We are now said to be living in the Anthropocene, a man-made geological period brought about by human activity that is significantly affecting the Earth’s climate, ecosystems and geological processes. Pollution, including plastic pollution, along with climate change and biodiversity loss, is known as the triple environmental crisis.
With healthy morning routines all over social media these days, we try to follow them. We take an invigorating walk along the edge of our leaves to catch the early sunlight and fresh air while sipping water from a modern flask. Next, we make sure to balance the nutrition we need with whatever healthy food we eat at the moment.
However, through this seemingly healthy routine, we are adding to concerns about climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity.
Welcome to the Anthropocene
In order for the planet and future generations to thrive, we as humans must stay within nine planetary boundaries: climate change, new objects (such as microplastics and other chemicals or synthetic substances), stratospheric ozone depletion, atmospheric aerosol loading, ocean acidification, biogeochemical flux changes, freshwater changes, earth systems changes, and the integrity of the biosphere. These are all aspects that measure our impact as humans on the planet.
Climate change
Climate change is long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns. It increases the Earth’s average temperature, causing sea levels to rise and ecosystem destruction. This is caused by various gases in the atmosphere that trap heat and create what is known as the greenhouse effect.
Although carbon dioxide, from fossil fuel use, is the most well-known culprit, other gases such as methane and nitrous oxide also play a role. Transportation, energy generation, agriculture (especially agriculture), manufacturing, and industrial development all contribute to climate change.
One of the most recent concerns is the development of artificial intelligence, which depends on significant amounts of energy, water, essential minerals and rare elements.
Loss of biodiversity
Human activities also lead to the loss of biodiversity, which is evident as a result of habitat loss, overexploitation of resources, and invasive species.
Agriculture to meet our human needs for animal products, animal feed and luxury food and drink is a major driver of biodiversity loss. “Green deserts”, which are formed by grasslands and suburban housing, also occupy large tracts of land.
Pollution
Pollution is when the environment is contaminated in some way that causes harm. Air and soil pollution is caused by products or by-products of production, agriculture and daily life.
Water pollution occurs when chemicals enter our water systems, including pharmaceuticals and even additives that enter through the sewage treatment system.
Noise and light pollution are also seen as serious environmental threats to ecosystems and human health.
One pollutant found in air, water and soil is plastic
Plastic bags, water bottles, cups, serving containers and food packaging are front and center of recent concerns and bans. But in addition to visible plastics, we also find them in many everyday products, such as most cosmetic products, fishing nets, toothpaste, wrinkle-free clothes, beds, tires, paper cups, cans, glass bottles, cardboard packages, foils, diapers, adhesive plates, toothbrushes, tea bags, toothpaste boxes, toothpicks, shopping boxes, etc. Plastic is broken down into what were first thought to be microplastics – plastic particles the size of a grain of rice, or about 0.5mm in diameter. However, recently we have learned that it breaks down into even smaller particles called nanoplates.
Microplastics
We are exposed to microplastics all the time, and they enter our bodies through breathing, food and water, and possibly even skin contact. Estimates show that we eat about 0.1 to 5 grams of plastic per week, and we can inhale up to 22 million micro and nanoplastics per year. Microplastics have been found in the kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, intestines, testes and brain. It turned out that they cross both the blood-brain barrier and the placental barrier.
There are links between microplastics in the body and the development or onset of inflammatory bowel disease, respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. The chemicals found in many microplastics are endocrine disruptors that can cause infertility, developmental disorders, and the added risk of certain cancers.
Our successes
All is not lost as many achievements have been made in the field of environment over the years. In the 1980s, the banning of CFCs led to improvements in the ozone layer, and lead was replaced in homes, pipes, and other products. Various countries have banned plastic bags and related products, which has changed the health of their communities.
The reforestation and reforestation movement has transformed degraded lands and restored the vibrant ecosystems that once housed them.
Companies embrace innovation in new materials and circular designs to keep their products and by-products from polluting the environment. Significant progress has been made in the direction of renewable energy and energy conservation.
Create a new routine
As with other changes we make as new information becomes available, we must adapt our lives to cultivate an environmentally conscious routine. We need to consider the products we use and understand how they affect the environment we will have to live in a week, a year and a decade from now.
We need to know when and why we use disposable products. Then, little by little and habit by habit, we replace them with more stable options.
Bottom line
Many of the plastic-free, plant-based alternatives that are better for us and the environment are local, natural, and produced by small, community-led businesses. We don’t need to fall into yet another media-driven, consumer-influenced trap to make exciting changes that are complicated to sustain. We also need to be mindful of our alternatives, as solar panels, organic cotton bags and batteries used in renewable energy contain other pollutants and consume energy and water.
When the product expires, we need to recycle or donate it.
We need to spread these new habits and routines to our families and communities. This accumulation of will and change reverberates across the planet, transforming systems and improving our global well-being for generations to come.
About the author
Dr Liz Barclay is Senior Lecturer in Futures Studies and Systems Thinking at Stellenbosch Business School, University of Stellenbosch.
Her work combines long-term planning, complexity theory, and societal trends. He frequently provides explanations and thought leadership on how these concepts apply to everyday life, technology, and business.
Dr. Barclay researches and writes about circular economies and the unintended systemic consequences of “green” decisions, such as eco-friendly cotton bags. plastic bags.
She explores how tools such as game simulation can be used to prepare for disasters, test endless scenarios, and practice possible futures.
This includes analyzing the societal and systemic impacts of emerging technologies, including whether and how AI will impact creativity, invention and innovation.
Dr. Barclay’s research focuses on media and entertainment. He looks at the systemic failures of dictating audience preferences.
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