Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

  • Speech on Plastic Pollution

ffImage

Long and Short Speech on Plastic Pollution

Plastic waste makes its way from our homes and workplaces to landfills and bodies of water, resulting in plastic contamination. There is an immediate need to correctly dispose of such plastic waste and to reduce its widespread usage in the interests of health and the environment. Here we have provided both long and short speeches on plastic pollution for students of Class 5 to 12 along with 10 lines for a speech on plastic for students of Class 1 to 4. 

Long Speech on Pollution by Plastic Bags

Today, I am here to deliver a speech on plastic pollution. Plastic has very seriously impacted the health and life of human beings in the last decade. Several events have drawn the attention of the whole world and placed a question mark on the use of plastic in everyday life.

Plastic, the wonder material we use for anything that pollutes our atmosphere, is probably the most destructive waste deposited in the sea by sailors and sea-goers because it does not break down easily. The plastic that goes in the river today might still be around to ruin the fishing gear, ship propellers, and beaches for future generations.

Plastic is non-degradable material, it does not completely mix up with the natural elements unlike degradable materials like food, clothes, paper etc Hence, it persists in nature for a longer time than other materials. India generates around 9 million tons of plastic waste annually. It is so sad to know that 40% of the total waste generated is not even collected from the source. Most of the plastic waste generated is single-use plastic which is discarded by people with minimal use of it. 

Plastics can be broadly divided into microplastics and macroplastics. Microplastics are smaller in particle size with less than five millimeters. They include microbeads that are used in making cosmetics, personal hygiene products, industries, and microfibers which are used for sanitation. On the other hand, macroplastics are particles with more than five millimeters. Comparatively, microplastics cause more damage as they are easily transferred from one trophic level to another trophic level.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board in India, we generate around 26,000 tons of all types of plastics every day and half of it is not even collected from the source. They choke the drains, get eaten by animals, enter the water resources and pollute the environment. On average, every Indian consumes 11 kgs of plastic every year. Though it is 10 times less than the USA, as India has more population, we seem to generate a lot of waste comparatively.

Careless plastic handling can have dire repercussions. For an indiscriminate feeder like the sea turtle, a plastic bag seems like a delicious jellyfish, but plastic is indigestible. It can choke, block the intestines of those animals that eat it or cause infection.

A plastic bag can clog the cooling system of an outboard engine as well. Monofilament fishing lines lost or discarded may foul propellers, break oil seals and lower engine units, or may become an enveloping web for fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.

More and more plastic is collected in our oceans every day. Recreational boaters are not the only party to dispose of plastic refuse at sea improperly. Through waste outfalls, merchant shipping, commercial fishing activities, and beachgoers, plastics are also entering the marine environment.

It is very flexible in the middle stage and, depending on temperature and pressure, any shape can be provided. In the practice of plastic waste preparation, urea, formaldehyde, polyethene, polystyrene, polycythylcholide, phenolic compounds and other substances are used.

The most widespread plastic contamination nowadays is caused by polyvinyl chloride (P.V.C.). The soluble chemical is eventually dissolved in them when any food substance or blood is deposited in the aforementioned plastic containers, causing death due to cancer and other skin diseases.

The fertility of animals and their respiratory systems have also been found to be destroyed by polyvinyl chloride. It causes paralysis when combined with water and also affects bones and causes skin irritation.

Here are several steps we should take to reverse the tide of harmful, non-biodegradable waste so that our world will not be overtaken by it.

Use of paper, canvas, and other healthy-fiber containers, placed produce.

Using bags of wax paper, cloth napkins, or reusable sandwich boxes (e.g., tiffins, described below).

Using bottles or cans of glass only.

We need to acknowledge that we only have one planet, which we are supposed to pass down to our future generations. It is our responsibility to keep it safe and clean.

Short Speech on Plastic Waste Management

Today, I am here to deliver a speech on plastic waste management. The influx of plastics into our environment has reached crisis levels, and it is evident through the pollution of our oceans. Up to 12 million metric tons of plastic are expected to flood our ocean each year.

Our oceans are increasingly becoming plastic broth, and the effect on the survival of the oceans is chilling. Discarded plastic fishing lines entangle turtles and seabirds, and bits of plastic of all sizes choke and clog the stomachs of animals, from small zooplankton to whales, which confuse it for food. Plastic is now entering all layers of the food chain and is even showing up on our plates with seafood.

Our world can no longer accept throw-away plastics as a society. Our landfills are being filled up with single-use plastics, choking our waterways, and contaminating our oceans. Corporations have been blaming us all for far too long to deal with their own failed design problem. We have been advised that citizens should simply recycle the billions of tons of output from plastic companies and that it will make the required difference to sustain our world.

We were told a lie.

There is no recycling of over 90 percent of plastics. Recycling alone will simply never solve this problem. A radical change in how they deliver goods to people must be faced with the size of the problem companies have developed. It is up to all of us to demand more, to tell these industrial companies that the plastics they impose on us will no longer be accepted. Our planet deserves better and if they fail to adapt, we don't need their goods.

For a lifetime, nothing that is used for a few minutes should end up polluting our oceans. It's time for us to denounce the old corporate story that we are content with a throw-away lifestyle and build a better future. 

10 Lines for Speech on Plastic

Plastic is a synthetic substance that is non-bio-degradable.

We use it indiscriminately in almost all day-to-day products.

Environmental contamination comes from plastic accumulation.

Land, rivers and oceans are plagued by its accumulation.

It releases poisonous gases such as nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide upon burning.

It also contributes to the loss of marine life and wildlife.

We ought to use biodegradable materials instead of plastic.

It is compulsory to use advanced incinerators for successful waste disposal.

In the soil, chlorinated plastics emit harmful chemicals that seep into the groundwater and damage us.

If we want to preserve Mother Earth, we should stop using plastic and use only natural biodegradable materials.

arrow-right

FAQs on Speech on Plastic Pollution

1. What are the sources of Plastic Waste?

One major invention that changed the entire manufacturing sector and industries is “Plastic”. It helped in increasing the concept of consumerism as plastic is cheap and has many advantages to use in industries compared to its alternatives. Following are the major sources of plastic:

Most of the plastic debris is found in ocean and land base

They enter the ocean or wastelands from the urban and stormwater runoff from the towns and cities.

Inadequate waste management plans, improper disposal of waste materials also contribute to this issue

Main sources for ocean-based plastic pollution are the fishing industry, aquaculture, naval activity, letting the wastewater from nearby places into the water bodies

When the UV rays, wind and other agents act on the plastics, they remove the plastics and turn them into microplastics which are comparatively much more harmful.

2. What are the impacts of Plastic Waste?

Plastic is a non-biodegradable substance. They either take a lot of time to get degraded or they never get degraded completely. Hence they lead to persistent ill effects on the environment including biotic and abiotic components. Following are some of the effects:

Plastics that persist on the shoreline will ruin the scenery of the beach and damage the revenue obtained from the tourism sector of a place

When plastic is ingested by aquatic animals, they get stuck in the digestive tract and leading to their death or starvation.

Animals can get trapped in the plastic materials like bottles and covers. They can not come out by themselves and thus die due to suffocation and starvation

Plastics can have toxic elements and thus they damage the vital organs of the animals. Sometimes plastics have carcinogenic agents leading to the death of the living being

Chemicals and toxins that are leached from the plastics might contain anti-androgen and other hormones that affect the human reproductive system badly. 

The toxins leached from the plastic enter the land, water and other natural resources and pollute them. They turn unfit for human consumption.

3. What are the measures taken to reduce the Pollution caused by Plastic?

Plastic pollution affects not only the finite natural resources but also animals, plants and humans directly. Following are the measures to reduce plastic pollution:

Most of the plastic items we use in our daily life are single-use plastics. Try to trace such items and replace them with reusable alternatives.

20 billion plastic bottles are generated every year and simply tossed after using them. Try to replace them and carry your bottle when you go out

Microbeads are a type of microplastics, they are used in scrubs, cosmetics and many personal hygiene products. They are very minute and cause enormous damage to the animals, especially to the aquatic animals when they are consumed. Try buying products that do not have microbeads.

4. What is the International Agreements made to control Plastic Pollution?

Plastic pollution is a much wider issue and requires a global solution. Any effect of pollution is felt across the geographical area. Hence international cooperation is needed to control plastic pollution. Following are some of the measures and targets taken up to control plastic pollution:

170 countries have decided to reduce plastic usage by 2030. This was done after the UN assembly held at Nairobi. 

Initially, an attempt was made to ban single-use plastic by 2025 but this was discarded by many members

Plastic wastes are considered harmful under the Basel Convention and measures were taken to stop dumping them into water resources and targets were fixed accordingly.

5. How are Plastics made?

The use of plastic has changed the entire production process. It has reduced our dependence on paper to some extent and we need to cut down the trees. But excessive dependence and improper waste management mechanisms led to plastic pollution. Plastic is made from oil, natural gas and plants which are processed into ethane and propane. These elements are further treated by applying enormous heat energy to convert them into ethylene and propylene. Several ethylene and other materials are combined to form “polymers”. It is sent into an extruder and then into a pipe after melting. They're made into tubes, cubes after settling them down.

  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

A Plus Topper

Improve your Grades

Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution for Students and Children in English

February 8, 2024 by Prasanna

Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution: Plastic pollution can be defined as the build-up of plastic or plastic materials or particles in the Earth’s environment, which harms nature, living organisms, ecosystems, and wildlife.

Plastic acting as pollutants can be classified into micro and meso, or micro debris based on the size. One of the leading causes of marine litter is plastic waste, as the countries that import plastic waste are not capable of processing all the material. A ban has been imposed on synthetic waste trade by the United Nations unless it meets a few criteria.

Students can also find more  English Speech Writing  about Welcome Speeches, Farewell Speeches, etc

Long and Short Speeches On Beat Plastic Pollution for Kids And Students in English

We are providing a long Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution of 500 words and a short Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution of 150 words on the same topic along with ten lines about the issue to help readers.

These speeches will be helpful for students and organisations to understand the serious threat that is being imposed on the environment due to plastic waste trade. These speeches can also help in creating awareness about the terrible effects of plastic waste on the environment.

A Long Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution is helpful to students of classes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. A Short Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution is helpful to students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Long Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution 500 Words In English

Greetings and Salutation!

Plastic pollution in today’s world has become one of the most alarming environmental issues. The world is being overburdened with the rapid increase in the production of disposable plastic products.

Plastics are low-cost and long-lasting, which leads to high plastic production by humans. The chemical structure of plastics makes them resistant to many natural processes of degradation. As a result of which they are not easily degraded.

