EVOLUTION VS PLASTIC POLLUTION

By Ella Sanchez

Is plastic excessive? Could you go a day without using any plastic? If you think you could, you would be heavily mistaken. Even reading this on your device refutes that assumption, as all electronics contain plastic. Everyday objects like doorknobs, light switches, and food packaging contain this material. Plastic has become so deeply ingrained in our daily lives that its absence is unthinkable.

While plastic provides efficiency and convenience, its widespread use has created a serious environmental problem called plastic pollution. The same qualities that make plastic useful- such as its durability, affordability, and adaptability-  also makes it harmful to the environment.

Plastic pollution poses severe risks to our ecosystems and health. Animals frequently mistake plastic debris for food, often leading to indigestion, entanglement, and fatal consequences. Microplastics, which are plastic pieces less than 5mm in size, permeate even the most remote areas, from ocean depths to mountain peaks. These almost invisible pieces of plastic are eaten by small organisms. The materials then follows through the food chain in progressively larger animals. Animals such as cows and pig have recently been found to contain microplastics. Ocean animals such as fish, shell fish, and shrimp are most likely to consume this, as plastic pollution is most devastating in water habitats.

Additionally, producing plastic requires major energy sources. This need for energy leads to fossil fuel burnage, which both increases greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbates climate change. Though one material in the manufacturing industry seems insignificant in its consequences, plastic production contributes 3.4% to global greenhouse emissions. Finding ways to reduce the production of plastic and the harmful ways of plastic production are becomingly increasingly important. 

The rapidly increasing harm of plastic introduces a greater question: can we evolve to combat and overcome this problem?

Evolution is a slow-paced process in which organisms evolve to adapt to changes in their surroundings. Recent studies have shown that humans are evolving daily, or around 100 times faster than humans in the Paleolithic Era. Acknowledging this, humans are not the only organisms being affected by this pollution. Despite this, the rapid accumulation of plastic pollution is out-racing our ability to adapt. Physical adaptations generally take longer for organisms to grow into than psychological adaptations. We are able to teach dogs a new trick in a few weeks, but it’s impossible to ask a dog to grow a fourth leg in order to run faster. The current rate and magnitude of plastic pollution are pushing many species to the limits of their adaptability. This could lead to loss in biodiversity globally.

While plastic has impacted our modern lives in illuminating ways, its uncontrolled enduring presence in the environment now jeopardize the delicate balance of life on Earth. Despite evolution being a powerful force of nature, it struggles to keep pace with the rapid gain in plastic pollution. Before it’s too late, we must fulfill our responsibility as caretakers of our planet and address this urgent environmental challenge.

Edited by Emma Wu

References:

1. Jambeck, J. R., Geyer, R., Wilcox, C., Siegler, T. R., Perryman, M., Andrady, A., … & Law, K. L. (2015). Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science, 347(6223), 768-771.

2. Rochman, C. M., Browne, M. A., Halpern, B. S., Hentschel, B. T., Hoh, E., Karapanagioti, H. K., … & Thompson, R. C. (2013). Policy: Classify plastic waste as hazardous. Nature, 494(7436), 169-171.

3. Thompson, R. C., Moore, C. J., vom Saal, F. S., & Swan, S. H. (2009). Plastics, the environment and human health: current consensus and future trends. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1526), 2153-2166.