When plastic recycling becomes an art form

My 10-year-old sister is enthusiastic about collecting all kinds of plastic items.

Her schoolbag and pockets are always filled with plastic waste. However, she regards them as treasures, and never gets tired of designing animal sculptures out of discarded plastics.

Her room is like an art museum, showcasing numerous artworks made from recycled plastic waste.

In her bedroom stands a 1.5-meter-tall rabbit sculpture, whose ears are made from two cola bottles. The eyes are two pink bottle caps, and the body is adorned with colorful discarded plastic buttons, brushes and clothes pegs.

In addition to this rabbit, she has created other plastic animal sculptures including a panda and a monkey. Her classmates even offered to buy some of the sculptures which are inspired by certain cartoon images.

My little creative sister is an example of those individuals who take small steps every day to enhance plastic recycling, echoing the theme of this year's World Environment Day, "Beat Plastic Pollution." The global event fell on June 5.

Credit: Xinhua

According to a recent UN report, more than 400 million tons of plastics are produced every year worldwide – one-third of which are used just once.

Every day, the equivalent of more than 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastics are dumped into oceans, rivers and lakes.

The plastic pollution, especially that caused by invisible harmful micro-plastics, endangers marine lives.

Micro-plastics come from a variety of sources including larger plastic pieces that have broken apart or resin pellets used for plastic manufacturing.

Scientists have discovered that micro-plastics have a toxic effect on fish and other aquatic life. Harmful micro-plastics enter our bodies through the food chain when we consume marine fish.

Plastic hazards loom large, but individual action counts.

In Shanghai, I saw many residents actively engaged in the "Beat Plastic Pollution" campaign.

For example, a volunteer organization has spent 13 years tirelessly cleaning beaches and preventing foam plastics from entering the ocean.

Up to now, they have organized 217 beach-cleaning events, involving more than 10,000 volunteers and clearing 27 tons of beach litter.

In my hometown, Yuhua District in Changsha, a city in central China, every resident has their own electronic low-carbon account.

They exchange their used plastic bags and empty beverage bottles for low-carbon credits, which can be used to purchase everyday essentials like rice, cooking oil, and dish-washing liquid at credit supermarkets in local neighborhoods.

Credit: Xinhua

Individuals play a key role in beating plastic pollution. We need more people to join this campaign. Plastic waste can turn into treasure, and even bring us aesthetic pleasure.

Every time I step into my sister's room, I am amazed by the creativity of this 10-year-old as she effortlessly breathes new life into discarded plastic materials.

Indeed, she sets an example for my family in plastic recycling. Now, we seldom throw away plastic items in our household.

For instance, my mom often wakes up early to queue up at the low-carbon credit supermarket, carrying various sizes of plastic bottles to exchange them for everyday essentials.

Most of the rice and cooking oil we consume at home are obtained through the credit supermarket.

Our personal efforts to reduce plastic waste are not only about saving other creatures but also about saving humanity itself.

(The author is a graduate student at Shanghai International Studies University.)