Plastic becomes a problem as it acts like a sponge. It soaks up other toxic chemicals and pollutants present in the ocean. Eventually, when the plastic breaks down, these chemical and harmful substances get released into the environment along with additives such as colour, which turns out to be highly toxic.

After World War II, the production and development of numerous new plastic products had been accelerated. In the modern age, life without plastic is unimaginable. Even though plastic was very convenient, as people started engaging in the throw-away culture, the dark side of the product was disclosed. The lifespan of many plastic products, such as plastic bags or polythene, is of mere minutes to hours. However, they persist in the environment for hundreds of years.

Major rivers act as conveyor belts carrying the trash, which includes plastic waste into the seas. Once the plastic trash reaches the sea, it remains in the coastal waters. However, if it gets caught in ocean currents, it can be transported around the globe.

Every single year millions of birds, animals, fishes, and other marine organisms are being killed due to plastic. Plastic is known to have affected around 700 species, including endangered ones. Almost every species of sea bird eats plastic.

Entanglement and starvation is the primary cause for the death of the marine animals. Plastics have been found to have blocked digestive tract or torn organs, causing death. Starvation was created as the stomachs were filled with plastics, which reduced the urge to eat. Land-based animals such as elephants, zebras, tigers, camels, etc. have consumed plastic and, in some cases, died.

Plastic also hampers human lives in many ways. One of them being that most of the food that we consume comes in plastic containers that contain BPAs. It is an endocrine disruptor. The body functions that are regulated by the human endocrine system are metabolism, heart rate, digestion, and fertility.

Research done in the year 2018 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) showed that 90% of the bottled water that people consume had microplastics in them. Although the effect of microplastics on human health is not known as such, scientists agree that as microplastics hurt the health of other species, it can’t be good for us as well.

Burning trash in the open air is a widespread practice in many parts of the world where there is no proper waste management system. This practice allows chemicals from plastic that are released during the process to enter our bodies even when we naturally are breathing.

Short Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution 150 Words In English

Short Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution 150 Words In English

Good morning to everyone present here.

Plastic pollution is the collection of plastic in the environment, which adversely affects ecosystems and wildlife. The developing Asian and African countries are where plastic pollution is the most visible as the garbage collection systems are non-existent or not very efficient.

Every year the world produces 380 million tons of plastic entering the surroundings eventually, which may end up as pollutants.

Even though the burning of plastic reduces the amount of trash being dumped into the oceans and lands, it still generates toxic fumes, which also contribute as greenhouse gases.

Plastics and plastic products are present everywhere. These products are approximately used only once before they end up as wastes.

Plastic is an epidemic and does not have any particular solution to its pollution. 10% of the total waste that we generate is plastic. Reusing, recycling, and reducing plastic waste are the most efficient ways to protect from plastic pollution.

10 Lines On Beat Plastic Pollution Speech In English

  • In the last 15 years, almost 50% of all the plastics that was ever produced since mankind has been manufactured.
  • From 2.3 million tons in the year 1950, the production rate exponentially increased to 448 million tons by 2015.
  • By the year 2050, the production of plastic is expected to be doubled.
  • Plastic is around 73% of the beach litter worldwide.
  • Each year an average person eats 70000 microplastics.
  • Every year nearly 1.1 million birds and animals are being killed by plastic.
  • It is illegal to use plastic in a few parts of the world.
  • 2 million plastic bags are used every day worldwide.
  • There are a few types of plastics that are not recyclable.
  • More than 5 trillion pieces of plastic are floating in the oceans.

10 lines On Beat Plastic Pollution Speech In English

FAQ’s On Beat Plastic Pollution Speech

Question 1. What is the solution to throw away or single-use plastics?

Answer: Products need to be made with reusable materials; the packaging should be plastic-free. Companies need to rethink and bring sustainable products to customers.

Question 2. Discuss the biodegradability of plastics.

Answer: Some plastics are biodegradable, and some are not. It also depends on the place where the plastic ends up. A few plastics can be degraded to a significant degree very slowly when exposed to water or air or light. Many are not degraded at all, even on exposure.

Question 3. What are the products of recycled plastic?

Answer: Plastic can be recycled to make furniture, cooking utensils, new packaging, and even used in fashion. Plastic that remains non-recycled can be used as fuel.

Question 4. What can a person do to help in reducing plastic pollution?

Answer: A person can contribute to reducing plastic pollution by:

  • Switching from plastic bags to reusable bags whenever shopping.
  • Replacing plastic bottles and cups with aluminium bottles and reusable containers, respectively.
  • Skipping straws and using reusable straws.
  • Picture Dictionary
  • English Speech
  • English Slogans
  • English Letter Writing
  • English Essay Writing
  • English Textbook Answers
  • Types of Certificates
  • ICSE Solutions
  • Selina ICSE Solutions
  • ML Aggarwal Solutions
  • HSSLive Plus One
  • HSSLive Plus Two
  • Kerala SSLC
  • Distance Education

InfinityLearn logo

Speech on Beat Plastic Pollution in English in simple and easy words

iit-jee, neet, foundation

Table of Contents

“Beat Plastic Pollution” was the theme of 2018 World Environment Day and our country played the host on June 5 – it is important that we, as the responsible citizens of our country realize the need of the hour. World Environment Day speech brings out the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, highlighting the crucial role each individual plays in preserving the Earth’s beauty and resources. And the present calling is that we completely ban the use of plastic which acts as a really toxic substance for our environment. But it is not possible unless we all come together and work in unison.

Fill Out the Form for Expert Academic Guidance!

Please indicate your interest Live Classes Books Test Series Self Learning

Verify OTP Code (required)

I agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy .

Fill complete details

Target Exam ---

We should therefore try to invite more and more people to come forward in this initiative and do every bit in preserving our environment. In fact, you can write a speech on beat plastic pollution, spread awareness amongst the people and move people with the power of words.

Long and Short Speech on Beat Plastic Pollution in English

Here, we have covered both long speeches on “beat plastic pollution” as well as short speeches on “beat plastic pollution” which are comprehensive and easy to understand. You can take a cue from the following and create your own impressive speeches.

Beat Plastic Pollution Speech 1

Greetings of the day Ladies and Gentlemen – Welcome to the speech ceremony of today!

How are you all doing? I hope this day finds you in the best of spirits. The speech topic for today is “Beat Plastic Pollution”. Beat Plastic Pollution, as we all know, is the theme for this year’s World Environment Day. It is clearly a call to action for each one of us as we are expected to come together for a cause, i.e. to battle with the great environmental challenges posed before us. Our country played the host this year and chose the theme accordingly, i.e. to urge the countries from across the world to make changes in their day to day lives by taking the burden of plastic pollution off from our natural landscapes, our wildlife as well as our very own health.

Whereas plastic proves to be quite valuable to us, we have become over dependent on disposable or single-used plastic product leading to serious environmental consequences. Globally, one million drinking bottles of plastic are being purchased every single minute and with no reason to get surprised, we consume up to five trillion single-use plastic bags. In total, more than half of the plastic that we use is only single use.

About one third of the packaging that we use in the form of plastic escapes the waste collection and disposal system, which implies that it ends up blocking our city streets thereby causing pollution around us and making our natural surroundings to appear filthy. Every year, about 13 million tons of plastic is being dumped into our oceans where it chokes coral reefs and pose a serious threat to the vulnerable water living species. The plastic that is being dumped into the oceans can circle our planet earth four times in a year and it can retain its original form for about 1,000 years before completely disintegrating.

There are many things that we can do to beat plastic pollution, such as going up to the restaurants and asking them to stop the use of plastic straws, asking people to carry their own coffee mugs at workplace and putting pressure on the local authorities to streamline their city waste. Here is what rest you can do:

  • Carry your own bag to the shopping stores;
  • Don’t litter waste especially plastic waste on the road;
  • Avoid the use of plastic cutlery;
  • If you observe any plastic waste around yourself, put it in a refuse box

By putting our conscientious efforts we can actually get rid our environment of these toxic waste products and build a clean and green city. Did you know that plastic also act as a magnet having the ability to attract other pollutants along with metals, dioxins and pesticides?

So I request everyone to completely shun the use of plastics and switch to environment friendly products. This is all I have to say.

Thank you everyone!

Beat Plastic Pollution Speech 2

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen – I welcome you all to the National Environment Day Program!

The theme of today’s program is Beat Plastic Pollution, but before we pledge to beat plastic pollution it becomes very important for all of us to understand how and in what way plastic is polluting our environment. Let’s take a look at the basic facts related to plastic pollution:

  • Every single year 500 billion plastic bags are being circulated in the world market;
  • Every minute about one million plastic bottles are being used;
  • Every year more than 8 million tones of plastic is being dumped into the oceans and other water bodies – the equivalent of a full truck of garbage every single minute;
  • In the preceding decade, more plastic was produced than in the entire previous century;
  • Plastic makes up about 10 percent of the entire waste that is generated;
  • More than half of the plastic products in use today are disposable after a single use.

In fact, “Beat Plastic Pollution” was the theme for World Environment Day 2018 which urged the governments, communities, industries as well as individuals to unite for this cause and look for sustainable alternatives and urgently curb the production as well as excessive use of disposable plastic products that pollute our water bodies, destroy marine life as well as threaten human health.

On the World Environment Day, the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change – Dr. Harsh Vardhan – said, “If each and every one of us does at least one environment friendly deed daily considering our Green Social Responsibility, there will be billions of environment friendly deeds daily, marking a giant step forward towards a “greener planet”.

Luckily, our government has committed to hosting and spreading the awareness about the World Environment Day celebrations, with the help of a range of engaging activities as well as events forming strong public opinions and asking for their participation. Beginning from pan-Indian plastic clean-up campaigns in public zones, forests and national reserves to simultaneous beach clean-up campaigns – India will head the program by clearly setting an example for others.

In fact, India is surfacing as a leader; given the fact that we have the highest recycling rates across the globe. It can greatly help in keeping a check on the plastic pollution. After having organized World Environment Day 2018 in our country, the government of India is moving with a fast pace on handling this cause of global concern.

It is high time that not only our government, but we as the responsible global citizens take the onus of protecting our environment and become proactive towards preserving our mother earth. So ladies and gentlemen let’s take a pledge to actually beat plastic pollution and protect our surroundings from every possible threat.

Now, I would like to invite those interested from the audience to come on stage and say a few words in this regard as well as suggest some effective steps towards combating plastic pollution.

Thank you all for being such patient listeners.

Take free test

Beat Plastic Pollution Speech 3

Hon’ble Chief Guest, Principal, Vice Principal, Teachers and My Dear Friends – Warm Greetings to one and all!

