alternative to traditional plastic. To ensure these ethical practices further, production and sales of biodegradable plastics are regulated and certified by centralised bodies in most countries.

Investing in reusable and recyclable resources: Biodegradable plastics are a leading example of why it’s worthwhile to invest in reusable and recyclable resources.

Once biodegradable plastic breaks down completely, the leftovers are used by industries as compost on a large scale. Further, biomass is used for reproduction of biodegradable plastics or other projects, thus facilitating a zero waste cycle with low carbon footprint.

Perhaps other innovations in the sustainability sectors can look at biodegradable plastics as a benchmark to creating new solutions that help in restoring the environment.