Earth Month 2024 Puts Spotlight on Plastic Pollution

Celebrated on 22 April each year since its inception in 1970 to raise awareness about environmental issues, Earth Day has become a massive movement that unites people from over 193 countries. In the Philippines, it’s actually Earth Days — yep plural — as the whole month of April is considered Earth Month, with a host of activities like tree-planting and clean-up drives.

This year’s theme, “Planet versus Plastics,” strikes a particularly urgent chord. Plastic pollution has become a global crisis, threatening the very health of our planet and its inhabitants.

According to a 2023 report by the World Wildlife Fund, an estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic enter our oceans each year. This plastic breaks down into microplastics, tiny fragments less than 5 millimeters in size, which are now being found everywhere — from the deepest trenches in the ocean to the peak of Mount Everest.

These microplastics are ingested by marine life, causing harm and even death. A 2020 study published in Science Advances found that over 800 marine species are known to have interacted with plastic debris, with potentially lethal consequences.

The effects aren’t limited to just marine life. Microplastics are now found in our food chain, raising concerns about potential human health impacts.

The Philippines, an archipelagic nation with a rich marine environment, is particularly vulnerable to plastic pollution. A 2018 study by Jambeck et al. identified the Philippines as the third-worst plastic polluter in the world, and this can be seen in clogged esteros or creeks that flood each time it rains.

This urgency is echoed by the UN itself. Just this 11 April, it called for increased investments in scientific research to protect our oceans, which are under growing threat from pollution and global warming. This research is crucial to understanding our oceans’ complex challenges and developing effective solutions.