Thank you for assembling in the school auditorium and making this event happen. Today’s occasion is dedicated to protecting our environment and making conscientious efforts towards beating plastic pollution. I, Priyanka Nangia from Class – XII (B), would be your host for today and would also like to address the topic called “Beat Plastic Pollution” by sharing my opinion and views. However, it’s an open discussion and anyone can feel free to come over to the stage and enlighten us with their views. It will be really good if we all can discuss together and explore the possibilities of getting rid our environment of the toxic plastic waste.

There is a pressing need to spread awareness around us for protecting our environment and banning the use of plastic. As we all know that our country played host for the 2018 World Environment Day which took place on 5 th June. Having “Beat Plastic Pollution” the theme of this year’s event, the world has united to combat pollution caused by disposable plastic. The world has realized that protecting and improving our environment is the need of the hour as it is directly related to the well-being of the people and economic growth across the globe, which is why June 5 is specially dedicated to celebrating World Environment Day and raising the people’s awareness.

The celebration of June 5 gives us an important opportunity to enhance our knowledge of the environment and shoulder the responsibility together of conserving our planet Earth wherein beating plastic pollution is an important step towards it. It is important to conduct seminars and workshops amongst various communities and institutions for laying a strong foundation for cleaner and greener cities.

Besides, here’s what you can do in your day to day lives to safeguard your environment from pollution:

  • Stop using plastic bottles;
  • Stop using polythene bags for carrying any commodity;
  • Shun the use of plastic cups for drinking coffee or tea instead use earthen cups;
  • Use recycled products; even clothes for that matter;
  • Never throw plastic in any form on the road side or streets;
  • Organize community gatherings for the city cleanup program;
  • Try plogging, which means jogging while picking up rags from the roadside;
  • Spread awareness among the people about the hazards of plastic pollution.

Plastic pollution is considered the most direct threat to the survival of living species on earth and of course to our environment. However, if we take a stern resolve and make use of advanced techniques for the disposal of waste then we will be able to make a progress towards building a clean and healthy environment.

This is all from my end and now I would like to request our chief guest Smt.——– to come on stage and say a few words in this regard.

Thank you all for patiently listening to me!

Beat Plastic Pollution Speech 4

Greetings of the day ladies and gentlemen – Welcome to the speech ceremony of today!

The subject of today’s speech topic is “Beat Plastic Pollution”. As we all know how much the whole world is suffering from pollution and its after effects. And the worst form of pollution that every country is struggling with is plastic pollution. Therefore, there is an urgent need to adopt preventive measures and keeping this problem at bay.

If we trace our roots we realize that mankind originated in the lap of nature. Human beings exploited the resources provided to them by the nature and it continued for thousands of years. But what we see in the present times is that man’s greed knows no bounds and we are hell bent on destroying that very nature which nurtured us. We are not only exploiting the resources through unfair means, but are also polluting our mother earth and choking it with filth and waste. Pollution therefore has become a global concern and its repercussions can be seen all around us. Plastic was one of the biggest inventions of humankind. However, unfortunately it has become the greatest adversary of Mother Nature. The plastic pollution has become a grave issue faced by the world and it is causing a great harm to our nature and the living species present in it.

The reason why plastic is so much used is because it comes with a lot of benefits, such as it is flexible, versatile, lightweight, moisture resistant and cheaper in comparison with its counterparts. This is what makes us become completely indifferent towards the damaging impact of plastic on our environment. Our voracious appetite for it has caused tremendous increase not only in its consumption, but in the level of pollution as well. Even a small piece of plastic has the durability to last on earth for numerous years. This is one of-its-kind case of a boon gradually turning into a bane as we are continuing to use plastic products and then eventually end up throwing them off in our surroundings. Plastic is durable in nature which prevents it from decomposing easily thereby making it a chief source of pollution these days.

But the best part is that our government and people in the form of community, municipality groups as well as businesses are taking stringent measures against the use of disposable plastics. Ban has already been re-enforced on such items as grocery bags, plastic bottles, plastic drinking straws, stirrers, takeaway foam containers, plastic-lined coffee cups, including non-biodegradable wet wipes.

Waste generated from plastic is undoubtedly a big concern for all of us and we need to act together to be able to handle this problem because this waste pollutes our water bodies, soil, air, and food. It’s high time that we all work really hard to preserve our environment and make it healthy so that every living species can survive to its optimum.

This is all from my end, thank you so much!

Related Information:

Speech on Pollution

Speech on Pollution Caused by Firecrackers

Essay on Plastic Bag

Essay on Plastic Pollution

Why Plastic Bags Should be Banned Essay

Speech on Plastic Pollution

Essay on How Plastic Bags are Harmful to Marine Life

More Information:

Speech on Water Pollution

Speech on Air Pollution

Speech on Soil Pollution

Speech on Radioactive Pollution

Speech on Light Pollution

Related content

Call Infinity Learn

Talk to our academic expert!

Language --- English Hindi Marathi Tamil Telugu Malayalam

Get access to free Mock Test and Master Class

Register to Get Free Mock Test and Study Material

Offer Ends in 5:00

Please select class

Speech on Pollution for Students and Children

3 minute speech on pollution for students.

Pollution has become one of the most concerning issues for our planet and mankind. It takes place when pollutants contaminate our environment. In other words, pollution is responsible for disturbing the balance of the ecosystem. Moreover, it impacts our lifestyle severely and also contributes greatly to global warming. As the world is getting more modern, pollution is also enhancing day by day. It’s like we are the prisoners of our own creations. Further, it has become rather essential to learn about the causes, types, and impact of pollution to deal with this problem.

3 minute speech on pollution

Causes and Impact of Pollution

Think about it yourself and wonder how you contribute to pollution. As there isn’t just one person, organization or government to blame, but all of us. Moreover, pollution comes in different forms. To begin with, we have air pollution which means contamination of air. It is a very dangerous kind of pollution and which chemically and physically alters the air.

When toxic gases enter the atmosphere, life becomes difficult for human beings. The burning of fossil fuels, mining, automobile exhausts, and more contribute to it. Thus, it causes acid rains, respiratory problems, global warming and more.

Next up, water pollution is on the rise like anything. The industrial waste, sewage, wastewater, oil spills, and more contribute to it. Further, the impact is very deadly as we cannot survive without water. The water needed for drinking, cooking, agriculture and more is declining day by day.

Get the Huge List of 100+ Speech Topics here

Further, we have soil pollution where contaminants and toxic chemicals hamper the quality of our soil. Soil pollution has a very negative impact, especially on wildlife and vegetation. In addition to human life and groundwater are also severely damaged. Improper waste disposal, industrial activities, acid rains and more contribute to soil pollution.

Thus, it can contaminate the health of human beings. Moreover, it impacts the growth of plants as it decreases the fertility of the soil. Moreover, it also alters the structure of the soil due to pollution.

How to Curb Pollution?

As pollution impacts our lives negatively, we need to find out ways to curb it and implement them immediately. It does not only degrade the life of humans but also animals and vegetation. We must all begin by adopting conservation approaches and sustainable strategies. It is important more than ever to restore the ecological balance.

We need to bring a change in our transportation choices. Begin with opting for public transportation instead of a private one. Try to carpool or walk and ride bikes to places. Further, we must also make sustainable food choices. Local and organic produce is the way to go.

Furthermore, the little things will go a long way. For instance, switching off the lights and fans when not in use. Unplugging electrical appliances and using energy-efficient appliances.

Moreover, we must also practice recycling and reducing waste production.  Do not use plastic and carry your own cloth or plastic bags when shopping. Use glass containers for storage instead of plastic ones. Further, conserve water at all times. Fix any leakages if present and do not use hot water unnecessarily.

To sum it up, we see that the change begins with us. You don’t have to bank on the government or the industries to curb pollution, as we all contribute to it. We need to control pollution so as to create a healthy future for our upcoming generations. Every person on this earth has a great role to play in restoring the balance of the earth. Educate the public about menacing issues and protect the earth from degrading.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

tutor

Speech for Students

  • Speech on India for Students and Children
  • Speech on Mother for Students and Children
  • Speech on Air Pollution for Students and Children
  • Speech about Life for Students and Children
  • Speech on Disaster Management for Students and Children
  • Speech on Internet for Students and Children
  • Speech on Generation Gap for Students and Children
  • Speech on Indian Culture for Students and Children
  • Speech on Sports for Students and Children
  • Speech on Water for Students and Children

16 responses to “Speech on Water for Students and Children”

this was very helpful it saved my life i got this at the correct time very nice and helpful

This Helped Me With My Speech!!!

I can give it 100 stars for the speech it is amazing i love it.

Its amazing!!

Great !!!! It is an advanced definition and detail about Pollution. The word limit is also sufficient. It helped me a lot.

This is very good

Very helpful in my speech

Oh my god, this saved my life. You can just copy and paste it and change a few words. I would give this 4 out of 5 stars, because I had to research a few words. But my teacher didn’t know about this website, so amazing.

Tomorrow is my exam . This is Very helpfull

It’s really very helpful

yah it’s is very cool and helpful for me… a lot of 👍👍👍

Very much helpful and its well crafted and expressed. Thumb’s up!!!

wow so amazing it helped me that one of environment infact i was given a certificate

check it out travel and tourism voucher

thank you very much

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Google Play

English Summary

1 Minute Speech on Plastic Pollution In English

A very good morning to one and all present here. Today, I will be giving a short speech on the topic of plastic pollution. 

Simply put, plastic pollution involves the excessive use of plastic and its poor disposal thereof affecting living beings and the surrounding environment negatively. It severely disrupts the landscape, sometimes irreversibly so.

To avoid plastic pollution and its dire consequences, post its usage, plastic ought to be disposed of properly. Because plastic is non-biodegradable, it will not decompose with the soil for thousands of years and will continue to affect the quality of the land, water, or soil present for years to come!

Segregate plastic and dispose of it in the right dustbin to avoid plastic pollution. 

Related Posts:

easy speech on plastic pollution

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

easy speech on plastic pollution

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

easy speech on plastic pollution

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

Leverage Edu

  • Speech Writing /

Speech on Pollution: Free Samples for Students in English

easy speech on plastic pollution

  • Updated on  
  • Jun 28, 2024

Speech on Pollution

Speech on Pollution : Pollution is the introduction of any undesirable substance into our environment, leading to the contamination of natural resources. These harmful substances, known as pollutants, have become a significant existential threat to all living beings on Earth. Today, every nation, region, and community grapples with the challenges posed by pollution, a problem primarily driven by human activities that have been degrading our natural environment for centuries.

From burning fossil fuels to deforestation, nearly every self-serving human activity contributes to environmental pollution. The cars we drive, the plastic products we use, the clothes we wear, and the waste we generate—all these actions play a role in polluting our planet. In response to this escalating crisis, various governmental and international organizations have been established to address pollution and mitigate its impacts. One notable entity is the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which tackles pollution, its causes, and its consequences on a global scale.

