Target: Csaba Kőrösi, President of United Nations General Assembly
Goal: Establish a sooner deadline for efforts to eliminate plastic pollution across the planet.
Plastics have taken a major toll on the planet. Their production relies on fossil fuels, both for the materials to create items and energy to manufacture them. Not only does making plastic add to greenhouse gas accumulation, the mass quantity of plastics that exist in the world means many pieces end up loose in the environment. They pollute land, water, and exist for centuries since plastics do not break down easily.
Fortunately, the United Nations Environment Programme is now working to tackle this issue on a large scale. They have found plastics to be a widespread issue that is getting worse, with resulting contamination of invisible microplastics on our beaches and in drinking water. Working with manufacturers and scientists, plans are being developed to regulate where plastic goes after its use to avoid waste ending up in the environment. Despite the difficulties in tackling such a significant problem, most agree poor waste management is to blame and should be the focus for a real solution. Unfortunately, the tentative goal for this solution is projected for the distant future: 2040.
This timeline is not acceptable. We as a planet have allowed plastic waste to become overwhelming while also acknowledging almost the entire time that it is a problem. Single use bottles, for example, gained popularity in the early 1980s; the time expected to address the consequences must be far shorter than the time spent creating the situation we are in.
Urge United Nations General Assembly President Kőrösi to push his Environment Programme to work towards a timeline that does not let plastics to infect the planet for decades more.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear President Kőrösi,
Environmentalists around the world are applauding the United Nations Environment Programme’s efforts to start the conversation on ending plastic waste. There is no denying this issue has spiraled out of control and almost feels unresolvable. It does seem, though, that a significant team is behind this massive undertaking, and people are hopeful about their work. One aspect that does not feel right, however, is the deadline of 2040 for eliminating plastic waste.
Every day we hear more about the lingering effects of allowing plastics to be omnipresent in our lives. Trash islands in the oceans, beaches covered in bottles, and microplastics in our drinking water are just a few ways we currently are paying for sustaining something we have long known is a problem. The luxury of postponing serious efforts to keep plastic waste at bay is no longer available, so we must act now.
It is very important to work with experts at creating a timeline to eliminate plastic waste before the potential current deadline of 2040. With plastic production still at full force, waiting another two decades to truly address these issues all while matters get worse could affect fulfilling the deadline while allowing the dangers of plastic to continue building.
We urge you to stop delaying serious efforts on preventing plastic pollution and work towards a sooner deadline to eliminate generational effects of plastic waste on the planet.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Own work
So now we have plastics killing much of our marine life, whales, turtles, fish and sea bids.If the ships don’t kill then, the plastics will. Micro plastics are in all of us, our blood, tissues, even in mothers milk. Everything is imbued with plastic. Plastic companies have made billions but not spent one cent on clean up. This is wrong! Single use plastics are still on government tables. When will we “get it” we are all going to die of plastic consumption if the pesticides don’t get us first. Pollution from plastics is overwhelming. Recycling is not taking care of the problem. Not enough is being done plus we the people buy, for convenience single use and say that others will take care of the problem. We the people are the first line of defense. There are I reasons, no excuses to justify the continued over use of plastics. Then there are the plastic bags which should have disappeared years ago yet people refuse to bring their own bags or use paper. At least paper breaks down, plastic is eternal.
That’s not right! On government tables, single-use plastics are still present. When will we “get it” that if pesticides don’t kill us first, we’re all going to die from consuming too much plastic?