Warning: Plastic will soon displace humans if we allow it to choke the environment
KUCHING: When you clean the ocean, you are saving the whole world, said Sarawak Biodiversity Centre chairman Tan Sri Hamid Bugo.
Hamid said this when he spoke of putting an end to the perennial problem of floating waste and debris along the state’s shore and beaches when officiating at ‘Save Our Ocean’ campaign by Smart Reader Kuching at Permai Beach Resort Campsite 1 in Damai yesterday.
“Unfortunately, there is 1.83 billion plastics floating in the ocean, and plastic is found everywhere and they have strangled the sea life,” he said.
He said the peoples of the world have a responsibility to save the environment, including the oceans, seas and the shorelines.
“My advice is, let’s all play our little but crucial part: Don’t use plastic and don’t throw plastic anywhere,” he appealed.
Citing the Malaysian Plastic Manufacturer Association, Hamid said every Malaysian is estimated to use 300 single plastic bags annually, which adds up to a total of nine billion used plastic bags.
“In 2010, Malaysia ranked eighth in the production of plastic waste with an average of 0.26 million metric tonnes making their way to the oceans based on a study by the Earth Day Network.
“This is cause for worry because the world is 75 per cent ocean where live millions sea creatures live, including fish, therefore is a major component of our food chain.
“Therefore, how are we going to survive if these plastic bags end up floating in the ocean, killing the fish and cutting our food chain?” he asked.
“I am told that Greece, which is such a beautiful place, with spell-binding panoramic views, is now facing pollution in the water. There, more plastics are found than are fish,” he said.
As the oceans are turning into “earth’s last sink”, Hamid called upon young Sarawakians to love and safeguard the environment and to “stay off plastics”.
“When I received the invitation from Smart Readers to join the beach cleaning activity, I couldn’t resist attending because I wanted to tell young Sarawakians they have an important role in the sustainability of life on earth.
“Half hour of cleaning up the beach is a great job, and a lovely time to be with our little children to do good for mother earth.
“Thank you for helping to minimise the severe damage that humans have done to the earth,” he said
“My prayer is, someday plastic will have no place in our life,” he added.