Know more about World Environment Day Speech for School Students.

School students are often asked to deliver a speech on pollution. To help students with their speech preparation, here are sample speeches that they can refer to.

Also Read: Speech on Global Warming

Also Read: Speech on Deforestation for School Students

1-Minute Speech on Pollution

‘Hello and welcome to all my mates and teachers. Today, I stand before you to present my speech on pollution. There is a lot about pollution in our Geography books. From the causes of pollution to its preventive measures. But have we ever followed any of these preventive measures? 

There are different types of pollution, such as air, soil, water, radioactivity, noise, etc. All these pollutions have different sources, which not only disturb the natural environment but also have adverse effects on human health, biodiversity, ecosystems, and the climate. 

Pollution is a fight that requires a collective effort from developed and developing countries. Recently, there was a debate where the first world countries were requesting others to equally take responsibility for environmental pollution. However, this is not the case, because the major damage to the environment is caused by developmental activities in these first-world countries. 

The damage is already down, and now is not the try to cry over spilled milk. We are in this together, and we have to take responsibility for our actions. With well-structured, alternative strategies and cooperation, we can combat pollution.

Thank you.’

2- Minute Speech on Pollution

‘Hello and welcome to everyone present here. As a conscious human being, I am happy to present my speech on pollution. Pollution is known as the introduction of unwanted substances into the environment, which disrupts the natural environment and overall health of the planet. One of the major concerns of the pollution is climate change. 

The history of pollution is older than one century. In 1896, a Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius first predicted the changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, which may substantially increase the surface temperature and because a major cause of global warming. 

The first international summit to consider pollution as a global concern was the 1972 Stockholm Convention. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was the outcome of this international climate convention. UNEP deals with all environmental problems at the global level and organizes various environmental programs to raise awareness about pollution, climate change, global warming, etc.

Happy #WorldEnvironmentDay ! Thank you to international sand artist @sudarsansand for this beautiful contribution to #GenerationRestoration ! pic.twitter.com/32nmYFqCXt — UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) June 5, 2021

Today, our terrestrial and marine ecosystems are facing existential threats due to pollution. Deforestation, industrial waste, and chemical pollutants are wreaking havoc on biodiversity. The loss of habitats, the decline of species, and the imbalance in our ecosystems paint a grim picture of the toll pollution takes on our natural world.

There are different types of pollution, such as air, water, noise, soil, radioactivity, thermal, plastic, etc. Burning of fossil fuels, industrial processes, vehicle emissions, and agricultural activities causes air pollution. Industrial discharges, agricultural runoff, untreated sewage, oil spills, and dumping of chemicals in rivers, ponds and lakes cause water pollution. Improper disposal of industrial waste, agricultural practices, use of pesticides and fertilizers, and contamination from hazardous substances cause soil pollution. The list goes on as new types of pollution are being discovered by scientists. 

Pollution not only affects our environment but also disrupts our daily life as it affects our health, and biodiversity and is a major cause of climate change. Every country and its citizens must recognize the importance of addressing pollution through regulations, sustainable alternative practices, and environmental conservation efforts.

Also Read: Essay on Environmental Pollution in 100 and 200 Words

Ans: Pollution is known as the introduction of unwanted substances into the environment, which disrupts the natural environment and overall health of the planet. One of the major concerns of the pollution is climate change.  The history of pollution is older than one century. In 1896, a Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius first predicted the changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, which may substantially increase the surface temperature and because a major cause of global warming.  The first international summit to consider pollution as a global concern was the 1972 Stockholm Convention. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was the outcome of this international climate convention.

Ans: Soil, Air, Water, Thermal, Radioactivity, Noise, and plastic are the major types of pollution.

Ans: Burning of fossil fuels, industrial processes, vehicle emissions, industrial discharges, agricultural runoff, untreated sewage, oil spills, and dumping of chemicals in rivers, etc. are some of the major causes of pollution.

Related Articles




For more information on such interesting speech topics for your school, visit our speech writing page and follow Leverage Edu .  

' src=

Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

easy speech on plastic pollution

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

easy speech on plastic pollution

Resend OTP in

easy speech on plastic pollution

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

easy speech on plastic pollution

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

easy speech on plastic pollution

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

easy speech on plastic pollution

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

easy speech on plastic pollution

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

easy speech on plastic pollution

Don't Miss Out

T4Tutorials.com

Speech about Plastic Pollution [1,2,3,5 Minutes]

1 minute speech about plastic pollution.

Plastic is a threat to the environment and it’s not going away anytime soon. The amount of plastic that is being produced is increasing and there are no signs that it will slow down.

While the use of plastics has increased, so has our awareness of the damage they do to our planet. There are many ways to reduce your plastic use, such as recycling and reusing plastic bottles, using cloth bags instead of plastic bags, and avoiding single-use plastics like straws or coffee cups.

Disadvantages of Plastic Pollution are many. It takes a long time for the plastic to decompose and can harm wildlife.

Plastic is used in many different industries, including packaging, manufacturing, construction, transportation, and more. The use of plastic has increased exponentially over the past few decades. This has led to an increase in plastic pollution in our oceans and landfills.

The production of plastics uses large amounts of oil that can harm our environment by increasing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

Quotes of some internationally famous personalities for Speech on Speech about Plastic Pollution

  • David Attenborough : “The future of life on Earth depends on our ability to take action. Many individuals are doing what they can, but real success can only come if there’s a change in our societies and our economics and in our politics.”
  • Jane Goodall : “The greatest danger to our future is apathy.”
  • Sylvia Earle : “With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you’re connected to the sea. No matter where on Earth you live.”
  • Margaret Mead : “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
  • Leonardo DiCaprio : “Climate change is the single greatest threat to a sustainable future but, at the same time, addressing the climate challenge presents an opportunity to create a healthier, more sustainable future for all.”
  • Greta Thunberg : “I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is.”
  • Al Gore : “It is your generation that must face the reality of climate change and the consequences of your choices or lack of choices.”
  • Jacques-Yves Cousteau : “The sea, the great unifier, is man’s only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning: we are all in the same boat.”
  • Wangari Maathai : “It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.”
  • Rachel Carson : “In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand, there is the story of the Earth.”

2 Minutes Speech about Plastic Pollution

As the use of plastic has increased, so has the amount of waste it produces. The world is now faced with a huge problem of plastic pollution.

Plastic Pollution is an environmental issue that has been increasing in recent years. It can be seen in oceans, rivers and even the air we breathe. With this problem, many people are looking for ways to reduce their plastic consumption and help reduce this pollution.

There are many ways to reduce your plastic consumption such as recycling and reusing plastics, reducing the use of single-use plastics, or simply buying products that are not made of plastic.

Plastic pollution is a global issue that has the potential to harm almost every living thing in the world. It can cause a variety of health problems, such as cancer and heart disease.

Plastic pollution is a growing problem in the world that has many adverse effects on human health and the environment. The most common type of plastic pollution is packaging, which makes up about 60% of all plastic waste.

There are many disadvantages associated with plastic pollution. There are also many ways to reduce it from happening or lessen its impact on our environment.

Plastic pollution is a growing issue in our society. It has been found that around 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year.

Plastic pollution has many disadvantages, such as:

– The pollution causes harm to marine life and the environment

– It takes up to 500 years for plastic to degrade

– Ingesting or swallowing plastic can cause health problems for humans and animals

3 Minutes Speech about Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is a global issue that is worsening every day. It has been estimated that the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans will outweigh fish by 2050.

With this in mind, it is more important than ever to reduce the amount of plastic waste we generate. One way to do this is to use reusable bags and bottles when going out shopping or travelling so you can avoid buying unnecessary items that contribute to the problem.

Plastic pollution is a global issue that is affecting the environment and human health. It’s estimated that there are up to 300 million tons of plastic waste produced every year.

Plastic pollution is not just an issue in the ocean; it can also be found in rivers, lakes, and even our own backyards. There are many disadvantages of plastic pollution, including:

– Plastic doesn’t decompose easily and can take up to 1000 years to break down completely

– Plastic breaks down into smaller pieces which then become microplastics and enter the food chain through animals eating them or getting caught in their gills

5 Minutes Speech about Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is a major issue that affects the Earth’s ecosystem. It can get in the food chain and cause harm to animals, humans, and even plants.

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental problems today. The use of plastic has increased exponentially over the last few decades, but it has also become a global crisis as its production has not been curbed by other means.

Plastic pollution is a growing global problem. It has been estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.

It is estimated that there are over 300 million tons of plastic waste in the world, and it is expected to double by 2025. This means that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.

Plastic pollution can be seen as a threat to our planet’s ecosystem and biodiversity due to its detrimental effects on marine life.

Plastics are a big part of our lives, from the food we eat to the clothes we wear. The problem is that it is not always easy to dispose of them. We have to find ways to reduce the amount of plastic pollution and find alternatives for our products.

Plastic pollution has become a global problem with no end in sight. It has even been called “the world’s most pressing environmental issue.” The amount of plastic waste in the ocean is increasing by 8% every year, and there are millions of tons of it floating on top of water bodies around the world.

Disadvantages: Plastic pollution can be harmful for humans because it can contain toxic chemicals that may cause cancer or other diseases if ingested or inhaled by humans or animals. It also harms animals as they consume or get tangled in plastics, which can lead to death as well as other health problems such as intestinal blockage and tissue damage

The disadvantages of plastic pollution are endless. One major problem is that it takes up a lot of space and can cause environmental damage. The other is that it lasts for a long time, even if we dispose it properly, which means we will have to deal with its effects for a long time to come.

Plastic pollution can also be hazardous to our health and the environment as pieces of plastic can break off and get into food chain or water sources, which could cause serious harm in the future.

Examples of sentences that can be used in starting of this speech

Examples of sentences that can be used in closing of this speech, speeches in english.

