Plastic Pollution: The Problem and Solution
Problem Identification
The problem that I have identified is plastic pollution worldwide.
Research
According to National Geographic, 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flow into the ocean every year (Parker, 2021). The article shares that this amount of plastic is equivalent to five grocery bags of plastic trash sitting on every foot of coastline around the world (Parker, 2021). For most of the 20th century, only a small amount of plastic was produced which made plastic waste removal manageable (Our planet is choking on plastic, 2021). However, over the last half-century, plastic pollution has become a growing problem because of the world’s dramatic economic development (Our planet is choking on plastic, 2021). As a result, plastic production has accelerated and the earth is now producing 400 million tonnes of plastic waste every year (Razavi, 2022). As I do not expect the economy to experience negative growth anytime soon, we, as humans on earth, are required to make efforts in reducing plastic pollution.
Plastic pollution is created by the act of people not recycling their plastic. Why is this so hard you may ask? Well, the act of not recycling is not always caused by people not wanting to recycle. The act of not recycling also stems from the following:
Unequal recycling programs: Location often determines how and what individuals can recycle (Morgan, 2021). For example, when I am back home, my city mandates the separation between plastic and paper recycling. However, Waterloo allows for mixed recycling.
Recycling confusion: People are often confused about how and what can be recycled (Morgan, 2021). From experience, it can be difficult to research and find out what goes where.
Companies make customers work to recycle: Many companies advertise their products as being sustainable because consumers can recycle them at designated recycling centers (Morgan, 2021). However, this causes added stress to the consumer because of lost time and can be seen as an inconvenience.
Suggested Solution
The solution I selected is the creation of a social media application designed to make recycling more engaging. The app will be called Cleanada and will provide users with the ability to connect with others, earn points through recycling, and more. Using plastic is inevitable for the average person. However, many are reluctant to recycle that plastic. Ideally, a user of Cleanada, upon using a plastic item, will take a photo of them and the plastic. Following the selfie, a user of Cleanada will post the photo online, while gaining eligibility to collect points for their recycling contributions. Cleanada will greet its users on the homepage where they can view their friends and family’s photos. There will also be a tab where users can view how many points they have accumulated and the ways they can spend these points. Hypothetically, if a user of Cleanada has accumulated 100 points (for recycling 100 items), they will be eligible to enter a giveaway to win AirPods.
To address the other problems listed above, Cleanada will include directions on where and how users can recycle their pieces of plastic. These directions will be dependent on one’s location, so wherever users may be, the steps to recycle will adjust accordingly.
The solution that I chose will cause little to no social, legal, or ethical issues. Rather, it is designed to create the best environment possible for humans all across the earth. Although this app will require large amounts of capital to launch and maintain, it is a feasible and unique way of making recycling more exciting for all, while offering a positive net benefit.
References
Morgan, B. (2021, December 10). Why is it so hard to recycle? Forbes. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2021/04/21/why-is-it-so-hard-to-recycle/?sh=c0bf0723b778
Our planet is choking on plastic. UNEP. (2021, March 23). Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/
Parker, L. (2021, May 4). Fast facts about plastic pollution. Science. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/plastics-facts-infographics-ocean-pollution
Parker, L. (2021, May 4). Plastic pollution is a huge problem-and it's not too late to fix it. Science. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/plastic-pollution-huge-problem-not-too-late-to-fix-it
Razavi, K. (2022, June 6). How plastic pollution is choking the planet, and what's being done about it . Global News. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://globalnews.ca/news/8707787/how-plastic-pollution-is-choking-the-planet-and-whats-being-done-about-it/
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