That’s just in Kathmandu! People are using 4.7 million to 4.8 million plastic bags in the capital city everyday. The figure was shared as part of the Drowning in Plastic oped on The Kathmandu Post by Srichha Pradhan.
Plastic bags are super convenient to carry and it’s so easy to say “YES” when someone offers you one but we need to make a habit of saying no. We also need to make a habit of carrying our own cloth bags.
Here are some reasons why plastic bag use should be reduced:
- Plastic bags pollute the land and water (look at the rivers and the streets)
- They are made from non-renewable resources
- They never break down!
- They are harmful to wildlife and marine life (have you seen the photos on Instagram?)
- They’re actually harmful to human health
PS. The photo supporting this blogpost is of volunteers making a map of Dead Sea in Kathmandu earlier this month by using 10,000 plastic bags (used). This was done to bring attention to the harm that plastic waste is having on the world’s oceans.