  • Speech on women’s empowerment
  • Speech on social media
  • Speech on environment
  • Speech on gender equality
  • Speech on poverty
  • Speech on Global Warming
  • Speech on Environmental Pollution
  • Speech on Earth Day
  • Speech on Discipline
  • Speech on Human Rights
  • Speech on Education
  • Motivational speech for students
  • 2-minute Self-introduction speech examples
  • Speech on Mahatma Gandhi
  • Speech on freedom fighters
  • Speech on APJ Abdul Kalam
  • Speech about friendship
  • Speech about Technology
  • Speech on Parents
  • Speech on Health
  • Speech on Health and Fitness
  • Speech on Health and Hygiene
  • Speech on Mental health
  • Speech on Yoga
  • Speech on Doctor
  • Speech about Life
  • Speech on sports
  • Speech on Racism
  • Speech on Population or overpopulation
  • Speech on Overcoming Fear
  • Speech about Family
  • Speech on Mobile Phones
  • Speech on water conservation
  • Speech on Honesty
  • Speech on Culture
  • Speech on Unity in diversity
  • Speech on Peace
  • Speech on Time
  • Speech on Success
  • Speech on Leadership
  • Speech on Nature
  • Speech on Career
  • Speech about Music
  • Speech on Democracy
  • Speech on Noise Pollution
  • Speech on Air Pollution
  • Speech on Gratitude
  • Speech on Time management
  • Speech on Dance
  • Speech on Climate Change
  • Speech on Artificial Intelligence
  • Speech on Cyber security
  • Speech on Teamwork
  • Speech on Goal Setting
  • Speech on Plastic Waste Management
  • Speech on Feminism
  • Speech on Bhagat Singh
  • Speech on Books
  • Speech on Laughter is the Best Medicine
  • Speech on Swami Vivekananda
  • Speech on Road Safety
  • Speech on Cyber Crime
  • Speech on Energy Conservation
  • Speech on Online Education
  • Speech on Quaid-e-Azam
  • Speech on Allama Iqbal
  • Speech about Rainy Day
  • Speech about Teachers’ day
  • Speech about Graduation
  • Speech about Love
  • Speech about Football
  • Speech about Money
  • Speech about Anxiety
  • Speech about Politics
  • Speech about Nelson Mandela
  • Speech about Kindness
  • Speech about Cleanliness
  • Speech about Deforestation
  • Speech about Agriculture
  • speech about Cricket
  • Speech about Unemployment
  • Speech about Birthday
  • Speech about Patience
  • Speech about the Value of Time
  • Speech about Positive Thinking
  • Speech about Knowledge is Power
  • Speech about Games
  • Speech about Indian Culture
  • Speech about Appreciation
  • Speech about Farming
  • Speech about Debut
  • Speech about Purpose
  • Speech about Hardwork
  • Speech about Thank you / Thankfulness / being thankful
  • Speeches about Communication
  • Speech about Dreams and ambitions 
  • Speech about Confidence
  • Speech about traveling and Tourism
  • Speech about Corruption
  • Speech about the millennial generation
  • Speech about Success and Failure
  • Speech about Environmental Awareness
  • Speech about Life Goals
  • Speech about Stress
  • Speech about the Life of a Student
  • Speech about Social Issues
  • Speech about Mom
  • Speech about God
  • Speech about Plants
  • Speech about Fashion
  • Speech about Basketball
  • Speech about Business
  • Speech about Smile
  • Speech about Animals
  • Speech about Passion
  • Speech about Youth Empowerment
  • Speech about Youth Leadership
  • Speech about Responsibility
  • Speech about Plastic Pollution
  • Speech about Courage
  • Speech about Homework
  • Short Speech about Engineering
  • Speech about Positive Attitude
  • Speech about Dad
  • Speech about my Favourite Teacher
  • Speech about Electricity
  • Speech about pen
  • Speech about Family Problems

Related Posts:

  • Plastic production | Plastic Recycling
  • Speech on Plastic Waste Management [1, 2, 3, 5 Minutes]
  • MCQs on Water Pollution and Noise Pollution
  • Speech on Environmental Air Pollution[1, 2, 3, 5 Minutes]
  • Speech on Noise Pollution [1, 2, 3, 5 Minutes]
  • Speech on Air Pollution [1, 2, 3, 5 Minutes]
  • News, Stories & Speeches
  • Get Involved
  • Structure and leadership
  • Committee of Permanent Representatives
  • UN Environment Assembly
  • Funding and partnerships
  • Policies and strategies
  • Evaluation Office
  • Secretariats and Conventions

A picture of a city square

  • Asia and the Pacific
  • Latin America and the Caribbean
  • New York Office
  • North America
  • Climate action
  • Nature action
  • Chemicals and pollution action
  • Digital Transformations
  • Disasters and conflicts
  • Environment under review
  • Environmental rights and governance
  • Extractives
  • Fresh Water
  • Green economy
  • Ocean, seas and coasts
  • Resource efficiency
  • Sustainable Development Goals
  • Youth, education and environment
  • Publications & data

easy speech on plastic pollution

Tackling marine plastic pollution and protecting our oceans

Speech prepared for delivery at the International Symposium on Plastics in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic Region hosted by the Government of Iceland

In 2020, the world’s attention turned to the COVID-19 pandemic. But even as we poured all of energy and resources into tackling it, many pointed to wider issues as contributing factors. Nature and biodiversity loss. Climate change. Pollution and waste. The three planetary crises. All of which are destroying the natural world and threatening our future.

Throughout all of this upheaval and debate, we stayed largely focused on the land. This was understandable, as in all likelihood it was the erosion of wild spaces that helped to create COVID-19. But we must not forget the vast blue world of the ocean – one of the last remaining wildernesses on the planet – that is such a huge asset in maintaining human and planetary health.

Marine ecosystem services make up over 60 per cent of the economic value of all life on earth. They support the livelihoods of over three billion people. They are an essential ally in the fight against climate change.

But the oceans are under attack from the same patterns of unsustainable consumption and production patterns that are causing such problems on land. They have become a dumping ground for all matter of pollution, from plastics to toxic chemicals. 

Plastics represent the largest, most harmful and most persistent proportion of marine litter. The cumulative hazards and direct impacts of marine plastics already contribute to an estimated loss of USD 500 to USD 2,500 billion in marine ecosystem services per year.

The Arctic’s relative remoteness is no protection from plastic dumped elsewhere.

Carried by currents, waves and wind, plastic pollution is found on Arctic beaches, in the water column, in sea ice, sediments and in Arctic birds and mammals and science has revealed that nano plastics largely from washing of synthetic fibres, primarily in Europe and North America is now linked to the prevalence of microplastics found in 96 of 97 sea water samples across the Arctic, with acrylics, polyester and blended textiles releasing hundreds of thousands of nano fibres per wash. Chemicals like UV 328, which makes plastics more resistant to UV rays, have long-term and persistent toxic impacts, accumulating in organisms, and travelling long distances by air or water. It is now found in wildlife in the Arctic and the Pacific Ocean.

If we are to make peace with nature, we must transform our relationship with oceans and waters. And we cannot do this without tackling global marine litter and plastic pollution. Today, I would like to talk about five actions we can take to start making our oceans plastic-free.  

First, we need to deal with COVID-19-related waste.

Masks, PPE, gloves and other disposal items are an essential part of the COVID-19 response. But this plastic waste threatens to negate strides made in the fight against disposable plastics, marine litter and microplastics – especially in countries with weak waste management infrastructure.

The numbers are unprecedented. Single-use face mask production in China soared to 116 million per day in February 2020 , about 12 times the usual quantity. Most of these masks go straight to landfill. Disposable masks are now washing up on shores from California to Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, increased take-away services and grocery deliveries during lockdowns also upped the levels of plastic use. The  global plastic packaging market size is projected to grow from USD 909.2 billion in 2019 to 1,012.6 billion by 2021.

In addition, miscommunication on the safety of plastics in the context of the health crisis has rolled back progress in promoting policies and practices aimed at reducing plastic pollution. Governments should not weaken their laws on single-use plastic products, as we have seen in some places. It is not the material of the products that make them safer in the pandemic, but the use we make of them. Reusable products may be as safe as single-use ones.

Now that we are beginning to see how we might get on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to also start thinking about how to avoid the single-use pandemic.

Second, we are seeing ambition and commitment on plastics. But we need to join up these efforts and fund them.

Regulation is one key tool that government can and must employ. In Africa, 34 of 54 nations have instituted bans of some kind on single-use plastic. As of January 1, amendments to the Basel Convention mean that international shipments of most plastic waste face new controls. Countries facing limitations in exporting plastic waste will have to innovate. Importing countries will now be able to accept only plastic waste that is easy to recycle. Further, under the Stockholm Convention, a series of actions have been set in motion that will see UV 328, a PoP chemical,  eliminated or reduced .

In the wake of the United Nations Environment Assembly last week, the international community is looking to build on the work of the Ad hoc open-ended expert group on marine litter and microplastics. Let me here acknowledge the leadership by the Nordic Council of Ministers on their report, which outlines what a global agreement to tackle marine litter and plastic pollution might look like. UNEP also applauds the Regional Action Plan (RAP) on marine litter in the Arctic , which will be a valuable tool.

These efforts, and others like them, are great. But to turn the tide, national and regional efforts must be supported by global collaboration across public and private partnerships. Collaborations that can drive ambition, galvanize political will and, critically, unlock large-scale finance.

Third, plans must be based on science and circularity, and appropriate to local conditions.

There is a fundamental need to move to circularity and resource efficiency. We have the science and technology to prioritize and fast track innovative upstream and downstream interventions, in this regard. We should use it.

But we must be aware that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Different geographies and different plastic categories require different solutions.

  • High-income countries should prioritize decreasing overall plastic consumption, eliminating microplastic leakage, improving product design, and increasing recycling rates.
  • Middle/low-income countries should prioritize expanding formal collection, maximizing reduction and substitution, investing in sorting and recycling infrastructure, and cutting post-collection leakage.  

Fourth, market conditions must immediately shift to change the game.

As with every environmental challenge, the private sector can drive change.  We need innovation, cooperation and financing. Innovative models, however, require changes in market conditions that remove hurdles and provide the right economic incentives, coupled with regulatory approaches, to the most sustainable solutions. For instance, reusable packaging should not be considered a waste product to facilitate reverse logistics. The washing machine industry and the textile industry must innovate. Consumers must be engaged so they can make informed choices.

New plastic is not the answer. The value of recycled plastic is undercut by virgin plastic, which is cheap both because of the low cost of the  subsidized fossil fuels used to make it and because its pricing doesn’t reflect the cost of cleaning it up. The imbalance of investment between production of  new plastic production facilities and dealing with waste generation must be addressed. Reuters reports that investment over five years is  USD 400 billion versus USD 1.5 billion respectively .

Transparent reporting and accountability must also be at the forefront of urgent interventions to reduce our reliance on virgin plastic polymers, promote recycled plastic and create reuse models that keep resources in our economies at a higher value for longer.

Fifth, we must take the chance we now have to protect our oceans.

The COVID-19 response has shown that society can mobilize to find science-based solutions and resources to meet seemingly insurmountable challenges. We must apply the same steely determination to tackling plastics and take advantage of the opportunities this decade affords.

