Quarantine regulations have been relaxed and lock down is being lifted world over, for the moment, and hopefully so it'll continue, putting the pandemic behind us. However, with all the daily activities resuming to the way it used to be before the pandemic struck, what would be disastrous is our littering habits resuming — A habit we can do away with and become more conscious about and spread awareness about.
Reports suggest that littering has surged since the ease of lockdown. So, as we start going back into the world busily about our businesses, let us take a moment to remember and appreciate that in our semi-absent state how beautifully our environment was healing and renewing itself. Our role in harming the environment couldn't be clearer than this. It would also help to understand that without us Mother Nature will recover fully well but without Mother Nature we would wither away.
The effects of littering
1. Spread of diseases
Littering can lead to a breeding ground of disease spreading bacteria. Also, with plastics or other wastes that can cause water to collect and breed disease-carrying mosquitoes. Diseases spread by mosquitoes are known to kill one million people every year
2. Pollutes the environment
Litter can contain toxic chemicals, which can lead to air, water and soil pollution. This, consequently, affects air, land and aquatic life, adversely
3.Increased chances of fires
Throwing cigarette butts or other possibly flammable products can spark fires and destroy nearby properties and homes as well as claim human and animal lives
It just takes a small step from each one of us to make a difference. Let us begin now!