Goal 5
It is almost impossible to imagine a life without plastic, given its ubiquity. Although a practical alternative on many occasions, plastic does not come without problems. Chemicals that are released from plastic materials and end up in the human body as micropla- stics are a health risk. The risks of improper use and disposal of plastic for the environment and human life are devastating. This needs to be kept in mind when dealing with plastics.
Facts and Figures
Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. More than one million bags are used every minute.
About 8 million metric tons of plastic are thrown into the ocean annually. Of those, 236,000 tons end up as microplastics – tiny pieces of broken-down plastic smaller than your little fingernail - which may also end up in our food.
On average, the per capita consumption of plastic in North America and Western Europe is 100 kg, while it is 20 kg in Asia.
Tips for Ramadan and Beyond
- Don’t keep your trash lying around. Dispose of it regu- larly, taking care to separate waste as well.
- Choose the lesser evil: prefer glass over plastic packa- ging! Always try as much as possible to get your fresh groceries without any packaging.
- Use a cloth bag, basket or your backpack instead of picking up another plastic bag at the store.
- In case of plastic that is unavoidable, make it a point to use and reuse it many times before it goes to trash, keeping the health risks of reusing it in mind.
Amanah’ cloth bag
NourEnergy’s ‘Amanah’ cloth bag from organic cotton, with a FairTrade certification. A environmentally friendly unique specimen. Get in touch at info@nour-energy.com if you are interested.
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