Countries are working on recovery and stimulus packages that can drive a green transition by ending rewarding nature-positive innovation and sustainable consumption and production solutions. We have two UN Decades kicking off – the Decade on Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, both with huge relevance to the issue of marine litter and plastic pollution.

UNEP looks forward to building synergies and close links to the decades, and with member states and partners. By working through the Ocean Decade Alliance: to align research, solutions, investments, and build ocean literacy. By advancing the science-policy interface and digital transformation. By providing technical support for national and regional action plans on marine litter. By building membership of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter and its open-source digital platform. By building awareness and mobilizing action through the Clean Seas campaign and building beyond its current 62 signatory countries.

Ministers, Colleagues, Friends

Ultimately, we will pay the price for our throw-away plastics habit. So we must band together – across government, private sector, civil society and citizenry – to move away from unsustainable production and consumption patterns for people and planet.

2021 can be the year that we put the world on the path to achieving the SDGs, underpinned by a sustainable blue economy.

We can create a clean ocean where sources of pollution are identified and reduced or removed. A healthy and resilient ocean, where marine ecosystems are understood, protected, restored and managed. A productive ocean, supporting sustainable food supply and a sustainable ocean economy. An ocean that we treat with the respect it deserves.

Inger Andersen

Executive Director

covid-19 response logo

  • Ocean & coasts
  • Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
  • Restoration

Further Resources

  • COVID-19 updates from the United Nations Environment Programme

Related Content

Kunming biodiversity signing ceremony

Related Sustainable Development Goals

easy speech on plastic pollution

© 2024 UNEP Terms of Use Privacy   Report Project Concern Report Scam Contact Us

Logo

Speech on Plastic Waste Management

Plastic waste, a global challenge, needs smart solutions. You may wonder why. It’s simple – plastics harm our environment and health. Effective plastic waste management can help. Let’s understand this better.

1-minute Speech on Plastic Waste Management

Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you today to talk about an issue close to our hearts – plastic waste management. In simple terms, it’s about what we do with all the plastic garbage we create.

Firstly, we need to understand why it’s important. Plastic is a big problem. It doesn’t break down easily and can stay in the environment for hundreds of years. This harms our land, oceans, and wildlife. Even worse, it can end up in the food we eat and the water we drink!

But we can’t do this alone. We need everyone – governments, businesses, and people like you and me. Governments can make laws to manage plastic waste. Businesses can make products that are easier to recycle or don’t use plastic at all. And we, as responsible citizens, can do our part by following the three Rs.

In conclusion, managing plastic waste is not just about picking up trash. It’s about changing our habits. It’s about making better choices for our planet. We have only one Earth, let’s take care of it. Thank you.

2-minute Speech on Plastic Waste Management

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, today, I want to talk about a problem that affects us all – plastic waste. Just look around. Plastic is everywhere. We use it every day, from water bottles to shopping bags, to food packaging. But do we know what happens to it when we’re done with it?

Let’s start by understanding the problem. Plastic is a wonder material. It’s cheap, easy to make, and lasts a long time. But that’s also where the problem lies. Plastic doesn’t just disappear when we throw it away. It sticks around for hundreds of years, piling up in our landfills, littering our streets, and polluting our oceans. In fact, every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. That’s not good for us, and it’s certainly not good for our planet.

So, what can we do about it? The answer is plastic waste management. This is not about getting rid of plastic completely. It’s about using it wisely and responsibly. It’s about making sure that the plastic we use doesn’t end up harming our planet.

The first step is to reduce. We need to cut down on the amount of plastic we use. We can start by using reusable bags instead of plastic ones. We can choose to drink from a reusable water bottle instead of a single-use plastic one. Small changes make a big difference when we all do our part.

But, we can’t do this alone. We need the help of businesses and governments. Businesses need to make products that are easy to recycle. They need to use less plastic in their packaging. Governments need to put rules in place to manage plastic waste. They need to build recycling facilities and make it easy for people to recycle.

In conclusion, plastic waste is a big problem, but it’s a problem we can solve. We need to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We need to act now, for the sake of our planet and future generations. With a little effort, we can make a big difference. So, let’s start today. Let’s be the change we want to see in the world. Thank you.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

easy speech on plastic pollution

  • Request Information
  • Get Started
  • Dual Enrollment
  • Enrollment Steps
  • Puma Sprint Schedule
  • Request a Tour
  • Student Recruitment
  • Testing Services
  • Degrees and Certificates A-Z
  • Fields of Interest (FOI)
  • Programs by Name
  • Academic Calendar
  • Career & Technical Education
  • Financial Aid
  • Payment Plan Information
  • Tuition and Fees
  • Scholarships
  • Student Business Services
  • Academic Catalog
  • Academic Divisions
  • Final Exam Schedule
  • Honors Program
  • Canvas Resources and Support
  • Copy Center
  • Facilities Services
  • Human Resources
  • Information Technology
  • Center for the Performing Arts
  • Community Events
  • Facility Rental
  • Fitness Center
  • Accreditation
  • Office of the President
  • President's Community Advisory Council
  • Visions and Values

Embrace Plastic Sustainability Month_ PVCC’s Laura Mazzocchi Shares Tips and Insights for a Greener Future

Embrace Plastic Sustainability Month_ PVCC’s Laura Mazzocchi Shares Tips and Insights for a Greener Future

July is Plastic Sustainability Month, a time to focus on the critical importance of recycling and other waste reduction practices. Recycling plastic helps reduce pollution, conserve resources, and minimize the environmental footprint of our daily lives. Beyond recycling, adopting practices like reusing items, reducing single-use plastics, and choosing sustainable alternatives are essential steps toward a healthier planet. By embracing these habits, we can collectively mitigate the harmful impacts of plastic waste and contribute to a more sustainable future.

This month, sustainability advocate and senior administrative specialist at Paradise Valley Community College, Laura Mazzocchi, shared with us her passion for the planet, all its creatures, and how college campuses and the community at large can create a more thoughtful mindset for sustainability.

Question: Why is sustainability crucial for college campuses?

Mazzochhi: Sustainability is a crucial issue everywhere. College campuses can lead by example and provide valuable information to students and staff to help them make more informed decisions, not just for themselves but for the planet. Today’s young students will be dealing with the consequences of our lifestyle for a long time to come, so we have a responsibility to teach and show them better and less destructive ways of living.

Question:  What inspired you to become an advocate for sustainability?

Mazzochhi: I’ve always had an affinity for all animals, not just the cute fuzzy ones. Sometime during college, it occurred to me how random it is that we love some animals and kill/eat others, so I became a vegetarian. Since then, I’ve gained so much knowledge about environmental issues and sustainability, about how we as humans so tremendously affect and alter the world around us, almost exclusively in negative ways. I have tried to live my own life in ways that match my values, and as I’ve learned more, I’ve done more. It’s become more important to me to speak up and advocate for the environment and I feel it's becoming ever more urgent. 

Question: How do you incorporate sustainability into your own life, both on and off campus? 

Mazzochhi: I try to reduce my use of everything , but especially those things that are not sustainable or renewable, or at the very least recyclable. There are so many easy alternatives people can start with.

  • Seek out and purchase products that are not packaged in plastic. 
  • Try to limit single-use items as much as possible. For example, use reusable cloth napkins, tissues and cloth rags instead of paper towels.
  • Use toothpaste tablets instead of a tube, refillable body and dish soap, environmentally friendly pods or sheets for laundry and the dishwasher, waterless shampoo and conditioner bars that require no plastic bottles, floss packaged in paper/cardboard, a bamboo toothbrush, etc.
  • Use vinegar and water or baking soda for cleaning rather than bottled cleaners. 
  • Limit water use by watering plants once a week, taking shorter or fewer showers, combining loads of laundry, only running full loads of dishes.
  • Use cloth bags for groceries, and keep them in your car.
  • Carry a stainless-steel or glass water bottle to avoid buying bottled water. 
  • Remember to request no straw when you eat out or bring your own. 
  • Eat vegetarian or vegan.

Question: What are the long-term benefits of adopting sustainable practices on campus?

Mazzochhi: There are numerous benefits! For instance, reducing and/or eliminating the use of plastic water bottles would not only reduce the costs of purchasing them, but also lead to a reduction in trash and recycling, less plastic trash being left all over campus. The less plastics we use, theoretically, the less ends up in landfills and our oceans. The less paper we use, the less trees are chopped down to make it. The more we choose vegetarian/vegan and sustainably grown foods over processed and factory-farmed foods, the less habitats and forests are destroyed for grazing and growing food in unnatural ways.

Using sustainable practices on campus teaches us more about how to live more sustainably off campus. The more people learn and care, the more they share with their friends, children, and other family members; lead by example, and spread the word.

Question: What practical steps can we take to live more sustainably on campus?

  • Use your own water bottle, and refill it as needed.
  • Use your own lunch in a reusable bag. If you’re purchasing lunch from the cafeteria, bring your own utensils, plates, and cloth napkins.
  • Say no to single-use straws, plastic bottles, and containers. 
  • Try eating vegetarian or even vegan once or twice a week. The cafeteria offers Impossible burgers and breakfast sausages, and there are a few other vegetarian-friendly options. 
  • If it’s an option, use an e-textbook.
  • Take notes on a laptop or tablet, rather than using paper. 
  • Throw your paper, aluminum, and plastic in recycling bins.

Question:What are some ideas for reducing our environmental footprint in our daily lives?

Mazzochhi: My best tip would be to think about everything you do and how it may affect the environment and animals around you. And don’t worry about being perfect or doing everything. Just do the best you can, and when you can do more, do more.

Choose products that are not packaged in plastic, when they’re available. You can find many of these types of items at Mighty Nest , Last Object , or shop locally at Sprouts .

Other ideas include:

  • Purchase your own refillable water bottle, if you don’t already have one, and use it all the time, everywhere. If you must purchase bottled water or another drink, choose one that is sold in aluminum bottles or paper containers, if it’s an option.
  • Try reusable cloth napkins and tissues, and use cloth rags to clean up spills, rather than paper towels. 
  • Use refillable and/or waterless products wherever possible. There are many great options for toothpaste tablets, shampoo and conditioner bars, as well as soap products available with liquid or powder refills that you can just add water to and use the same bottle over and over. There are also environmentally friendly sheet and pod options for laundry detergent.
  • Recycling of plastics is not nearly enough. Reduce, reduce, reduce, and reuse as much as possible. Don’t buy something new unless you really need it.
  • Turn off the water while washing your hands and brushing your teeth. Take shorter/fewer showers, and, especially while it’s so hot, turn off the water in the shower while washing up.

