Say No to Plastic | Join the World Plastic Free Day Celebration Contest

Hello friends of this community, Thank you for having created this contest that I think is very interesting and which I am very happy to participate in!

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Behavior teaches more than a thousand words. Setting a good example is, in my opinion, the best way to raise awareness among the people around us (family, friends, work colleagues, fellow citizens) about the harmful effects that plastic has on the environment and on our own organism. Scientists have detected the presence of microparticles of plastic everywhere, even in human blood.
The first action to take is to talk to others and make them aware of the scientific data: there are many articles that illustrate the results of studies carried out on the damage that plastic causes to nature and living organisms. Secondly, when shopping it is necessary to avoid, as much as possible, buying food and non-food products distributed in plastic packaging or made of plastic; this serves to prevent the production of more plastic and encourages companies to choose alternative and more eco-sustainable packaging materials. The consumer can change company policies through his choices! For example, I buy fresh food and raw materials loose or packaged in paper;

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I avoid disposable products made of plastic (cotton buds, dish sponges, drinks in plastic bottles), choosing washable and reusable products. When I buy plastic objects, I try to make them last as long as possible or reuse them, then when I have to throw them in the garbage, I recycle them, so that the plastic can be recycled. I also tell others about these strategies, emphasizing that doing so is good for the environment, our health and even our wallet!
Unfortunately in the area where I live there are no bans on the use of plastic.

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There is only the possibility of giving the plastic collected in special bags to the garbage collectors, which I hope will be taken to a recycling center. Not everyone recycles, because even though it is mandatory, the controls are not ineffective! In fact, often when I go for a walk along the street and in the fields around my house I see a lot of plastic dispersed in the environment! People do not like to respect the rules in general, including those of waste collection, because they believe that these rules only serve to control the behavior of the community, to submit citizens to power; many do not understand that collecting waste correctly and reducing the use of plastic benefits the environment and their health! Therefore, for the mayor of my city it is not at all easy to define rules and enforce them, because as soon as people are asked to make an effort to change their habits, they rebel against what they perceive as a constraint and a limitation of personal freedom! However, if I were mayor of my city for a day:

1- first of all I would create a plastic collection point I would reward citizens who hand it in, for example with vouchers for shopping.
2- On the other hand I would give very high fines to those who abandon plastic in the environment and I would force offenders to provide service to collect abandoned waste throughout the territory.
3- Finally, I would organize parties and events during which experts can, in a fun, simple and practical way, explain to citizens what the harmful effects of plastic are and show all the behaviors that can be adopted in everyday life to reduce the use of plastic.

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I hope that my contribution has been useful to you in helping you and your community to be more aware of the damage caused by plastic and to reduce its use in everyday life!
Thank you for reading my post!