By Gisele Soo
What do sea turtles eat? Unfortunately, plastic bags.
The problem of plastic waste is getting from bad to worse.
A study conducted by Ipsos Malaysia found that Malaysians generally are aware of the effects of plastic products on the environment. They are, however, reluctant to take action, although the government encourages citizens to recycle and reduce the use of plastic products.
The government has taken the necessary measures. This is evident with the banning of plastic straws in 2019.
Among the single-use plastics are grocery bags, straws, cups, bottles and food containers.
Many of us are still not aware of the environmental consequences. Plastics contain toxic pollutants which are non-biodegradable. This can cause pollution. Society’s ignorance on the matter will cause irreversible damage to the environment.
The issue is becoming increasingly worrisome as coffee shops are following the bubble tea trend.
What is more upsetting is that some bubble tea vendors do not allow customers to bring their own tumblers or bottles. They should encourage the use of paper cups.
“The increase in plastic cups usage is alarming. The more consumers buy, the more waste is generated. When consumers are done, they just dispose of them without due care to the environment,” said Nabila Nadia, a journalism student with a local Ipoh college.
“I’d prefer customers to bring their own tumblers or buy reusable cups,” she insisted.
“They should be mindful of the amount of carbon footprint they are creating,” Kourtney Goh, a third-year advertising student said.
Having said that, public awareness in Ipoh, on the whole, is still abysmal.