PVCC Sustainabiilty in Action

PVCC has taken many strides to impact the environment in a positive way, including:

  • Water bottle filler stations are located in all campus buildings, while bathrooms have hands-free faucets, shut-off valves, and automatic flushers. 
  • Much of the campus is xeriscaped, using refurbished tires for edging, and an updated irrigation system to control water flow. 
  • Light fixtures in classrooms have been upgraded to LED lighting with control-timed switches to shut down when classes and offices are unoccupied.
  • Green cleaning products are now used throughout campus.
  • Side-by-side recycling and trash containers are located throughout campus.

PVCC offers both an Associate in Arts (AAS) with an emphasis in sustainability and environmental studies, as well as a certificate of completion (CCL) in sustainability. To learn more, visit our website . Students may need to complete courses at more than one of the Maricopa County Community College District campuses.

Climate Column: How to reduce plastic waste

I took the Plastic Free July Challenge and it was harder than I thought it would be. This global campaign has collectively prevented more than three billion pounds of plastic waste over the last five years — more than all the world’s biggest cleanup efforts combined. And as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Reducing my use of plastic has been pretty easy. I buy pantry staples in bulk using cloth bags, fill up glass jars with soaps for home and office at Refill Mercantile, only use wood cutting boards, take my stainless steel travel mug to the coffee shop, and even tote around a set of flatware so I won’t need a plastic fork.

But when I started trying to avoid all plastic, it seemed almost impossible. To be fair, the official Plastic Free July Challenge doesn’t ask us to give up all plastic, but since I’d already tackled the easy stuff, I thought going all in would be a great stretch goal. My biggest hurdle came down to food. And given all the health repercussions, that’s the last place we should be using plastic.

If you’ve watched the documentary “The Story of Plastic,” you already know that plastic is made out of fossil fuels and that fossil fuel companies, recognizing that we are phasing out their use as an energy source, are doubling down on the plastic industry. They are currently investing billions of dollars in new manufacturing plants, often sited near low-income communities and people of color, with such serious health consequences that one 85-mile stretch in Louisiana is now called “Cancer Alley.”

Our addiction to plastic is catching up with us. Shocking reports are coming out about the widespread reach of microplastics and nanoplastics — now found in the deepest trenches of the ocean and the highest peaks of Mount Everest. They are in our air, our water, our food supply, and even our bodies. That’s because every piece of plastic ever created still exists; it just degrades into smaller and smaller particles that can then make it into our bodies, our bloodstream, and even across the blood-brain barrier. The long-term health effects of exposure to these plastic particles, along with the slew of added chemicals, have scientists very concerned.

Our contact with plastic ranges from toothbrush bristles to fake grass to synthetic clothes, but one logical place to start reducing our exposure is with food packaging. In my attempt to go plastic free, my biggest challenge was takeout food. If I forgot to bring my lunch to work and wanted to grab something to go, it was very hard to avoid plastic, whether in the lining of the brown paper box or the tiny plastic salad dressing cup.

The takeout food industry is wonderful for convenience, but struggles with disposables. In Petaluma, we have opportunities to test a few solutions to this problem.

A three-month pilot called The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project from the NextGen Consortium will begin on Aug. 5. More than 30 restaurants will swap their single-use cups for to-go reusable cups to all customers at no cost, and return bins will be made available across the city so they can be collected, washed, and used again.

During that same time frame, downtown’s Lunchette, with its mission of providing locally sourced grab-and-go food with zero waste, will be conducting its own returnable bowl experiment using Sparkl Reusables, a company working to implement reuse and zero waste systems in the Bay Area.

These programs tend to face similar challenges. Although metal or glass would be more recyclable and healthier, they are heavier, more expensive, and take more energy for initial production. Reusable plastic can reduce our dependence on single-use plastic, but it doesn’t address the life cycle issues. And the environmental and health impacts of fossil fuel extraction and refining on the front end, and escalating plastic pollution on the back end, can’t be ignored.

Although both programs landed on reusable plastic, our larger goal is to find ways to encourage reuse without the need for plastic at all. Their results could show that return rates are high enough to warrant continuing the program with higher-quality metal — or perhaps, with this small push, we will find it is easy enough to bring our own reusables.

Kate Daly, the managing director for the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, which is running Petaluma’s NextGen reusable cup pilot program, shared with me some of their data from more than 90 bring-your-own-cup initiatives across the U.S. Although only 9% of Americans report bringing their own cup when buying coffee to go, the study found that higher BYOC rates are possible. Interestingly, 13% of gas station and convenience store customers report almost always using their own reusable cups for coffee or tea. Smaller, local coffee shops and restaurants have reported up to 20% BYOC rates when nearby restaurants also offer BYOC. In addition, they found that charging $0.25-$0.50 for a disposable cup was more impactful than offering the same amount as a discount for bringing your own.

“Our goal is to demonstrate to the food service sector that encouraging BYO can be easy, so that they can play their part in making reuse accessible and inclusive for their customers,” Daly said.

Naomi Crawford, owner of Lunchette, shared a similar stance. “The whole goal is to create culture change so that we learn to bring our own,” she said. “Having these plastic materials is not ideal, but if it will shift behavior in the end, then it was worth it.”

While Lunchette is offering Sparkl returnable plastic containers over the next three months, they are also providing a 5% discount for bringing your own containers from home, giving us an opportunity to eat out of healthier materials like metal, wood, ceramic or glass.

To incentivize this shift to BYO, Cool Petaluma volunteers have been sewing pouches for storing travel flatware at our second Monday of the month Mending Circles, a collaboration with Blue Zones Project Petaluma. You can help make more at our next event on Aug. 12 (go to coolpetaluma.org for details). And if you’re a Lunchette customer, you can get your free Cool Petaluma utensil kit by bringing in your own container the week of Aug. 19, while supplies last.

Ultimately, we need to build a world where instead of bad choices, people are presented with only good options — good for the planet and good for our health.

Natasha Juliana is campaign director of Cool Petaluma. She can be reached at [email protected]. For information on how to get involved, visit coolpetaluma.org.

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:

  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.

share this!

July 26, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

peer-reviewed publication

trusted source

Increased demand for metals and minerals needed for clean energy transition puts 4,000+ species at risk, finds study

by University of Cambridge

Thousands of birds and fish threatened by mining for clean energy transition

New research has found that 4,642 species of vertebrates are threatened by mineral extraction around the world through mining and quarrying, and drilling for oil and gas.

Mining activity coincides with the world's most valuable biodiversity hotspots, which contain a hyper-diversity of species and unique habitats found nowhere else on Earth.

The biggest risk to species comes from mining for materials fundamental to our transition to clean energy , such as lithium and cobalt—both essential components of solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars.

Quarrying for limestone, which is required in huge amounts for cement as a construction material, is also putting many species at risk.

The threat to nature is not limited to the physical locations of the mines—species living at great distances away can also be impacted, for example by polluted watercourses, or deforestation for new access roads and infrastructure.

The researchers say governments and the mining industry should focus on reducing the pollution driven by mining as an "easy win" to reduce the biodiversity loss associated with mineral extraction .

This is the most complete global assessment of the threat to biodiversity from mineral extraction ever undertaken. The results are published today in the journal Current Biology .

"We simply won't be able to deliver the clean energy we need to reduce our climate impact without mining for the materials we need, and that creates a problem because we're mining in locations that often have very high levels of biodiversity," said Professor David Edwards in the University of Cambridge's Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, senior author of the report.

He added, "So many species, particularly fish, are being put at risk through the pollution caused by mining. It would be an easy win to work on reducing this freshwater pollution so we can still get the products we need for the clean energy transition, but in a way that isn't causing so much biodiversity loss."

Across all vertebrate species , fish are at particularly high risk from mining (2,053 species), followed by reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals. The level of threat seems to be linked to where a particular species lives and its lifestyle: species using freshwater habitats, and species with small ranges are particularly at risk.

Thousands of birds and fish threatened by mining for clean energy transition

"The need for limestone as a core component of construction activity also poses a real risk to wildlife. Lots of species are very restricted in where they live because they're specialized to live on limestone. A cement mine can literally take out an entire hillside—and with it these species' homes," said Ieuan Lamb in the University of Sheffield's School of Biosciences, first author of the report.

The bent-toed gecko, for example, is threatened by limestone quarrying in Malaysia—it only exists on a single mountain range that planned mining activity will completely destroy.

To get their results, the researchers used International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) data to see which vertebrate species are threatened by mining. By mapping the locations of these species, they could investigate the types of mining that are putting species at risk, and see where the risks are particularly high.

The researchers discovered that species categorized as "vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered" are more threatened by mineral extraction than species of lesser concern.

Watercourses can be affected in many ways, and water pollution can affect hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of rivers and flood plains. Mining sand as a construction material , for example, alters patterns of water flow in rivers and wetlands, making birds like the Indian Skimmer more accessible to predators.

Mineral extraction threatens vertebrate species populations across the tropics, with hotspots in the Andes, coastal West and Central Africa, and South-East Asia—which coincide with high mine density. For example, artisanal small-scale alluvial gold mining in Ghana threatens important bird areas through environmental mercury pollution.

Global demand for metal minerals, fossil fuels and construction materials is growing dramatically, and the extraction industry is expanding rapidly to meet this demand. In 2022, the revenue of the industry as a whole was estimated at US $943 billion.

Biodiversity underpins the protection of the world's carbon stocks, which help to mitigate climate change.

The study focused only on vertebrate species, but the researchers say mining is also likely to be a substantial risk to plants and invertebrates.

"There's no question that we are going to continue to mine—our entire societies are based on mined products. But there are environmental tensions embodied in our use of these products. Our report is a vital first step in avoiding biodiversity loss amidst the predicted drastic expansion of the mining industry ," said Edwards.

"Wildlife is more sensitive to mining in some regions of the world than in others, and our report can inform choices of where to prioritize getting our minerals to cause the least damage to biodiversity. Future policy should also focus on creating more circular economies—increasing recycling and reuse of materials, rather than just extracting more," said Lamb.

Journal information: Current Biology

Provided by University of Cambridge

Explore further

Feedback to editors

easy speech on plastic pollution

Physicists report new insights into exotic particles key to magnetism

easy speech on plastic pollution

A Band-Aid for the heart? New 3D printing method makes this, and much more, possible

easy speech on plastic pollution

Study shows link between asymmetric polar ice sheet evolution and global climate

3 hours ago

easy speech on plastic pollution

Microscopy breakthrough promises better imaging for sensitive materials

easy speech on plastic pollution

Plant biologists discover an ancient gene family is responsible for plant prickles across species

easy speech on plastic pollution

Researchers uncover 500 million-year-old mollusk ancestor

easy speech on plastic pollution

Retreating Andean rocks signal the world's glaciers are melting far faster than predicted, report scientists

easy speech on plastic pollution

When it comes to DNA replication, humans and baker's yeast are more alike than different, scientists discover

easy speech on plastic pollution

Astronomers use AI to find elusive stars 'gobbling up' planets

5 hours ago

easy speech on plastic pollution

Chemical and transportation industries could get a boost with new catalyst coating

Relevant physicsforums posts, the cass report (uk).

