Plastics, Plastics, Everywhere — But No One Is There to Care

I felt heartbroken to see plastics floating in the Sundarbans adjacent river

I am traveling for the last four days across the country. But what I have seen today shocked me to the core. I am irritated and almost lost my faith in people.

I am convinced that no matter how we shout for the environment, it hardly matters to others. We are the minority, and the collective ignorance of others cruelly outnumbered us.

Today afternoon, when I saw people randomly throwing their one-time plastic plates and bottles directly into the river, I became depressed as hell.

The way you’re digging your own grave with plastics

Last night, I was staying at Mongla, near the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest area. The Sundarbans forest is the habitat to 453 faunal wildlife, including 290 birds, 120 fish, 42 mammals, 35 reptiles, and eight amphibian species. It is to note that four protected areas in the Sundarbans are enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. So, today I decided to witness the natural beauty of this green kingdom.

My friend and I reached the Mongla Port by bus and then took a boat to explore the Karamjol parts of the Sundarbans. It was around 1.30 pm when the boatman started the journey. After a few minutes, our boat dive into the Pashur River, a Sundarbans adjacent river. It’s a big river with huge tides and currents.

The weather was excellent — mild sunshine, gentle breeze, and freshness all around. I was basking in the sun sitting on the boat with my friend. I was busy seeing the other boats and big ships passing nearby and enjoying the serenity all around. But, suddenly, something in the river caught my attention.

I saw a shining thing floating at a distance. It was glittering in the sunshine. First, I thought it’s just waves but what I saw in a minute was heartbreaking.

When our boats went nearer, I saw a white one-time plastic plate dancing with the waves and reflecting sunshine. I was shocked, no doubt. But more things were waiting for my poor eyes.

After seeing the first plastic-plate, I became conscious and tried to find the actual scenario. And within a few minutes, the whole picture unveiled.

I saw hundreds of plastic bottles, cans, plates, boxes floating in the water in this Sundarbans adjacent river.

Not just that, I saw more than fifty boats near a canal of Sundarban and people were enjoying(!) themselves with loud music and dancing. Many of them were eating their lunch and directly throwing the one-time-plastic plates into the river when they finished eating.

I saw the culprits. They are thousands in numbers — young, energetic, but dumbass — I don’t think they are human beings.

Seeing this nuisance in front of my eyes, I became much irritated and at the same time depressed. I told my friend, these people have no brain in their heads. They replaced their brain with filthy-shit. I wish I could kill them all.

My friend told me to calm down as there was nothing we could do. I felt so helpless and at the same time very angry.

The future of this dumbass generation is extremely bleak

When we reached the Sundarbans viewpoint at Karamjol, I saw the same scene again. This time more devastating. We found the place crowded as hell, and many of them were polluting the beautiful forest by throwing cigarette packets, polythenes, plastic bottles, used masks, etc.

I felt so angry and, at the same time, tremendous guilt for being a human. I wish I could be a bird or something else.

I don’t know what’s wrong with this generation. Why do people throw plastics in the environment? What are the reasons?

After using plastics, putting them in a dust-bin is just a commons sense. Why people lack this common sense — I don’t know.

The sad thing was most of the people were very young — maybe school or college going students. I was truly heartbroken to see them acting like nonsense. They were busy taking selfies and making videos — ignoring the rules of health and safety. They were damn-care!

Why is this young generation so indifferent about nature? Did they lose the connection with the natural world? Maybe they never felt any connection.

From my experiences, I have seen that nowadays, most people, especially young ones, travel only to give check-in updates and upload selfies on Facebook or Instagram. Or they travel to shoot videos for Tiktok or that kind of apps.

All they care about show-off and social validation.

For god’s sake! Do not throw plastics into the water

While in the evening, we were coming back through the same river by the same boat, all the excitements were gone completely. I did not expect my visit to the Sundarbans would turn out to be such a bad experience.

I believe the government must ban all the travel or visit to this beautiful mangrove forest. It is the only way to keep the forest and the adjacent rivers and canals plastics free.

But, we know how governments are! They hardly have time to think about the environment. They are busy counting the public’s money and putting that in their pockets in the name of so-called development.

So, the future is very bleak. I see no hope until this rubbish-generation becomes educated in the true sense. Anyway, for those who are reading this — I have only one sincere request for you.

For god’s sake, please keep your plastic-wastes in the proper place.

Keep your country clean.

Thank you for understanding.

If you are a wonderful soul and want to keep your environment clean, the following article may help you.