Plastic can be dangerous in many ways

Let’s be very careful what we throw away, and how we dispose of plastic.

We all have heard of the dangers of plastic – about how animals can ingest the plastic and can then die due to indigestion. But there are several other ways plastic can endanger wildlife, too.

Sometimes, the dangers are seen quite dramatically. Let me illustrate with two examples that I saw. At Nandi Hills, I saw this Black (or Common) Kite, with a big plastic bag entangled in its talons. It was flying about, desperately trying to get the bag off, but in vain:

Black Kite with Plastic Caught in Talon Nandi Hill

The Kite could not chase any prey while the bag was caught in its talons… I do hope that it was able to extricate itself speedily, otherwise, starvation was the fate it would face.

On another nature trail recently, my friends and I found, in the rain, that this carelessly thrown plastic cup was full of rainwater….and two insects which are called Bombardier Beetles, were swimming, literally, for their lives.

I video’d them and then rescued them… I hope this video will help raise awareness, and make each one of us stop to think how our carelessness could cause lives.  Let’s be very careful what we throw away, and how we dispose of plastic!

Related Articles

The rock on which Bengaluru sits
Bird-beaks reveal eating habit!
Yes or no to plastic bags?
From anti-plastic steps to zero waste management

Comments:

  1. srinivasan dr sundaram says:

    100% correct. why the govt itself is still distributing plastic. the milk by KMF is supplied in very plastic sachets. they might say it is pvdc coated or whatever but in essence it is plastic . why they can’t find a better substitute or do tetra pack. Like we are calling for natural[herbal] hair dye which can not be done with out a chemical[ non herbal] para phenelenediamine a fixative of its class.Like wise i think plastic is an inevitable evil. but its indiscriminate use can be minimised, .

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Similar Story

Gasping for breath, Delhiites still opt for personal vehicles. Why?

Vehicles are one of the top two pollutants in Delhi. Yet adoption of public transport remains abysmally low even as air quality plummets.

The extreme levels of air pollution reported in Delhi over the last week are shocking, but have not really taken anyone by surprise. It has become a yearly ritual in India’s capital. November has seen the average air quality index (AQI) hovering around 500 in the recent weeks, at ‘severe plus’ category, prompting the government to invoke several emergency measures.  While most people consider stubble burning a major cause of air pollution, a CSE analysis has revealed that vehicular pollution is the top contributor among combustion sources to Delhi's deteriorating air quality.  “Explosive motorization, choking congestion and inadequate public transport…

Similar Story

Opinion: Why climate action must recognise and include India’s informal workers

As COP29 discusses ways to mitigate the climate crisis, India must address the adversities faced by informal workers and chalk out plans.

The ongoing COP29 conference in Baku, is a pivotal moment in climate action, focusing on global cooperation to limit warming to 1.5°C. Key priorities include mobilising financial resources for developing countries to submit ambitious climate plans (NDCs) by 2025 and continuing support through the Fund for Loss and Damage (FRLD) established at COP28. COP29 also aims to strengthen adaptation efforts by setting finance-backed targets for the Global Goal on Adaptation.  While COP29 primarily focuses on international climate initiatives, India must address pressing domestic issues. One key group often overlooked is informal workers in Indian cities. Over 80% of India’s urban…