Jul 30, 2024

The predictive brain (Stimulus-Specific Error Prediction Neurons)

Jul 21, 2024

Contradictory statements made by two different professors

Understanding covid quarantine guidance.

Jul 19, 2024

Innovative ideas and technologies to help folks with disabilities

Jul 18, 2024

New and Interesting Publications Relevant to the Origin of Life

Jul 15, 2024

More from Biology and Medical

Related Stories

easy speech on plastic pollution

Mining for renewable energy could be another threat to the environment

Sep 2, 2020

easy speech on plastic pollution

Transition from fossil to clean energy will reduce global mining activities: Study

Oct 26, 2023

easy speech on plastic pollution

Renewable energy can save the natural world, but if we're not careful, it will also hurt it

easy speech on plastic pollution

More than a third of African great ape population faces risks related to mineral mining

Apr 3, 2024

easy speech on plastic pollution

Sensitive ecosystems at risk from mine waste, finds study

Nov 27, 2023

easy speech on plastic pollution

Almost two-thirds of species at deep-sea hydrothermal vents are at risk of extinction

Dec 10, 2021

Recommended for you

easy speech on plastic pollution

Warming stops tiny organisms working together, scientists discover

6 hours ago

easy speech on plastic pollution

Climate change may lead to shifts in vital Pacific Arctic fisheries

7 hours ago

easy speech on plastic pollution

Breakthrough in plant disease: New enzyme could lead to anti-bacterial pesticides

8 hours ago

easy speech on plastic pollution

Conservationists need to pay more attention to 'degraded' tropical forests

easy speech on plastic pollution

How duplicated genomes helped grasses diversify and thrive

9 hours ago

Let us know if there is a problem with our content

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

IMAGES

  1. Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution for Students and Children in English

    easy speech on plastic pollution

  2. Essay on Plastic pollution in English by Smile please world

    easy speech on plastic pollution

  3. Plastic Pollution Essay In English

    easy speech on plastic pollution

  4. Essay on "Plastic Pollution" in english//Plastic Pollution essay//Environment

    easy speech on plastic pollution

  5. Speech On Plastic Pollution

    easy speech on plastic pollution

  6. Beat plastic pollution speech/essay on plastic pollution/ plastic

    easy speech on plastic pollution

VIDEO

  1. Stop Ocean Plastic Pollution

  2. Stop Plastic Pollution III. #shorts

  3. Persuasive Speech: Plastic Peril

  4. Speech on beat plastic pollution

  5. Speech on World Environment Day 2023 Theme:Solution to Plastic Pollution /Speech Solution to plastic

  6. Beat Plastic Pollution Poem/speech

COMMENTS

  1. Speech on Plastic Pollution in English For Students

    Long and Short Speech on Plastic Pollution. Plastic waste makes its way from our homes and workplaces to landfills and bodies of water, resulting in plastic contamination. There is an immediate need to correctly dispose of such plastic waste and to reduce its widespread usage in the interests of health and the environment.

  2. Speech on Plastic Pollution

    1-minute Speech on Plastic Pollution. Good day, everyone! Let's talk about something important - plastic pollution. It's a big problem, even though it's simple to understand. Plastic is everywhere. We use it daily - from water bottles to food wrappers. But, do we ever wonder where it goes after we throw it away?

  3. Speech on Plastic Pollution in English in simple and easy words

    Plastic is made up of severe toxic pollutants and it can cause much harm to our environment in various ways, such as water, air and land pollution. To put it in simple terms, plastic pollution is caused when it is strewn everywhere on the roads, lanes, dumped into the rivers, etc. It then affects our living surrounding in a negative way and ...

  4. Speech on Say No To Plastic

    By saying no to plastic, we help our earth. We help our animals. We help ourselves. We make our world a better place. We make our future better. So, let's say it together. Let's say no to plastic. Let's promise to use less plastic every day. Let's do it for our earth, for our animals, for ourselves.

  5. Plastic Pollution Essay for Students and Children

    A.1 Plastic Pollution is on the rise because nowadays people are using plastic endlessly. It is very economical and easily available. Moreover, plastic does not dissolve in the land or water, it stays for more than hundred years contributing to uprise of plastic pollution.

  6. Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution for Students and Children in English

    February 8, 2024 by Prasanna. Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution: Plastic pollution can be defined as the build-up of plastic or plastic materials or particles in the Earth's environment, which harms nature, living organisms, ecosystems, and wildlife. Plastic acting as pollutants can be classified into micro and meso, or micro debris based on ...

  7. Speech on Beat Plastic Pollution in English in simple and easy words

    Beat Plastic Pollution Speech 4. Greetings of the day ladies and gentlemen - Welcome to the speech ceremony of today! The subject of today's speech topic is "Beat Plastic Pollution". As we all know how much the whole world is suffering from pollution and its after effects. And the worst form of pollution that every country is struggling ...

  8. 3 Minute Speech on Pollution for Students and Children

    To begin with, we have air pollution which means contamination of air. It is a very dangerous kind of pollution and which chemically and physically alters the air. When toxic gases enter the atmosphere, life becomes difficult for human beings. The burning of fossil fuels, mining, automobile exhausts, and more contribute to it.

  9. Speech on Plastic Free Environment

    2-minute Speech on Plastic Free Environment. Ladies and gentlemen, respected teachers, and my dear friends, good morning/afternoon to all of you. Today, I stand before you to express my thoughts and concerns on a critical issue that haunts our planet - a plastic-free environment. In the next few minutes, my aim is to highlight the dire need ...

  10. 1 Minute Speech on Plastic Pollution In English

    Today, I will be giving a short speech on the topic of plastic pollution. Wikipedia defines the term as follows: "Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat.". Simply put, plastic pollution involves the excessive use of plastic ...

  11. Ending plastic pollution; protecting our blue planet

    Ending plastic pollution; protecting our blue planet. Mr. Pascal Canfin, Chair of the ENVI committee, Honourable Members of the European Parliament, It is a pleasure to be here with you today. The triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss and pollution and waste is upon us and bearing down harder every year.

  12. Speech on Pollution: Free Samples for Students in English

    Speech on Pollution: Pollution is the introduction of any undesirable substance into our environment, leading to the contamination of natural resources.These harmful substances, known as pollutants, have become a significant existential threat to all living beings on Earth. Today, every nation, region, and community grapples with the challenges posed by pollution, a problem primarily driven by ...

  13. Speech about Plastic Pollution [1,2,3,5 Minutes]

    5 Minutes Speech about Plastic Pollution. Plastic pollution is a major issue that affects the Earth's ecosystem. It can get in the food chain and cause harm to animals, humans, and even plants. ... The problem is that it is not always easy to dispose of them. We have to find ways to reduce the amount of plastic pollution and find alternatives ...

  14. Persuasive Pollution Speech for Kids

    Kids should start the speech by wishing everyone present there, and then they can start the speech on the topic "pollution" as explained below. Table of Contents. 1 Persuasive Speech About Pollution. 1.1 Air pollution: 1.2 Water pollution: 1.3 Noise pollution: 1.4 Soil pollution: 1.5 Thermal pollution: 1.6 Radioactive pollution:

  15. Tackling marine plastic pollution and protecting our oceans

    And we cannot do this without tackling global marine litter and plastic pollution. Today, I would like to talk about five actions we can take to start making our oceans plastic-free. First, we need to deal with COVID-19-related waste. Masks, PPE, gloves and other disposal items are an essential part of the COVID-19 response.

  16. Plastic pollution: ESL/EFL Lesson Plan and Worksheet

    The full lesson plan takes a minimum of 60 minutes. Students work with the theme of problems and solutions in an IELTS Reading exam task. They watch a short video to introduce them to the topic and then define relevant vocabulary which equips them to read an article and complete note completion and multiple-choice questions.

  17. Living in a plastic world: Tackling plastic pollution

    Plastic pollution has emerged as one of our most pressing environmental issues with the increasing use of disposable plastics. As they are non-biodegradable, plastics accumulate in the environment ...

  18. Speech on Plastic Waste Management

    2-minute Speech on Plastic Waste Management. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, today, I want to talk about a problem that affects us all - plastic waste. Just look around. Plastic is everywhere. We use it every day, from water bottles to shopping bags, to food packaging.

  19. Embrace Plastic Sustainability Month_ PVCC's Laura Mazzocchi Shares

    July is Plastic Sustainability Month, a time to focus on the critical importance of recycling and other waste reduction practices. Recycling plastic helps reduce pollution, conserve resources, and minimize the environmental footprint of our daily lives. Beyond recycling, adopting practices like reusing items, reducing single-use plastics, and choosing sustainable alternatives are essential ...

  20. Some tips on how to reduce plastic waste

    To be fair, the official Plastic Free July Challenge doesn't ask us to give up all plastic, but since I'd already tackled the easy stuff, I thought going all in would be a great stretch goal ...

  21. Easy ways to reduce your plastic use

    Plastic pollution is becoming a huge threat to our planet, and more and more people are gaining awareness and trying to change their habits. It may feel like small changes don't make a difference ...

  22. Scrap Car Persuasive Speech

    To reduce the pollution level, to conserve natural resources and to save the livelihood we need to follow recycling process. You will feel better once you took to initiative the Environment. Your old car or unused car may contain hazardous acids, some plastic components. …show more content…

  23. Increased demand for metals and minerals needed for clean energy

    The researchers say governments and the mining industry should focus on reducing the pollution driven by mining as an "easy win" to reduce the biodiversity loss associated with mineral extraction.

  24. Trump was struck by bullet in assassination attempt, FBI says

    The FBI said Friday that Donald Trump was hit by a bullet, or a fragment from one, fired by the would-be assassin at his Pennsylvania rally earlier this month.

  25. PDF Speech of Thiru. Thangam Thenarasu, Minister for Finance and Human

    33. In order to prevent environmental pollution in rural areas due to non-biodegradable waste including plastic waste, a new agency dedicated to creating a hygienic environment in Tamil Nadu will be established. It will be responsible for ensuring timely collection and recycling of non-biodegradable waste, as well as

  26. Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 147 (Wednesday, July 31, 2024)

    [Federal Register Volume 89, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 31, 2024)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 61596-62648] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2024-14828] [[Page 61595]] Vol. 89 Wednesday, No. 147 July 31, 2024 Part II Book 2 of 2 Books Pages 61595-62652 Department of Health and Human Services ----- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ...